Arvind Kejriwal calls emergency meeting to tackle air pollution as Delhi suffocates

Kejriwal has blamed the practice of crop burning in Haryana and Punjab for the pollution in the national capital

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday called for an emergency meeting to take stock on recent measures announced to combat the soaring pollution levels in the national capital.

The meeting will be held at Kejriwal's residence at 12:30 p.m. where technologies like jet sprinkling and the dust sweep machine will be discussed at length.

This development comes in the wake of the Centre calling a meeting of environment ministers of all neighbouring states on Monday to put an end to crop burning as Delhi's pollution level rises to alarming levels.

Yesterday, Kejriwal had met Union Environment Minister Anil Dave to ask the central government to intervene, following which the latter declared an emergency situation in Delhi, adding that the circumstances are quite bad, particularly for children, patients, women and the elderly.

Kejriwal has, however, blamed the practice of crop burning in Haryana and Punjab for the pollution in the national capital, as air quality in the city dips to its worst in 17 years.

"I saw smoke across Punjab, Haryana during my visits. We need Centre's help. We are hiring an agency in a week or two to study the sources of pollution in Delhi afresh. The Centre needs to intervene," he said.

Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung has also called a high level meeting tomorrow on the issue in which immediate, short-term and long-term measures to combat the growing air pollution in the city are to be discussed.

Delhi Chief Minister, PWD Minister, Environment and Forest Minister, Chief Secretary, NDMC Chairman and all three Municipal Commissioners are among those attending the meeting.

Meanwhile, a thick blanket of haze continued to cover the national capital with pollution level remaining very high and breaching the safe limit by over 17 times at several places.