Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday challenged the BJP-led Union government over the persistent air pollution crisis in Delhi, questioning the administration's commitment to clean air as a fundamental right. In a statement posted on social media, Mr. Kharge asked why the national capital was becoming a global leader—or "Vishwaguru"—in air pollution, accusing the government of relying on "piecemeal measures, PR stunts, and blame games."
Highlighting discrepancies in data transparency, the Congress leader alleged that PM2.5 readings had disappeared from 36 of Delhi’s 59 air quality monitoring stations as pollution levels peaked. Mr. Kharge contrasted this with allegations from the previous year, when water tankers were reportedly seen spraying water near monitoring stations, a move critics suggested was an attempt to artificially lower recorded pollution figures.
The Congress president further cited several statistics to emphasise the public health impact of the crisis. According to estimates from the Global Burden of Disease and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, approximately 17,188 deaths in Delhi in 2023 were attributable to particulate air pollution. Furthermore, the State of Global Air 2024 report estimated that 1,69,400 children under the age of five died from air-pollution-related causes across India in 2021.
Regarding financial management, Mr. Kharge claimed that 60% of Delhi's environmental compensation funds, totalling Rs 1,154 crore, remained unspent as of September 2026. He also stated that the city had utilised only 17% of the National Clean Air Programme funds released up to December 2025. He urged the government to "spend the funds, cut emissions, and enforce the rules."
Key facts
- The Supreme Court has ordered Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to submit proposed measures to tackle pollution within two weeks.
- Approximately 17,188 deaths in Delhi in 2023 were linked to particulate air pollution, according to cited estimates.
- PM2.5 readings were reportedly missing from 36 of Delhi's 59 monitoring stations during the recent pollution peak.
- An RTI response from September 2026 indicated that Rs 1,154 crore of environmental compensation funds remains unspent.
- The State of Global Air 2024 report estimated 1,69,400 pollution-related deaths among children under five in India in 2021.
Why it matters
The current spike in air pollution, which worsens significantly between October and February, has prompted intervention from the Supreme Court. The court's directive requires affected state governments to present actionable plans to address the toxic haze, which continues to impact public health across Delhi and neighbouring states.
Source: Times of India, The Hindu
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