Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Orders Action on Pollution as BJP and Rahul Gandhi Clash Over Air Quality
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta chaired a high-level meeting to address worsening air pollution, ordering strict measures against industrial and vehicular polluters, garbage burning, and dust. Special teams will enforce fines and legal action, while municipal cleaning and dust suppression efforts are intensified. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the BJP governments for failing to improve air quality, citing personal health effects and calling for urgent action.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta convened a high-level meeting with key ministers and officials to tackle the city's persistently poor air quality, which has remained in the 'very poor' category for several days. Gupta directed government departments to coordinate strict enforcement against polluting industries and vehicles, with special teams tasked to monitor violations and impose penalties. She also emphasized curbing garbage burning—a major pollution source—and ongoing dust control measures, including the deployment of water sprinklers and mechanical suppression in identified hotspots. The Municipal Corporation was instructed to ensure regular cleaning and prompt garbage disposal across the city. The government is even considering providing heaters to night-duty security personnel, as pollution tends to spike during winter. The meeting's urgency reflects Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 316, with 28 of the city's monitoring stations reporting 'very poor' conditions. Concurrently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly criticized both the central and Delhi BJP governments for their handling of the pollution crisis, sharing a video where he described experiencing breathing difficulties and burning eyes due to the toxic air. Gandhi questioned the effectiveness of current policies and highlighted the need for tangible results rather than excuses, even suggesting he had considered relocating his mother out of Delhi for health reasons. The article underscores the growing political tension over environmental governance in the national capital as administrative action and public criticism intensify amid the pollution crisis.
