Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on Wednesday criticised Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and the centre for the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. Pai condemned Delhi's "unlivable" conditions and accused Atishi of misleading the public regarding the role of burning and pollution from Punjab.
Describing the air pollution crisis as a "great tragedy," Pai urged Delhi's citizens to demand urgent action from the state and central governments, emphasising that their lives are being severely affected by the worsening pollution.
"And Atishi misleads on burning and pollution from Punjab. Governance needs honesty and accountability to citizens not misleading and blaming others. A page out of communist propaganda methods. Citizens of Delhi should get together and demand action from state and union government. Their lives and health are getting deeply impacted. Great tragedy," Pai wrote his post on X (formerly Twitter).
Air pollution in Delhi reached "severe" levels on Wednesday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting 422. The poor air quality led to the delay of 119 flights and the cancellation of 6 others due to reduced visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport. In response to the hazardous conditions, around 50 per cent of Delhi government employees have been instructed to work from home, according to Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai.
The Delhi government had earlier announced staggered office timings to mitigate the impact of the pollution. Under the new schedule, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices operate from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, while Delhi government offices are open from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.
In addition, schools, colleges, and universities across Delhi-NCR, including Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), have opted to conduct virtual classes for the remainder of the week due to the worsening air quality.