'Should Delhi Even Remain Indian Capital': Tharoor Speaks On Air Pollution Crisis

Delhi continued to reel under a toxic fog that enveloped the NCR for the past few days as AQI plummeted to 'severe-plus.'

New Delhi: The surging levels of air pollution in Delhi, induced by smog, which has thrown life out of gear posing an acute health crisis, has prompted Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday to question if Delhi should remain the Indian capital at all.

The national capital continues to reel under a toxic blend of smoke and fog that has been enveloping the NCR for the past few days as the air quality index (AQI) plummeted to the "severe-plus" category.

The situation has forced authorities to switch schools to online classes and invoke strict pollution control measures. "Delhi is officially the most polluted city in the world, 4x hazardous levels and nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka. It is unconscionable that our government has been witnessing this nightmare for years and does nothing about it," Mr Tharoor posted on X.

In his post, the Congress MP even mentioned that he has run an Air Quality Round Table for experts and stakeholders, including MPs, since 2015 but "gave up" last year because "nothing seemed to change and no one seemed to care. "This city is essentially uninhabitable from November to January inclusive and barely livable the rest of the year. Should it even remain the nation's capital?" he added.

The air quality across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram reached critical levels on Tuesday morning, as AQI reached the 500-mark, indicating 'severe plus' conditions. This marks the seventh consecutive day of heavy smog blanketing the National Capital Region (NCR), raising alarm over public health risks. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) highlighted that areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in Delhi recorded AQI levels of 500 by 5 a.m., underscoring the severity of the situation.