Amid rising concern over severe air pollution in the national capital, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament P Wilson on Wednesday described Delhi as a “gas chamber” and urged the Union government to reconsider holding the winter session of Parliament during the peak smog period.
Speaking during a debate on a resolution to extend the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, to Manipur, Wilson said that pollution has moved beyond a statutory concern and has become a national emergency. He suggested that the government should explore serious measures to reduce congestion in Delhi and distribute administrative functions across multiple locations.
Wilson stated that the winter months in Delhi have become a health hazard for lawmakers, government employees and common citizens. According to him, the air pollution situation in the capital is now so severe that it can no longer be ignored by Parliament. He pointed out that there has not been a single day in 2025 that meets the World Health Organization’s safe air quality standards. Citing studies, he claimed that residents of Delhi are losing more than eight years of life expectancy due to long-term exposure to polluted air.
While acknowledging the role of crop residue burning in neighbouring states, Wilson argued that it is not the sole reason for the intense smog. He stressed that vehicular emissions are the single largest contributor and blamed “over-centralisation” for the growing pressure on Delhi. He questioned the long-standing tradition of locating all major government functions in the capital, stating that the country does not need to operate today in the same manner it did in 1950.
Wilson asked whether it is necessary to conduct the winter session at a time when pollution levels are at their worst. He said there is no constitutional mandate that every government function must be carried out in Delhi and suggested that the required number of sitting days could be met by extending other sessions instead of continuing with the winter session tradition.
He called for the establishment of regional benches of the Supreme Court in Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata to reduce the workload in New Delhi. Wilson further recommended relocating ministries and statutory bodies to other states in order to spread administrative responsibilities and reduce the concentration of institutions in the capital. According to him, decentralisation could ease pressure on Delhi and improve living conditions for its residents.
On Wednesday morning, the air quality in Delhi once again remained in the “very poor” category with an Air Quality Index reading of 335. This marked the second consecutive day of very poor air quality. After a brief improvement on Sunday and Monday, pollution levels deteriorated again on Tuesday.
Wilson concluded by saying that Parliament must not remain silent while citizens struggle to breathe and that the government must take urgent action to protect public health in the capital.