 "Vehicles move on a road shrouded in smog in New Delhi, India. Reuters")
Despite efforts to combat the grey air in the national capital, Delhi is still experiencing smog and higher AQI levels. People have started staging protests as an action against pollution surrounding the capital. Delhi Police have recently detained scores of people who were demanding action against the toxic air swathing the region.
The protest was staged by a massive crowd near India Gate, from all sects holding banners and raising slogans before the police. Well, the problem is not new for Delhi, the region always engulfs fumes every winter for months.
A protester told news agency ANI, “We have only one problem, and that is clean air. This problem has been going on for many years but no action is being taken.”
Police dragged demonstrators
Visuals show that police dragged the protesters, who were holding the banner that read, “Breathing is killing us.” Masked people chanted the slogans of “Our right, clear air” before driving away.
The city’s AQI was reduced a bit but recorded 345 on Monday which is labelled as ‘very poor.’
Opposition criticised removal of protesters
As police recalled the spot to be vacated, the opposition leaders called the removal of the protesters as inappropriate and criticised the functioning of the current government.
Leader of Congress party, Rahul Gandhi took to X and wrote, “The right to clean air is a basic human right. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by our constitution. Why are citizens … peacefully demanding clean air being treated like criminals?"
Government intensifies measures
The environment minister of Delhi, Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the government is taking steps to combat the current situation and prevent pollution.
“We will continue every possible effort to rid us of pollution. This is the resolve of our government,” he said in his X post.
Authorities recently tried cloud seeding as a form of artificial rain to reduce the pollution but the excessive pollution levels failed to produce any rainfall.