Former IPS officer and former Lt. Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi has published back-to-back posts on the worsening air crisis in Delhi. In a post on social media platform X Bedi suggested, “How about banning the installation of air purifiers in government offices and residences at government expense?
With AQI readings in Delhi-NCR remaining in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories for the past few weeks, the former IPS officer turned her social media feed into a steady stream of posts urging government intervention to tackle pollution.
“Can we have a board/indicator outside government offices if the office and official residence is using an air purifier? And at whose cost? Whose money? If those who are there are not breathing the same air, the sense of emergency will not arise…” Bedi wrote on Saturday.
The former IPS officer’s series of posts comes a day after she made an emotional plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi – recalling his leadership style during her administrative stint in Puducherry.
Kiran Bedi SOS for PM Modi
Kiran Bedi suggested that PM Modi conduct regular, structured virtual meetings with the chief ministers and chief secretaries of states neighboring Delhi to monitor progress on pollution control:
“Sir, your zoom meets regularly with these five neighboring CMs along with the chief secretaries, with a fixed schedule, maybe just once a month to report on the progress, it will stop the deterioration. It will give us hope because we will know that it is under your watch. People can feel relieved.”
Delhi AQI today
Delhi’s overall air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Saturday morning with an AQI reading of 332. Saturday’s reading was marginally lower than Friday’s air quality index (AQI) of 369, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin data showed at 9 am.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51-100 as “satisfactory”, 101-200 as “moderate”, 201-300 as “poor”, 301-400 as “very poor” and 401-500 as “severe”.
Locals express concern
With the AQI hovering around 400 for almost two weeks, local residents are expressing concerns about their health, saying they have difficulty breathing and itchy eyes due to deteriorating air quality. Some have even expressed concern about volcanic ash that could come from Ethiopia after a volcanic eruption.
“There’s nothing to see here. I didn’t wear a mask today, I thought I could handle it, but as soon as I came out I felt it: my eyes started to get irritated, so I put the mask back on and got out. It’s very difficult to live here,” Atul, who was cycling in the Kartavya Path area, told news channel ANI.
