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BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit out at Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government over rising pollution and stated that the national capital has become "a toxic gas chamber."
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Poonawalla questioned the ruling party's promise to clean Yamuna by 2025 and dared to take a dip in the polluted waters. "Delhi has become a toxic gas chamber ever since AAP has formed government. As per a recent report, Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. Now they don't say anything about the stubble burning in Punjab or bio-decomposers but blame UP and Haryana. They blame Hindus for bursting crackers on Diwali. Diwali is long gone, why is pollution still persisting?" the BJP leader asked. "The condition of the Yamuna River is still the same despite spending Rs 7000 crores to clean it. Will the same people, who promised to clean the Yamuna by 2025 and take a dip in it, stand by their promise?" he added. Delhi continued to battle with air pollution for the 10th consecutive day post-Diwali as a dense layer of smog blanketed parts of the national capital on Sunday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 335 as of 8 am today, categorised as 'very poor.' Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday chaired a meeting with concerned departments on the issue of rising pollution levels in the national capital. Gopal Rai pitched for a united effort in North Indian states to mitigate pollution, while accusing BJP governments in neighbouring states of doing 'politics' over air pollution. Doctors say that even people with no history of respiratory diseases are suffering from breathing issues in Delhi due to the rising levels in air pollution. Dr Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant for Respiratory Critical Care at Apollo Hospital, said that apart from the regular patients, those who don't have any respiratory issues in the past are showing up with symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, coughing and have increasing difficulties in breathing. "For the last few years, we have been seeing that the government has taken action. Whenever this pollution level has gone beyond a certain limit, they have opted to close the schools. This is important because children are from a vulnerable group. As an adult, we are masked and can protect ourselves better, but children usually are not that effectively taking these measures. Secondly, their lungs are still in developing stages, so they are bound to have more harm due to this pollution," the doctor said. (ANI)
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