A Congress delegation led by Delhi unit president Devender Yadav on Wednesday visited Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital and alleged that the number of patients reporting pollution-related health problems had increased in recent days.
Yadav said the situation in the national capital had been worsening since Diwali, accusing the BJP government of failing to take adequate measures to control pollution.
"The situation in Delhi is worsening due to pollution, and it seems that the government has left people at the mercy of God. We have visited LNJP Hospital and met some patients here. The situation has been extremely bad since Diwali, and even before that, there were no restrictions on pollution, which has continued to increase," he said.
Deep Dive
What was Delhi’s AQI when it reached the ‘very poor’ category?
Why did air pollution rise in Delhi after Diwali?
What respiratory problems were patients reporting at LNJP Hospital?
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He alleged that the government had made no efforts to bring pollution levels under control, forcing residents to live in extremely difficult conditions.
{{/usCountry}}He alleged that the government had made no efforts to bring pollution levels under control, forcing residents to live in extremely difficult conditions.
{{/usCountry}}Yadav said the delegation met several patients suffering from throat-related problems, adding that some were residents of Delhi while others had come from outside the national capital.
He also spoke about a woman who travelled from Mumbai to attend a wedding in Delhi and allegedly lost consciousness due to pollution. The woman was now unable to speak, he claimed.
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Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the 'very poor' category on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 303, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The national capital has been witnessing elevated pollution levels since Diwali, with stubble burning in neighbouring states also contributing to the deterioration. On Tuesday, the city's air quality was in the 'poor' category.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as 'good', 51 and 100 as 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 as 'moderate', 201 and 300 as 'poor', 301 and 400 as 'very poor', and 401 and 500 as 'severe'.