"Toxic air doesn't discriminate on religion basis": Congress' Mumtaz Patel urges political parties to set politics aside

Congress leader Mumtaz Patel, voicing grave concern over the deteriorating air quality across northern India, urged political parties and citizens to rise above partisan politics and avoid framing the environmental crisis through a religious prism, emphasising that toxic air affects everyone equally.

Congress leader Mumtaz Patel, voicing grave concern over the deteriorating air quality across northern India, urged political parties and citizens to rise above partisan politics and avoid framing the environmental crisis through a religious prism, emphasising that toxic air affects everyone equally. Speaking on the worsening air pollution, the Congress leader highlighted that severe air pollution is no longer confined to the national capital alone but has engulfed several other urban centres.

"It is not just Delhi, but many cities where all of us are breathing toxic air. And this toxic air does not discriminate based on religion or the homes we live in. It affects the health of all of us. I just want to make an appeal: keep your politics aside, but this is a very serious problem. It is not as though anyone is stopping anyone from practising their religion," Patel told ANI. Responding to political blame games and remarks by BJP leader Kapil Mishra regarding stubble burning in Punjab, Patel pointed out that the air quality had already been hazardous and questioned the defiance of cracker bans.

"The AQI has not deteriorated just today; it has been poor for many days. Political arguments keep going on. Today, I heard a statement by Kapil Mishra ji claiming that fires were deliberately set in Punjab. But we are neither deaf nor blind. We heard the sound of firecrackers yesterday, the day before, and even today," she said. The Congress leader also flagged the widespread violation of the apex court's directives regarding firecrackers, raising questions about how conventional, non-compliant firecrackers entered local markets in such massive quantities.

"The Supreme Court's order regarding green crackers was completely violated. I would also like to know who is running this firecracker business. How is this being allowed? Who is selling these firecrackers? How are such large quantities of firecrackers reaching the markets? And when we raise these concerns, we do so as Indians. Once again, I would appeal to our fellow citizens not to give this issue a religious angle. Instead, let us move forward by thinking about our health," Patel added. A day after Diwali celebrations, residents of the national capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Monday, as air quality deteriorated to the 'severe' category at several monitoring stations, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 400 in multiple areas and visibility remaining poor during the early morning hours.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data recorded at 10 am, Delhi Technological University (DTU) recorded the highest AQI of 439, followed by Burari Crossing at 433, Vivek Vihar at 421, North Campus of Delhi University and Sonia Vihar at 419 each, and Bawana at 418. Several other monitoring stations also recorded AQI levels above 400, including Jahangirpuri (415), ITO (414), Punjabi Bagh (410), Chandni Chowk (409), and Patparganj (409) and NIH Narela (405).

The AQI at Mundka stood at 425, while Rohini recorded 417. Other areas, including Alipur (374), Anand Vihar (322), Ashok Vihar (337), Lodhi Road (377), Okhla Phase-2 (352) and IGI Airport Terminal 3 (307), also reported poor air quality. A thick layer of smog engulfed several parts of the national capital, with reduced visibility reported during the early morning hours. The smog was particularly visible around the Inderlok area. (ANI)