PM Modi, CM Kejriwal should call an emergency meeting over air pollution in Delhi: Congress

With the air quality in the national Capital dropping to ‘severe’ category, the Congress on Friday, 3 November, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to call an emergency meeting and discuss the necessary steps to curb pollution and pledged its support.

Addressing a press conference, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Pawan Khera said, "Whether it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, they should call an emergency meeting over the air pollution."

He said, "Some necessary steps should be taken immediately. We had seen the era when the collars of white shirts would turn black in an hour. Sheila Dikshit was the Chief Minister then and effective steps were taken. And all the Opposition parties supported her."

"We are all ready to sit and talk, but first you decide to take necessary steps, this is our request," he added.

He made the remarks while responding to a question on the air quality in the national Capital dropping to ‘severe’ category even as Kejriwal is busy in campaigning in Madhya Pradesh.

Residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to a hazy morning with the air quality further plunging into the ‘severe’ category on Friday. In the national Capital, the AQI at Anand Vihar reached the ‘severe' category with PM 2.5 and PM 10 at 500, while NO2 was recorded at 76 over the ‘satisfactory’ levels and CO was at 113 in ‘moderate’ category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

At Bawana, the PM 2.5 reached 500 while PM 10 was at 499, both under ‘severe’ category, while the CO was recorded at 113, in ‘moderate’ category and NO2 was at 34, in ‘satisfactory’ levels.

The station at Delhi Technical University (DTU) recorded the PM 10 at 500, under ‘severe category’, while the PM 2.5 was at 376, under the ‘very poor’ category. The CO at DTU was at 110 and the NO2 reached 103, under moderate category.

In adjoining Noida, the AQI was at 498 in the ‘severe’ category while in Gurugram AQI was at 381 which put it in ‘very poor’ category.