Air pollution: Deepender Hooda, 3 Haryana Congress MPs wear gas masks at Parliament House complex

Congress parliamentarian Depender Hooda and three of his party's MPs from Haryana wore gas masks in the Parliament House complex on Wednesday to highlight the air pollution issue and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter.

MPs Hooda of Rohtak, Varun Chaudhry of Ambala, Jai Prakash of Hisar and Satpal Brahmachari of Sonipat wore gas masks in the Parliament House complex.

Delhi's air quality was in the "very poor" category on Wednesday with an AQI reading of 342. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the city's AQI is likely to remain in the "very poor" category over the next few days. The forecast also predicts mist and haze during the night.

"We are forced to inhale this poisonous air. We demand that this issue be taken seriously and that the PM come forward. A group of CMs of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan should be formed, and a detailed plan with budget allocation should be made to deal with air pollution," Hooda told reporters.

Air pollution has become life-threatening in Haryana, Delhi, and surrounding states, he said.

"Pollution has become deadly. It has become difficult to breathe without this mask. This is why we are wearing this. I gave a suspension of business notice to have a discussion on this issue," he said.

The prime minister should take the lead and invite all chief ministers, and a blueprint should be laid out in front of the country to get rid of air pollution, the Congress MP from Rohtak added.