Children on inhalers, elderly gasping for breath: Atishi on air pollution

 Atishi lamented that an average adult is gasping for breath while children and the elderly, who are particularly vulnerable to the toxic fumes, have to depend on medical assistance.

SNS | New Delhi | November 19, 2024 : Blaming stubble burning for severe air pollution across northern India, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi lamented that an average adult is gasping for breath while children and the elderly, who are particularly vulnerable to the toxic fumes, have to depend on medical assistance.

Acknowledging that the people of Delhi are in great distress in the wake of the unprecedented air pollution in the city, the Delhi CM said, “I received phone calls throughout last night from some who needed to admit their elderly parents to hospitals with breathing difficulties and others who had to rush for asthma inhalers for their young ones late at night.”

CM Atishi wrote on her X handle: “All of North India has been plunged into a medical emergency as stubble burning continues unchecked across the country. All cities across the country – in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, MP and Delhi – are reeling under severe levels of pollution.”

She urged the Centre to take immediate steps to reduce stubble-burning incidence.

Atishi hit out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for its alleged inaction against the farm fires which, she claimed, have been on the rise across the northern parts of the country pushing the air quality towards dangerous levels.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said the elderly citizens are bearing the brunt literally gasping for breath in the toxic atmospheric pollution while children are forced to rely on inhalers and steroids.

Atishi held Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh squarely responsible for the surge in stubble-burning incidents over the past 6-7 years. As for Punjab, she claimed that the AAP-ruled state stands out as the sole exception in this regard. In Punjab, she said, crop residue burning incidents have witnessed a decline of 80 per cent, from 73,300 in 2021 to 8,404 in 2024.

CM Atishi pointed out that Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of stubble-burning incidents with 9,600 cases recorded between September 15 and November 17. “This has pushed air quality in its cities to hazardous levels,” she added.

“If the Punjab government can reduce stubble burning, why can’t other states,” she asked the Central government.