Kejriwal said, “People are facing difficulty in breathing and we are distributing 2 masks to each student in private and government schools,”
New Delhi: AAP Supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal currently struggling to deal with rising air pollution levels in the national capital, he described the city as a “gas chamber” while distributing breathing masks to school children. In strongly-worded posts on social media, Mr. Kejriwal also blamed the governments of neighboring states Haryana and Punjab for “forcing farmers to burn stubble”.
The Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also requested school students to write to “Captain uncle and Khattar uncle”, referring to Captain Amarinder Singh and Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, respectively. “Please write letters to Captain uncle and Khattar uncle and say, ‘Please think about our health‘,” Mr. Kejriwal told children while distributing breathing masks.
“Delhi has turned into a gas chamber due to smoke from crop burning in neighboring states. It is very important that we protect ourselves from the toxic air. Through private and government schools, we have started distributing 50 lakh masks today. I request all Delhiites to use them whenever needed,” said Mr. Kejriwal.
The Delhi government has purchased 50 lakh N95 masks to be given to children in private and government schools.
“The Khattar and Captain governments are forcing farmers to burn stubble, which is causing severe pollution in Delhi. Yesterday, people protested at Punjab and Haryana Bhavan and expressed their anger against governments there,” added Kejriwal.
Kejriwal said, “People are facing difficulty in breathing and we are distributing 2 masks to each student in private and government schools,”.
On Tuesday Mr. Kejriwal had appealed “with folded hands” to Punjab and Haryana to take concrete steps against stubble burning.
“Smoke from crop fires have affected citizens earlier also we can’t help crop fires from neighboring areas. We have an adequate quantity of masks we shall begin distributing them. We are working hard to curb pollution,” Mr. Kejriwal.
The center has provided between 50 and 80 percent subsidy to farmers to purchase essential technology and machinery to help convert waste agricultural matter like straw into fertilizer instead of burning it and adding to the pollution.
However, farmers say that despite the subsidies the machinery is very expensive.
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