NEW DELHI: The United Residents Joint Action (URJA), a consortium representing over 2,500 Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) in Delhi, has penned a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) urging the central government to prioritise tackling the worsening pollution crisis in the ongoing parliamentary session.
The letter expressed deep frustration over the lack of focus on Delhi-NCR’s pollution emergency, particularly as the region grapples with severe air quality under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV since early November 2024.
URJA criticized political leaders for engaging in “brazen politics” at Delhi’s borders and within Parliament instead of addressing the environmental disaster. “It is worrisome that our political representatives choose to create a playground of commotion and chaos, while being blind to the realities of the present pollution crisis,” URJA stated in its letter.
“The Parliament is in session, and our political representatives have not cared to either raise, debate or discuss the pollution crisis facing Delhi/NCR,” it said.
The group highlighted the detrimental impact of large political gatherings and road blockages on pollution levels, pointing out the failure of authorities to regulate such events. “GRAP guidelines are silent on large public movements and gatherings within Delhi NCR and on interstate borders, thereby exposing the double standards of implementing authorities,” the letter further noted.
Calling for urgent action, URJA outlined key demands, “Political representatives must send a clear message to the public that pollution in Delhi/NCR is being taken seriously. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) must take strict action under the CAQM Act, 2021, against any organization or group disrupting normal traffic flow through mass gatherings.”
“GRAP IV should be implemented rigorously without becoming a tool for targeting individuals through fines and penalties,” it added.