"World Air Quality Report 2023 raises red flag over Delhi's air quality," says L-G VK Saxena
Mar 20, 2024
New Delhi [India], March 20 : After the release of the World Air Quality Report 2023, Delhi L-G VK Saxena on Wednesday wrote to Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal drawing his attention to the report "painting a grim picture" of the air quality in the national capital.
"It raises a red flag over the abnormally high PM 2.5 levels, two-fifths of which is attributable to vehicular emission. I am sure that you are aware that prolonged exposure to particulate matter of this dimension leads to premature deaths in people, triggers lung disease, leads to a host of respiratory diseases," the Delhi L-G pointed out.
L-G Saxena further highlighted in his letter that there are regular reports of increased admissions in the city hospitals with children and the elderly suffering the most from respiratory ailments.
Calling it a "public health emergency", the L-G emphasised that this contravenes the very basic natural and fundamental right of the people of Delhi.
The L-G further said that Chief Minister Kejriwal must take responsibility and take definitive steps and bold measures.
"Your ministers obfuscate the issue by engaging in a farcical exercise of emergency measures, lip service and media byte," he lashed out.
Citing global examples the L-G said, "The Great Smog of London and the grey skies of Beijing got cleaned up with the determined leadership."
Addressing the same issue, Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, "The pollution levels in the national capital have been decreasing consistently. From 2015 till 2023, there has been a decrease in levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5. After 2015, last year we had 206 days of better air quality."
Meanwhile, the initiative of sprinkling water was taken in the national capital as a measure to curb air pollution.
