Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar seeks to offer a lesson in governance to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who he said, must focus on tackling the alarming pollution levels instead of visiting other states for election campaigns.
"Protect the citizens by taking responsibility for pollution in Delhi. In this time of crisis, leaving Delhi and traveling to other states to campaign for elections is a sign of your irresponsibility. If you face any problem in running the governance of Delhi then please ask, we will be very happy to help you," Khattar said in a post on X.
Also read: As Delhi spews poison, AQI level rises; tourists seek refuge in serene Himalayan towns
Facing flak for rising levels of air pollution in Delhi, CM Kejriwal called a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat on the issue of increasing pollution. Environment Minister Gopal Rai and other officials of all concerned departments will attend this meeting. Air quality in the Delhi-NCR and adjoining states deteriorated with marking rating the air quality as 'very poor'. On Monday, a thick and toxic haze engulfed the city's skyline.
An alarmed Centre's action came as part of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I - 'poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'very poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'severe plus' (AQI above 450).
Residents in Delhi and other states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab are advised to remain indoors and go about only if necessary. Work from home has been advised for 50 percent of employees in Delhi whereas Gurugram DC has ordered the Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) to install sprinklers apart from other pollution-controlling measures.
Read more: AAP-BJP slugfest continues as Delhi AQI level shoots up just ahead of Diwali
