Parliament Winter Session Disrupted: Why Air Quality Debate Forced Adjournment

The Upper House witnessed sharp exchanges between the Chairperson, CP Radhakrishnan, and MPs amid continuous sloganeering by Opposition MPs who demanded a debate on the rise in AQI.

Meanwhile, addressing the Rajya Sabha session, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party over the deteriorating air quality across the country, particularly in Delhi-NCR, and asserted that their "400 par slogan" is now complete, as the AQI crossed 400 across the national capital and adjoining areas in recent days.

The BJD leader said that the rising pollution levels were severely impacting children, senior citizens, and the general population.

"Air pollution causes many children, senior citizens and ordinary people to suffer from lung diseases like asthma. If you can see, air pollution is going up every day and the condition is mainly worsening in Delhi-NCR. The 400 par slogan 'Safal Hoya Hai' has reached 400 in Delhi and air pollution in Delhi has reached 400," she said, referring to the soaring Air Quality Index (AQI) readings in the national capital.

Deo also highlighted that crores of people across India, including thousands in Odisha, were affected by prolonged exposure to toxic air. She questioned the development model that requires cutting trees and harming the environment.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh replied to the draft Atomic Energy Bill 2025 in the Rajya Sabha.

He said that Bill 2025 is currently in an advanced stage of processing and preparation with final comments and suggestions from various Ministries being progressively incorporated along with concomitant vetting by the Ministry of Law and Justice for legal compliance.

"Policy directives of the Government with regard to specific aspects of the Bill are being suitably incorporated before being put up for approval," he said.

"The exact modalities of the various aspects/concerns raised by The Hon'ble Member are being addressed in the amendments proposed and the position on these will be made clear once the draft gets vetted by the concerned ministries and is approved by the Government," Singh said in his reply.

Earlier this monring, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge, criticised the Centre's economic policies as the Rupee plunged to an all-time low against USD, crossing the Rs 90 mark and said that Indian currency has no value in the world under the current government.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Kharge said that government policies have weakened the Rupee, and that the Indian currency has "no value" in the world.

"Rupee is weakening due to their policies. Had their policy been good, the Rupee's value would have gone up. This shows that our economic condition is not good. We can say whatever we want and appreciate ourselves, but this shows that our currency has no value in the world," Kharge told reporters.

- ANI