‘Delhi Like Gas Chamber’: Yogi Adityanath Flags Air Pollution, Highlights UP’s Clean Environment

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday compared Delhi’s air quality to a “gas chamber,” asserting that despite rapid development, Uttar Pradesh does not suffer from a “suffocating atmosphere.”

Addressing a gathering in Gorakhpur after inaugurating the reconstructed Block Development Officer’s office in Jungle Kaudia, the Chief Minister said environmental degradation is one of the world’s biggest challenges today. Referring to the national capital, he remarked, “You go to Delhi. It feels like a gas chamber. You cannot breathe properly and your eyes start burning. Doctors advise the elderly, children, and asthma patients not to step outside. Is this life?”

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi’s Air Quality Index stood at 214 on Saturday morning, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.

Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh was fortunate to witness development without compromising environmental quality. He also announced that the upcoming Forestry and Horticulture University in Campierganj would guarantee employment opportunities for youth. Degrees and diplomas from the institution, he said, would open avenues in India and abroad while helping boost farmers’ incomes.

Recalling former block chief late Rampati Yadav, the Chief Minister praised his lifelong service and contribution to the establishment of the block headquarters.