19-Day Parliament Winter Session Ends - Where’s the Delhi-NCR Pollution Debate?

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Delhi: The Parliament Winter Session, scheduled from December 1 to December 19, 2025, came to an end on Friday with both Houses adjourned sine die after 19 days of sitting. The session witnessed the passing of key bills such as the VB‑G RAM G bill and the SHANTI bill, but the long‑anticipated full debate on the worsening Delhi‑NCR air pollution crisis did not take place as planned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5nQAtBqwU0

Throughout the session in the parliament, the issue of toxic smog and hazardous air quality in Delhi and its neighbouring regions remained a central concern for citizens and political parties alike. Opposition MPs, including from the Congress party, repeatedly sought to bring up the subject on the floor of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, pointing to dangerously high AQI levels that have affected public health this winter. Last week, in a rare display of consensus, Rahul Gandhi’s urgent call for a discussion on Delhi’s worsening pollution was quickly accepted by the Centre. Yet, despite residents of the capital and surrounding areas continuing to struggle with hazardous air quality, the debate has clearly fallen through.The full debate on Delhi-NCR pollution failed to materialise before the session ended. On the last day, the Lok Sabha was adjourned indefinitely, effectively shelving the pollution discussion, as lawmakers moved on to other parliamentary business.Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav was scheduled to address the pollution issue in the Lok Sabha on Thursday around 6 pm. However, just an hour after proceedings resumed, the House was adjourned amid intense sloganeering by Opposition MPs while Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke on the G RAM G Bill. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha amid sharp Opposition criticism and later cleared in the Rajya Sabha during a late‑night session. Meanwhile, the much‑anticipated discussion on Delhi’s persistent pollution crisis was cancelled.Delhi experienced severe to severe-plus air quality for three consecutive days from December 13 to 15, before a brief improvement on December 16. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is once again approaching severe levels, with multiple monitoring stations already recording readings above 400. Dense fog has further worsened the situation. A discussion on pollution is now unlikely to take place before the 2026 Budget Session, when lawmakers are expected to resume stormy debates. Following the adjournment of Parliament on Friday, the capital’s residents continue to face hazardous air conditions without parliamentary intervention.