Opposition MPs Don Gas Masks in Parliament to Protest Severe Air Pollution Crisis in Delhi NCR

Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) entered the parliament on Wednesday (Dec 3) wearing gas masks to demand discussions about the critical air pollution crisis during the ongoing Winter Session.

Deepender Singh Hooda, a prominent Congress leader and MP who was captured in the video wearing a gas mask, called on the Centre to cease blaming other states and Opposition parties and instead take immediate action.

Hooda appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spearhead efforts in addressing this crisis. He proposed forming a committee comprising chief ministers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan to develop a comprehensive plan with appropriate budget allocations to effectively combat air pollution in the Delhi NCR region, where millions of residents are affected.

A video shows the opposition MPs entering Parliament House with gas masks as a symbolic protest against the dangerous levels of air pollution.

"Pollution has reached deadly levels, making it difficult to breathe without this mask. I have submitted a motion to suspend regular business to discuss this urgent issue," Hooda stated.

According to Wednesday morning data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'Very Poor' category at 376 as of 7:00 am. In several areas, air quality deteriorated to the 'Severe' category.

The vicinity around India Gate and Kartavya Path was covered in a thick layer of toxic smog, with the AQI in this area recorded at 356, categorized as 'very poor.' Footage from the Akshardham area revealed the region shrouded in hazardous smog, with an AQI of approximately 405, classified as 'Severe.'