Kiran Bedi Renews Call For White Paper To Address Delhi’s Worsening Air Pollution

Social activist and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has once again pressed for a detailed White Paper to establish clear accountability for Delhi’s persistent air pollution crisis. Her renewed demand comes shortly after she raised alarm on X about the capital’s deteriorating air quality.

In her post, Bedi suggested a comprehensive two-part document that would analyse the long-standing issues behind Delhi’s pollution levels, highlight institutional lapses, and provide a structured plan for immediate, short-term, and long-term measures. She emphasised that this roadmap must involve various departments as well as citizens, supported by ongoing awareness campaigns and strict enforcement.

Earlier, Bedi had expressed deep distress over the capital’s air quality, recalling her decades-long association with the city and saying she could not watch it “choking and gasping” after years of decline. She urged that past failures be identified clearly and future targets be set with deadlines that each responsible authority must follow.

She also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct monthly virtual reviews with the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of Delhi and neighbouring states, saying that such regular assessments had proven effective during her tenure in Puducherry. According to her, consistent oversight from the top leadership would reassure people that efforts to combat pollution are being monitored closely.

Delhi’s air quality has remained in the “very poor” to “severe” range for nearly two weeks despite ongoing anti-pollution initiatives. Forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System indicate that the situation is likely to stay “very poor” in the coming days.