Congress MPs demand Centre declare pollution a national health emergency

Congress MPs moved an Adjournment Motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR. They urged the Centre to declare it a national health emergency and demanded a national clean air mission backed by law.

Congress Seeks Discussion on Air Pollution

Congress MPs on Thursday moved Adjournment Motion notices in the Lok Sabha to discuss the rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR and other parts of North India. As the Winter Session of the Parliament enters its fourth day, Manickam Tagore, Manish Tewari and Vijayakumar alias Vijay Vasanth moved the notices to discuss the air quality in North India. The Congress leaders urged the Centre to declare pollution a national health emergency.

Call for a National Clean Air Mission

Tagore, in his notice to Lok Sabha Secretary General, said, "government remains paralysed, issuing advisories instead of action, committees instead of solutions, slogans instead of a coordinated national strategy. Even as evidence mounts that pollution increases the risk of cancers, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders and metabolic illnesses like diabetes, this Government refuses to declare pollution a national health priority." He demanded a "national clean air mission backed by law, strict liability for polluters, emergency health protocols for exposed populations, and coordinated scientific policymaking."

'Government's Monumental Failure'

Vijay Vasanth, in his letter, flagged "the government's monumental failure to even measure the crisis." He alleged that "without real-time data, CAQM and CPCB could not implement GRAP measures, could not sound alerts, could not protect citizens." Calling for a National Public Health Emergency, he asked for "activate emergency health protocols, restore all monitoring stations, enforce liability on polluters, and launch a time-bound national clean-air mission backed by law, science, and accountability."

Delhi's Air Quality Remains 'Poor' to 'Very Poor'

Earlier today, Delhi's air quality improved with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 299 at 8 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). For comparison, the city recorded an AQI of 342 at 4 pm on December 3, placing it in the 'very poor' category.

According to CPCB, the air quality in some parts of the National Capital improved and was classified in the 'poor category'. Najafgarh recorded an AQI of 286, while IGI Airport T3 reported 255. Sri Aurobindo Marg and North Campus registered AQI of 283 and 281, respectively. But despite a slight improvement, several parts of the city remained shrouded in a dense layer of toxic smog. Areas including Ghazipur and Akshardham reported thick haze early this morning, with visibility remaining significantly reduced.

According to CPCB, many areas in the National Capital fell into the 'very poor' category. The area around Anand Vihar was blanketed in a dense layer of toxic smog, with an AQI of 316 in the 'very poor' category. According to CPCB data, Sonia Vihar recorded an AQI of 302, while Wazirpur recorded 323. The Air Quality Index in Patparganj was 309.

Govt to Introduce Health Security Cess Bill

Meanwhile, in the Parliament, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to move the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha today. The Bill aims to augment the resources for meeting expenditure on national security and for public health, and to levy a cess for the said purposes on the machines installed and other processes undertaken by which specified goods are manufactured or produced and for matters connected therewith. (ANI)

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