Pollution harming health while govts blame each other: Robert Vadra

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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's husband, Robert Vadra, on Monday expressed his concern over the alarming air pollution in Delhi, emphasizing that it's a serious health hazard while "governments are just blaming each other" instead of finding solutions.

Nottably, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday criticized the central government for its "lack of action" on the issue of rising pollution in the North India region.

"The effect of pollution is becoming dangerous in the changing weather in the whole of North India. But it is unfortunate that even at such a time the central government is sleeping and no one knows where the Union Environment Minister is, whereas the Center needs to work together with all the states," Vadra said.

"This pollution is harming health while the governments are just blaming each other. Nobody is trying to find a solution to it... It's embarrassing when people ask how do you live in this gas chamber," he said.

Amid worsening air quality in the national capital, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday, asserted that the Delhi government is "doing its part" and demanded the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre to take immediate action to protect not just Delhi, but the entire North India region..

"At its level, the Delhi government is taking all possible steps. We have directed all officials to ensure strict implementation of GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) IV guidelines. I demand that the Central government take emergency measures so that the whole of north India can be saved from this situation," Rai said while addressing a press conference in the national capital.

Notably, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV in Delhi NCR on Monday, which saw the Air Quality Index (AQI) dipping into the 'severe plus' category.

This decision was taken after Delhi's daily average AQI rose sharply to 441 by 4 pm on Sunday and further escalated to 457 by 7 pm, which prompted an emergency meeting of the GRAP Sub-Committee.

Vadra also criticised UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Batenge to Katenge' slogan, saying that such kind of slogans are harmful to national unity.

"Every time I find that agencies are misused, or that ED is raiding the premises of Jharkhand leaders, or that caste issue is being created in Maharashtra, or that Chief Ministers use statements like 'batengey toh katengey', I find it harmful for national unity. Caste or religion-based politics will cause communal issues and divide in the society," he said.