Delhi pollution: Key officials including Gambhir skip crucial meet

A meeting of a parliamentary standing committee to discuss the rising levels of air pollution in the national capital was postponed as most participants, including Member of Parliament from East Delhi, Gautam Gambhir, were absent.

Apart from Gambhir, the commissioners of all three Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Vice-Chairman of DDA and Secretary/Joint Secretary of Environment did not turn up, forcing postponement of the meeting.

Only four out of the over 30 invitees were reportedly present in the meeting.

"The agenda for Friday's meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee was circulated a week back, which clearly stated that the objective was to discuss air pollution in Delhi-NCR. However, East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir did not attend it," a tweet by Aam Aadmi Party said.

"Delhi is choking and Gambhir is busy enjoying in Indore," AAP said.

Commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation Varsha Joshi told IANS that she is in Lucknow attending a meeting on urban mobility scheduled months in advance, therefore, she could not attend the Delhi meeting.

"The Urban Mobility Conference is organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which was planned months in advance," Joshi said.