New Delhi, Dec 16 Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Prof Salim Engineer, on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the worsening air pollution situation in the National Capital Region (NCR) and several other Indian cities, describing it as a “public health emergency” that requires long-term and coordinated solutions rather than short-term fixes.
In a statement to the media, Prof Engineer said hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) levels reflect systemic failures in controlling vehicular and industrial emissions.
He pointed out that despite official claims, authorities have been unable to effectively curb construction dust, crop-residue burning and open waste burning, all of which continue to significantly contribute to toxic air conditions.
He warned that prolonged exposure to polluted air is endangering public health, disrupting education and daily mobility, and steadily eroding the quality of life, particularly for children, senior citizens and people with pre-existing health conditions.
Referring to recent observations by the Supreme Court, Prof Engineer noted that a year-round implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is not a viable solution.
“Temporary measures such as construction bans, traffic curbs and periodic shutdowns only provide short-lived relief and disproportionately affect daily-wage earners, migrant workers and small businesses,” he said, stressing the need for a comprehensive, scientific and year-round clean air strategy backed by strong political will and effective inter-state cooperation.
The JIH Vice President urged both central and state governments to implement expert recommendations by clearly defining pollution control targets, timelines and accountability mechanisms.
He called for strict enforcement of industrial, thermal power and vehicular emission norms through real-time monitoring systems.
He also emphasised the need for sustainable and farmer-friendly solutions to eliminate stubble burning, tighter regulation of construction sites, dust suppression measures and complete eradication of open waste burning.
Highlighting transport reforms, he advocated expansion of clean and affordable public transport, rapid electrification of buses, improved last-mile connectivity, promotion of non-motorised transport and access to transparent, hyper-local air quality data.
He also appealed to civil society organisations, resident welfare groups, environmental activists and youth platforms to actively monitor violations and hold authorities accountable. Concluding his statement, he said that Islam regards the environment as an 'amanah' (trust), obligating humanity to protect it for present and future generations.
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