By- Shubham Thorat
New Delhi, India - Loksena Hind, a recently established political party under the leadership of former AAP member and India Against Corruption activist, Dr. Munish Raizada, has taken a significant step in addressing the alarming air pollution crisis in the National Capital Territory (NCT). In a bid to hold those responsible for the deteriorating air quality accountable, the party submitted a formal complaint, known as a First Information Report (FIR), to Parliament Street Police Station. The FIR, filed on November 4, 2023, addresses the criminal negligence allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav. These allegations stem from the shocking revelation that only 50% of the environmental funds allocated by the Delhi government over the past seven years have been utilized. Notably, none of these funds were directed towards the Pollution Control Committee, leaving half of the resources untouched. With more than 50,000 premature deaths occurring in Delhi annually due to pollution, and a daily average of 80-100 premature deaths attributed to the same cause, the gravity of the situation cannot be understated. A Lancet study in 2019 reported over 2.3 million deaths in India due to pollution, making it an issue of national significance. Furthermore, Delhi's air pollution levels have exceeded the World Health Organization's health limits by an alarming 100 times, as reported by The Guardian. Just yesterday, the 24-hour average air quality index reached a hazardous 468, classifying it as "severe plus."
