Cong launches mask drive as residents choke on pollution

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav on Tuesday launched a citywide awareness campaign against spiralling air pollution, accusing the Rekha Gupta-led BJP government of failing to safeguard public health.

The campaign began at ITO Chowk, where Yadav and senior party leaders distributed masks to commuters and urged residents to protect themselves from the toxic air enveloping the Capital.

Yadav said the Congress had organised similar drives across all 70 Assembly constituencies to alert citizens about worsening air quality and to prod the government into taking swift corrective measures. “We are distributing masks across Delhi to raise awareness and encourage people to protect their health from life-threatening pollution,” he said.

He alleged that the government was “concealing pollution data” even after spending thousands of crores on projects such as smog towers, water sprinklers and Yamuna cleaning drives. “Who is accountable for this terrible rise in AQI despite these so-called anti-pollution measures?” Yadav asked.