Priyanka Gandhi Urges Immediate Action On Delhi's Toxic Air Crisis: AQI Reaches Severe Levels

Delhi woke up to a smoggy morning today with an average AQI of 303, falling in the very poor category.

As Delhi residents faced another day of dense smog with Air Quality Index (AQI) readings reaching 'severe' levels in multiple areas, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has urgently called for immediate action from both the central government and the BJP-led Delhi administration.

The Congress leader recently returned to Delhi after completing campaign activities in Bihar. Prior to this, she had visited her Lok Sabha constituency of Wayanad in Kerala.

"Returning to the Delhi air from Wayanad first, then Bachwara in Bihar is truly shocking. The pollution enveloping this city is like a grey shroud thrown over it," Gandhi expressed in her post on X.

She emphasized the need for unified action regardless of political differences: "It's really about time all of us get together regardless of our political compulsions and do something about it. The central and state government need to act immediately, we will all support and cooperate with whatever actions they choose to take to mitigate this awful situation. Year after year the citizens of Delhi are subjected to this toxicity with no recourse."

Gandhi highlighted the plight of vulnerable populations, stating, "Those who suffer from respiratory issues, children who commute to school every day and senior citizens especially, need urgent intervention to clear the filthy smog we are all breathing." She directly tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in her appeal for immediate intervention.

Air quality in the capital has deteriorated significantly over recent weeks, with monitoring stations across the city recording AQI levels ranging from 'very poor' to 'severe'. While the average reading across 39 monitoring stations stands at 303 (very poor), specific areas like Wazirpur and Anand Vihar have registered 'severe' category pollution levels.

In response to the crisis, the Delhi government has initiated plans for cloud seeding trials aimed at inducing rainfall to improve air quality. Earlier attempts last week failed to produce rain due to insufficient moisture in clouds above the capital.

Multiple factors contribute to Delhi's persistent air pollution problem, including stubble burning in neighboring Haryana and Punjab, vehicle emissions, seasonal weather patterns, and ongoing construction and industrial activities. Currently, the national capital is implementing restrictions under stage two of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a phased strategy designed to combat hazardous air quality conditions.