Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday raised the issue of Delhi air pollution in Parliament, saying that stubble burning is not the only reason for the poor air quality index (AQI) in the national capital.
Farmers are forced to burn the stubble since they do not have any other option, he said in Rajya Sabha.
"Burning stubble is a compulsion for farmers. Farmers are not responsible for the air pollution in Delhi," Mr Chadha said, citing an IIT study.
In a wordplay, Mr Chadha told the Rajya Sabha that they should talk about "AQI" (Air Quality Index), and not "AI" (Artificial Intelligence) - a topic the Centre has been discussing to counter digital fraud threats.
"We talk about AI but if we want to get rid of pollution, then we will have to talk about AQI," he said.
According to the AAP leader, the central and state governments should help the farmers with wages to buy anti-pollution equipment like 'happy seeder' or 'paddy chopper'. Suggesting a "short-term solution", Mr Chadha said that the farmers should be given Rs 2,500 per acre - Rs 2,000 from the Centre and Rs 500 from the Punjab government.
AI नहीं, AQI की बात करो!
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) December 3, 2024
I spoke on the issue of Air Pollution in Parliament today.
I also proposed solutions that can immediately stop Stubble Burning. pic.twitter.com/rQCBqRj74u
Delhi witnessed the worst air quality this season with some areas reporting an AQI of 500 in the 'severe plus' category. A thick blanket of toxic smog has engulfed the national capital for weeks, lowering the visibility and causing disruptions in transport operations. The worsening pollution forced the state government to enforce GRAP 4 - the final and strictest stage of anti-pollution measures. Under this, all schools and colleges were shut, and construction activities were halted.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the AQI in Delhi stands at 272 on Tuesday in the 'poor' category. However, out of the city's 37 monitoring stations, eight recorded air quality in the 'very poor' category, with readings between 300 and 400.
The average daily microplastic exposure rose from 10.7 particles in the colder months to 21.1 in the hotter season, the study highlighted.
Monsoon ushers in respiratory trouble for many and pneumonia cases rise sharply, driven by damp air, viral spread, indoor pollutants, and rain-wetting. Children, elderly, and those with compromised immunity are most vulnerable.
Rain lashed several parts of Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday evening. Areas including Lajpat Nagar, RK Puram, Lodhi Road, and Mandir Marg witnessed light showers.
In a bid to tackle one of the worst sources of air pollution, Delhi has begun testing retrofitting devices that promise to cut harmful emissions from heavy commercial vehicles by more than 70 per cent.
Delhi is gearing up to build one of India's most advanced e-waste processing facilities, and it's taking cues from Norway's cutting-edge model.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Opinion | Why Indians Have Just Given Up On Air Pollution CrisisTanushree Ganguly
Friday December 20, 2024While some may argue that people in Delhi are now more aware of air pollution than they were a decade back, my rebuttal would be that awareness does not mean that people are concerned.
Opinion | You Must Outrage Over Filthy Air More Than Once A YearJyoti Pande Lavakare
Tuesday December 10, 2024Delhi welcomed us with monsoon rains and mangos. We were home. Fast forward a couple of years, in the winter of 2012, I found myself in denial about something other parents, mostly expats, were calling toxic air.
Opinion | Delhi's Air Pollution Situation Is Like A Bad MarriageNishtha Gautam
Friday November 22, 2024On a good day, such as today, the AQI reading in Delhi is 407. We are jubilant at the sickly sunshine trickling through the slightly dissipated smog. At least its not 1600.
दिवाली... पराली... सियासी जुगाली!Ashwini kumar
Monday November 18, 2024दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का समाधान तो आज तक मिला नहीं. हर साल चिंतित होकर हम-आप सांसों की तकलीफ के साथ-साथ दिल और ब्लड प्रेशर के मरीज भी क्यों बनें?
घर में कैद बुजुर्ग और हांफते लोग, दिल्ली की सांसों में घुला ये कैसा रोग?Nidhi Kulpati
Friday November 08, 2024हमारी हवा जहरीली हो रही है. गुरुवार की शाम को जब मैं इस मुद्दे पर लिखने बैठी तो AQI लगातार 400 पार जाकर दम घोंट रहा था. बहुत लोगों को यह मामला बोरिंग लगे, लेकिन जब आप अपने साथ काम करने वालों को खांसते-हांफते देखते-सुनते हैं, तो चिंता होने लगती है. सुबह उठते ही दरवाजे खिड़कियां खोलने के लिए डॉक्टर मना कर रहे हैं. बड़े बुजुर्गों के लिए तो मॉर्निंग वॉक बाहर की दुनिया से सीधे संपर्क का ज़रिया है, लेकिन डॉक्टर इसकी भी मनाही कर रहे हैं.