New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Delhi University, staged a protest at the varsity’s Arts Faculty on Thursday against the worsening air quality in the national capital.
Separately, a group of environmentalists and activists sought a meeting with central government officials to push for urgent, sustained measures to tackle the pollution crisis.
The SFI raised concerns about deteriorating air quality and alleged a lack of transparency in pollution monitoring, citing reports of missing data during peak pollution hours.
In a statement, the student organisation held the Delhi and Union governments accountable for failing to address the recurring pollution crisis, arguing that it was not merely a seasonal or meteorological problem but the result of unregulated urbanisation, construction activities, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution.
The SFI said workers, street vendors and others dependent on outdoor livelihoods were among the worst affected, while those who could afford air purifiers or relocate were better equipped to escape the impact.
The SFI demanded transparent pollution monitoring, strict enforcement of environmental regulations, and a comprehensive public health response, saying access to clean air should not depend on one’s purchasing power.
In a separate development, a delegation of environmentalists, activists and citizens, including AISA president Neha Bora; environmentalist Bhavreen Khandari of Warrior Moms; Urvashi Prasad, founder of PAVANA and director at the Office of the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog; and former APAG member Captain (IN) Ashish Jacob, has written to the Union Environment Ministry seeking a meeting over the worsening pollution situation.
The delegation has sought a meeting with the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in the presence of senior officials from the ministry, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The proposed meeting aims to discuss practical and sustainable solutions to the recurring air pollution crisis and seek coordinated intervention from the concerned authorities.
Describing access to clean air as a fundamental right, the activists said the initiative aimed to collectively raise citizens’ concerns and ensure the government heard their voices. PTI AHD ASD
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