No toxic air debate in Lok Sabha today as showdown over G Ram G Bill takes centrestage

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was supposed to initiate a discussion on the air pollution crisis

A detailed debate in Lok Sabha on air pollution crisis, that was scheduled to be held today, has been pushed amid showdown over the provisions of G Ram G Bill, that was passed in the lower house.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, seeking to guarantee rural jobs for 125 days every year, replacing the 20-year-old MGNREGA, was passed on Thursday after union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan replied to a debate on it.

A discussion was supposed to be held on air pollution later in the day, however, the Lok Sabha got adjourned amid opposition uproar. The opposition raised slogans against the government and tore copies of the bill as Chouhan delivered his concluding remarks.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was expected to initiate the discussion on air pollution while union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav was to reply to reply at around 5 pm.

Earlier, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had sought a parliamentary discussion to develop a systematic plan to address the problem of air pollution. Union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju assured the LoP that the government is open to discussion.

Addressing the Lok Sabha on December 12, Gandhi said, "Most of our major cities are living under a blanket of poisonous air. Millions of children are getting lung diseases. Their future is being destroyed. People are getting cancer. Older people are struggling to breathe. This is an interesting issue because I'm certain that there will be full agreement between the government and us on this issue. This is not an ideological issue. Everybody in this house would agree that air pollution, the damage it is doing to our people, is something that we would like to cooperate on."

In response to Gandhi's concerns, Rijiju assured him that a discussion would be held to find a solution and invited suggestions from MPs across party lines.