Amid annual political blame game, toxic smog engulfs Delhi, over 200 flights delayed

Like an annual ritual, Delhi is engulfed by toxic smog as air quality remained in the “severe” category at the onset of winter in the national capital as people struggled to breathe and flights were delayed, media reports said.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 432, which falls in the ‘severe’ category, at 6 am on Thursday.

It has slightly improved since it was recorded ‘very severe’ at 452 at 11 pm on Wednesday.

More than 200 flights have been delayed owing to the poor visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, which houses the residence of the Prime Minister.

Entrepreneur Aman Bansal, who seems frustrated at the situation, writes on X, “Delhi is choking. I don’t know who is going to save us. People in power should be made to stand outside in this air to make them understand the effects.”

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who returned from Wayanad elections to Delhi, posted on X, “Coming back to Delhi from Wayanad where the air is beautiful and the AQI is 35, was like entering a gas chamber. The blanket of smog is even more shocking when seen from the air. Delhi’s pollution gets worse every year.

“We really should put our heads together and find a solution for cleaner air. It’s beyond this party or that, it’s practically impossible to breathe especially for kids, elders and those with respiratory issues. We just have to do something about it.”

Political slugfest over Delhi pollution

Though the residents of Delhi are in no respite from the pollution for years, political slugfest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which governs the city and country respectively, has seen no pause.

Slamming the AAP government, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said as quoted by India Today, “We are standing at Kartavya Path, and the AQI here is 474. We can’t even see India Gate. “This is due to the inefficiency of the AAP government, which is focused only on event management, not environmental planning.”

Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday, “The central government will have to take action to control pollution. Releasing a press release from the party won’t help.”
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi had blamed the BJP-ruled states- Haryana and Uttar Pradesh- for allegedly polluting Yamuna river deliberately

‘We should not become most polluted city of the world’

“We should not become the most polluted city in the world,” the Supreme Court was told during a hearing on the air pollution that has choked the national capital Delhi.

Amicus curiae and senior advocate Aparajita Singh told this to the top court bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih.

“We are in severe mode today. They (Delhi government) have not yet taken any pre-emptive measures yet. Nothing has been done. We should not become the most polluted city in the world,” advocate Singh told the top court as quoted by Bar and Bench.

‘No religion promotes pollution’

During a hearing on the Diwali firecrackers ban violation, the Supreme Court had wailed on the authorities’ failure to take measures to curb bursting of crackers. The court had said every citizen has the right to live in a pollution-free environment. The right has been guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, asserted the top court.

“Prima facie we are of the view that no religion promotes any activity which promotes pollution or compromises with health of people,” the Supreme Court had said as quoted by Bar and Bench.