Swati Maliwal to raise issue of air pollution in Parliament Winter Session

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Monday said she will raise the issue of air pollution in Delhi in the winter session of Parliament and sought suggestions from experts and citizens on the matter.

In a video message posted on X, the former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women said, every year during winter, Delhi and north India become a "gas chamber".

"Breathing here is akin to smoking 20 to 25 cigarettes in a day. It is not just bad air that we are breathing, it is low poison that is seeping into our lungs, heart, brain, and even unborn babies," she said.

Sharing her plan to raise the issue in the upcoming session of Parliament, Maliwal invited suggestions from people.

"If you are an expert in this field, a doctor, an activist, or a concerned citizen, you can share your suggestions with me at [e-mail]," read her post accompanying the video message.

The MP said she will implement two initiatives - installation of air purifiers in all government-run Old Age Homes across Delhi, and procurement of four mechanical road sweeping machines to curb dust-related pollution - using her Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) fund.

A blanket of smog has persisted over the city since Diwali, with air quality oscillating between the "poor" and "very poor" categories, and occasionally slipping into the "severe" zone.

The Winter Session of Parliament will be held from December 1 to 19.