Parliament Winter Session: Opposition MPs protest outside Parliament over rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR

Opposition leaders staging protest outside Parliament. Pic/PTI

The fourth day of the Parliament Winter Session saw a protest outside the premises when the Opposition MPs in front of Makar Dwar on Parliament premises staged a protest against the Centre over air pollution in Delhi-NCR and parts of North India.

As reported by news agency ANI, opposition MPs were seen wearing an oxygen mask and holding a banner to take a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which read "Mausam ka maza lijiye" (enjoy the weather).

The remarks on the banner followed PM Modi's address at the start of the Winter Session of Parliament, in which he said so. While raising the slogans, the opposition MPs also demanded a parliamentary discussion on air pollution.

Among the leaders who were protesting against the rising air pollution were Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi.

Earlier on Thursday, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also slammed the government over pollution and told the media that the opposition will hold a protest to draw the Centre's attention.

The Congress MP further asserted that, "People outside cannot understand this... It feels like Delhi and a few other cities have been turned into gas chambers, and citizens are being kept there. The BJP government at the Centre and State governments are responsible for this. Opposition MPs will peacefully protest over this today at Makar Dwar in Parliament and draw the government's attention," as cited by news agency ANI.

Furthermore, Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, Manish Tewari and Vijayakumar, alias Vijay Vasanth, on the fourth day of the Parliament Winter Session, moved the notices to discuss the air quality in North India. The Congress leaders also urged the Centre to declare pollution a national health emergency.

Tagore, in his notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary General, emphasised, "Government remains paralysed, issuing advisories instead of action, committees instead of solutions, and slogans instead of a coordinated national strategy. Even as evidence mounts that pollution increases the risk of cancers, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders and metabolic illnesses like diabetes, this government refuses to declare pollution a national health priority," as reported by news agency ANI.

He also demanded a "national clean air mission backed by law, strict liability for polluters, emergency health protocols for exposed populations, and coordinated scientific policymaking."

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality improved, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 299 at 8 am today, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). For comparison, the city recorded an AQI of 342 at 4 pm on December 3, placing it in the 'very poor' category.

(With inputs from ANI)