Former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor shares her own health struggles amid toxic smog, questions enforcement by CAQM, and calls for a group of ministers to restore Delhi’s air quality and public health.
Former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor and retired IPS officer Dr. Kiran Bedi has raised an urgent alarm over Delhi’s deteriorating air quality, appealing directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for intervention. In a strongly worded message on social media, Bedi shared her personal struggle with the toxic smog engulfing the national capital.
“A day punctuated by sneezing, stuffy nose, chest congestion with mucus cough drains energy through the day with restricted mobility,” she wrote, noting that she is no longer able to take morning walks in Lodhi Garden or Nehru Park, nor enjoy the usual November sunshine. “This is my Delhi today — the Delhi I loved so much and grew up in serving and patrolling the roads, nights and days,” she added.
Expressing deep concern, Bedi stressed that only “direct intervention of Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi will reverse this steep deterioration.” She urged, “Please make Delhi healthy again.”
Speaking to India Today, Bedi elaborated on her appeal, stating that the crisis has reached a point where she now feels the pain as a “sufferer and victim.” She emphasized the need for stronger enforcement measures, suggesting the formation of a dedicated group of ministers — including the Union Home Minister — to act decisively where the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has, according to her, fallen short.
Bedi described the situation as “desperate,” underscoring that immediate and coordinated action is required to safeguard public health in the national capital.
With Delhi continuing to battle hazardous air quality levels, her call adds to the growing chorus of voices demanding urgent executive intervention to combat the region’s persistent pollution crisis.