Last Updated:February 14, 2026, 14:39 IST

Referring to the situation in the national capital, CM Yogi Adityanath said Delhi’s air quality had reached alarming levels.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath. (X/@myogiadityanath)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday compared Delhi’s air quality to a “gas chamber” and said people in Uttar Pradesh were fortunate to be living in a cleaner environment despite ongoing development activities.

Addressing a public function in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said environmental degradation had emerged as one of the biggest challenges globally and stressed the importance of balancing development with ecological protection.

“The environment here is good and there is no pollution. Where pollution is low, diseases are fewer. Pollution directly affects the lungs, and when oxygen supply is impacted, the entire body suffers,” he said.

The chief minister was speaking at the inauguration of the renovated Block Development Officer’s office in Jungle Kauria, according to an official statement issued by the state government.

Referring to the situation in the national capital, Adityanath said Delhi’s air quality had reached alarming levels.

“Look at the condition in Delhi. It feels like a gas chamber. Breathing becomes difficult and there is a burning sensation in the eyes. Doctors advise asthma patients, the elderly and children to stay indoors. What kind of life is this?” he asked.

He cautioned that neglecting environmental protection could lead to similar conditions elsewhere.

“We are fortunate in Uttar Pradesh that development is taking place without creating a suffocating environment,” the chief minister said.

Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the ‘poor’ category on Saturday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 211 at 9 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board.

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