AAP MLAs Protest in Delhi Assembly, Atishi Pushes for Urgent Action on Air Pollution Crisis

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

MLAs
of
the
Aam
Aadmi
Party
on
Monday
staged
a
protest
inside
the
Delhi
Assembly,
flagging
the
worsening
air
pollution
situation
in
the
national
capital.

The
demonstration
was
led
by
Leader
of
Opposition
Atishi,
who
accused
the
authorities
of
failing
to
respond
with
urgency
to
a
public
health
emergency
that
affects
millions
of
residents.

Atishi
raises
public
health
concerns
in
Assembly

Leading
the
protest,
Atishi
said
Delhi’s
toxic
air
posed
a
serious
threat
to
children,
senior
citizens
and
people
suffering
from
respiratory
illnesses.
She
underlined
that
rising
pollution
levels
were
not
merely
an
environmental
issue
but
a
health
crisis
that
required
immediate
and
coordinated
policy
intervention.
AAP
legislators
demanded
accountability
and
stronger
enforcement
of
pollution
control
measures,
stressing
that
delay
would
only
worsen
long-term
health
outcomes
for
citizens.

AAP
demands
stronger,
coordinated
measures

AAP
leaders
called
on
the
government
to
implement
stricter
curbs
on
vehicular
emissions,
industrial
pollution
and
unchecked
construction
activity.
They
also
pressed
for
a
coordinated
approach
with
neighbouring
states
to
tackle
stubble
burning,
which
continues
to
contribute
significantly
to
winter
smog
in
Delhi.
The
party
maintained
that
piecemeal
actions
would
not
be
enough
and
urged
authorities
to
act
decisively
before
conditions
deteriorate
further.

AQI
remains
poor
across
key
areas
of
Delhi

Several
Indian
cities,
including
Delhi,
Mumbai
and
Guwahati,
woke
up
to
dense
fog
on
Monday
morning.
In
the
national
capital,
air
quality
ranged
from
poor
to
very
poor
across
multiple
locations.
According
to
the
Central
Pollution
Control
Board,
Delhi
recorded
an
Air
Quality
Index
of
260
by
8
am,
placing
it
in
the
poor
category.

Visuals
from
Akshardham
showed
an
AQI
of
294,
also
categorised
as
poor.
At
ITO,
the
AQI
stood
at
256,
while
Anand
Vihar
saw
a
sharper
decline
at
320,
falling
in
the
very
poor
bracket.
Chandni
Chowk
emerged
as
one
of
the
worst-hit
areas,
recording
an
AQI
of
337,
classified
as
very
poor.

Fog
disrupts
flights
as
AAP
seeks
preventive
action

Reduced
visibility
due
to
fog
and
smog
disrupted
flight
operations
at
Indira
Gandhi
International
Airport,
with
several
departures
delayed
during
the
early
hours.
AAP
leaders
argued
that
such
disruptions
highlighted
the
everyday
impact
of
pollution
on
mobility
and
economic
activity,
reinforcing
the
need
for
preventive
action
rather
than
reactive
measures.

In
a
related
development,
the
Sub-Committee
on
the
Graded
Response
Action
Plan
under
the
Commission
for
Air
Quality
Management
lifted
Stage
III
restrictions
on
Friday
evening,
citing
improved
air
quality
due
to
favourable
meteorological
conditions.
AAP,
however,
maintained
that
temporary
weather-driven
relief
should
not
be
mistaken
for
structural
improvement
and
called
for
sustained
policy
measures
to
ensure
cleaner
air
throughout
the
year.