The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has called for immediate action regarding the escalating air pollution crisis in the national capital. They urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an emergency meeting with the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi's air quality index experienced a significant increase, crossing the "severe plus" category threshold on Friday, with a 24-hour average AQI showing a marginal improvement from 468 to 415 on Saturday, PTI reported.
CTI chairperson Brijesh Goyal expressed concern about the adverse impact of pollution on business, even during the festive season. He emphasized the need for stringent and coordinated measures to combat air pollution. Goyal pointed out that the severity of the air quality issue extends beyond Delhi, affecting the entire National Capital Region. He stressed that resolving this problem necessitates collaboration among the governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Punjab, emphasizing that it's not solely the responsibility of the Delhi government.
In their appeal to the Prime Minister, CTI called for an emergency meeting involving the Delhi government, Haryana government, Punjab government, UP government, the chief minister of Rajasthan, and the environment minister. Goyal also highlighted the potential economic repercussions of air pollution, especially with Diwali approaching and the wedding season commencing on November 23. He noted a decline in the number of visitors coming to Delhi for shopping due to pollution, from three to four lakh people down to one lakh.
