Terming air pollution in north India a “national emergency”, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged his colleagues in Parliament to come together to discuss how the country can end the crisis once and for all, during the upcoming Winter Session that begins on November 25.
Mr. Gandhi shared his views in a post on social media platform X, along with a video of his discussion with environmentalist Vimlendu Jha. Mr. Gandhi wrote that it is a public health crisis that is stealing our children’s future and suffocating the elderly and an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives.
“The poorest among us suffer the most, unable to escape the toxic air that surrounds them. Families are gasping for clean air, children are falling sick and millions of lives are being cut short. Tourism is declining and our global reputation is crumbling,” the former Congress chief said.
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In the video posted along with the message, Mr. Gandhi also complains about having trouble breathing and itchy eyes. “The cloud of pollution covers hundreds of kilometres. Cleaning it up will need major changes and decisive action - from governments, companies, experts and citizens. We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” he wrote on X.
Mr. Gandhi further said, “As Parliament meets in a few days, MPs will all be reminded of the crisis by our irritated eyes and sore throats. It is our responsibility to come together and discuss how India can end this crisis once and for all.”
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In the video, the Congress leader queries Mr. Jha regarding the causes of the pollution crisis. Mr. Jha responds by saying that it is a pan India problem, and states that in the national capital region there are two sources - episodic sources and perennial sources.
Mr. Jha highlighted that stubble burning is only an issue for about three weeks. He added that there is a need to provide the farmers with incentives. The environmentalist, in conversation with Mr. Gandhi, calls for bringing about lifestyle changes to deal with the air pollution crisis.
Published - November 22, 2024 03:35 pm IST
