A huge group of protesters gathered at India Gate on Sunday as they staged a protest raising slogans against the rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Police later removed the protesters from the site, news agency ANI reported.
The incident comes days after people had also staged a protest at the same spot, demanding that the government implement policies to curb air pollution in the national capital and its adjoining regions on November 9.
Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 391 under the ‘very poor’ category, according to central pollution control board (CPCB)'s average reading over the past 24 hours.
Sunday's protest saw protesters, mostly young people, raising loud slogans over the rising levels of air pollution in the capital.
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Pepper spray attack on police officials
A group of protesters allegedly attacked police personnel with pepper spray while being removed from the site, news agency PTI reported, citing police officials.
{{/usCountry}}A group of protesters allegedly attacked police personnel with pepper spray while being removed from the site, news agency PTI reported, citing police officials.
{{/usCountry}}According to the report, three to four police personnel sustained injuries from the pepper spray and are undergoing treatment at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital.
“Some of the protesters had entered the C-hexagon and attempted to cross the barricades put up to restrict movement. We tried to explain to them that many ambulances and medical personnel were stuck behind them and required emergency access, but they got very agitated,” the senior officer said adding that the police personnel at the spot sensed the situation could escalate to a scuffle and advised the protesters to step back.
The protesters reportedly refused, broke the barricade, came onto the road, and sat there. When police teams were trying to remove them, some of the protesters attacked them using chilli spray.
The protesters were removed from the C-hexagon to avoid traffic disruption.
Delhi's alarmingly high AQI levels
The rising pollution levels continue despite the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV in effect across Delhi and the national capital region (NCR).
Faridabad recorded an AQI of 237 and Ballabhgarh recorded 205, both under the ‘poor’ category, with PM2.5 being the most prominent pollutant.
Noida recorded 418 while Ghaziabad recorded 437 on the AQI scale, with the air quality falling under ‘severe’ category.
The commission for air quality management (CAQM) on Saturday revised the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for the entire NCR, and directed to impose the measures for 'Severe' AQI category under GRAP Stage IV to be taken under GRAP Stage III, HT reported earlier.
According to a press release by CAQM, as measures under GRAP IV are now under GRAP III, the NCR State Governments/GNCTD will decide whether public, municipal, and private offices can operate at 50 per cent strength, with the rest working from home.
Members of the opposition parties including Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), Shiv Sena (UBT) lashed out at the BJP-led government in Delhi over the inability to tackle the rising pollution levels.
Earlier this month, national spokesman for Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), Sanjay Singh had alleged the BJP-led Delhi government over its inability to minimise pollution levels in the national capital after Delhi police made several arrests at the AQI protest held at India Gate.