Delhi air pollution: CM Atishi says North India facing 'medical emergency'

Delhi Chief Minister CM Atishi on Monday raised concerns over the severe air pollution which is affecting most parts of North India and described the situation as a medical emergency caused by rampant stubble burning in several BJPruled statesAccording to news agency PTI Atishi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party BJPled Central Government instead of addressing the crisis is focussed on political blame gamesNorth India is choking because of the Modi governments inaction Stubble burning incidents have escalated in BJPruled states of Haryana Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh while AAP Aam Aadmi Partygoverned Punjab has registered a decline Atishi said while addressing a press conference in the capitalAtishi also highlighted the distress of Delhis residents recounting how she had received phone calls throughout the night from citizens seeking medical help PTI reportedSome needed to admit their elderly parents to hospitals due to breathing difficulties while others had to rush to get asthma inhalers for their young children late at night the CM saidPointing to official data Atishi claimed that the reduction in stubble burning incidents in AAPruled Punjab demonstrated effective governance in stark contrast to the approach seen in states governed by BJP reported PTIDelhi air pollution Centre playing politics while people are finding it difficult to breathe says CMMeanwhile Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva dismissed the CMs claims as most irresponsible accusing her of attempting to defend the Punjab government On a day Delhi expected drastic relief measures from CM Atishi all she did was make the most irresponsible claims on pollution to defend the Punjab government Sachdeva remarkedHe further argued that if the central government had not built infrastructure projects such as the EastWest Corridor and the Dwarka Expressway allowing thousands of diesel trucks and other vehicles to bypass the city the Air Quality Index AQI would have likely surpassed 600 by nowDelhirsquos air quality worsened to the severe plus category on Monday with the city recording an AQI of 484 as a dense toxic smog caused visibility to sharply drop in the morningAtishi criticised the central governments response to the situation stating The people of Delhi are struggling to breathe with the elderly and children needing medical support due to the severe pollution Instead of taking action the central government is busy playing politics pushing the entire region towards a health crisisShe also questioned why the central government had not taken the same measures as those implemented in Punjab If the Punjab government can reduce stubble burning why cant BJPruled states do the same The rising pollution levels across North India highlight the failure of the central governments policies Atishi saidWhile BJPruled states are seeing an alarming rise in stubble burning Punjab stands as the sole exception having reduced stubbleburning incidents by 80 per cent from 73300 in 2021 to 8404 in 2024 Atishi addedIn response to the Delhi air pollution crisis the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas has ordered the implementation of StageIV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan GRAP in DelhiNCRWith PTI inputs