No show by netas at crucial pollution meet. Blame jalebis and miscommunication

As Delhi suffocates in its winter blanket of filthy air, top officials, including MPs have skipped a meeting called to find solutions.

So it's been cancelled.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which governs Delhi, took aim at BJP MP and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir. A few hours ago his former Team India colleague VVS Laxman tweeted photo of them enjoying jalebis and poha in Indore. The AAP reposted it, along with a notice from the Lok Sabha Secretariat asking members of the Committee on Urban Development to attend Friday's meeting.

"Delhi is choking and Gautam Gambhir is busy enjoying in Indore," the AAP said.

Gambhir said decried the "false propaganda" being spread by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's "minions".

He added that he didn't join politics to make money, that he had to support his family, and that these commitments were prior to his becoming an MP.

'MISCOMMUNICATION'

Adala Prabhakara Reddy, an MP from Andhra Pradesh's YSRCP, blamed his absence on a parliamentary party meeting in Vijayawada.

And the BJP's YS Chowdhary said he missed the meeting on pollution in Delhi due to "miscommunication" and "preoccupation".

He said he would enquire about it.

Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar has said he will look into the matter. "I need to enquire about it. I'm not aware about the matter at present."

"We are always very serious about pollution. I have emphasised that pollution is not a problem faced only by Delhi. I have ordered a joint action plan and the teams are working on it," he said.

"Joint cooperation of all agencies is needed to fight pollution," he said.