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Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday criticised the Centre over the reported removal of air pollution from the revised agenda of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, alleging that public health was not among the government's priorities as Delhi continued to grapple with poor air quality.
In a post on X, citing a media article, Khera claimed that air pollution was initially included in the agenda for the committee's November 17 meeting, circulated on November 5, but was subsequently dropped from the revised agenda. "The committee first circulated the agenda for its November 17 meeting on November 5, and it included air pollution. In the revised agenda circulated later, the issue was removed," Khera said, citing the media report. He added that the decision came at a time when the national capital was witnessing high pollution levels and required greater attention to public health. "At a time when the situation demands greater urgency, the government has instead dropped the subject altogether," he said. Khera also referred to the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), alleging that the process had remained incomplete despite being initiated in 2020. He said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had constituted an expert committee, including representatives from IIT Kanpur, to review the standards. Citing an October 2026 report, he said the CPCB's response to an RTI query showed that a revised technical report was submitted in December 2025 and remained under consideration by the relevant steering committee. "This is not an isolated lapse. In 2020, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) began a review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and a committee of experts, including from IIT Kanpur, was set up for the purpose. According to a report published in October 2026, the CPCBs reply to an RTI query shows that the revised technical report was submitted in December 2025 and is still under consideration by the relevant steering committee. Six years on, the review remains incomplete," he said. Questioning the Centre's commitment to public health, Khera said, "It is clear that air quality in Delhi and across the country, and the health of the people who breathe it, is not among the government's priorities. If a matter so central to public health in the national capital can be deferred indefinitely, it raises a serious question: how seriously will public health be treated anywhere else?" Meanwhile, Delhi recorded an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 299 at 7 am on Wednesday, placing it in the 'poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The national capital has been witnessing persistent pollution amid falling temperatures and moderate fog. Water sprinklers have also been deployed across the city as part of pollution-control measures. (ANI)
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