National capital Delhi’s air quality index deteriorated after Diwali, as the residents of Delhi flouted Supreme Court’s firecracker ban order. On Tuesday. the national capital Delhi recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) at 361, which is considered ‘Severe’. Till Monday it was recorded at ‘Severe Plus’ category.
Despite the Supreme Court’s ban on firecrackers to mitigate pollution, people in several parts of the national capital flouted the ban by bursting fireworks, in-turn nullifying effects of the recent rain in Delhi.
As the Delhi air pollution worsened, political mudslinging began between Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders. Both sides blamed each other for the worsening air pollution in Delhi.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had made the national capital a gas chamber, and his party is silent on the internal causes of Delhi’s pollution. He further said that AAP government is only blaming Hindus, Diwali, the Centre, Haryana, and UP but is silent on Punjab Parali.
“Today, AQI in Delhi is crossing 400 in many areas. Note: No DIWALI, no crackers burst yesterday ; no crackers burst 10 days ago when AQI was 600 plus. Reason: Punjab Parali continues to burn despite SC warnings of 2611 farm fires in two days. 26000 plus farm fires in this season,” Poonawalla posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
“There are also internal causes of pollution in Delhi- 1) Dust, 2) Industrial & construction, 3) vehicular pollution, 4) biomass burning 2) Industrial and construction, 3) vehicular pollution and 4) biomass burning. What did you do about this in last 9 years Gopal Rai?,” he said.
“AAP will blame Hindus, Diwali, Centre, Haryana,UP but is silent on Punjab Parali. Silent on the internal causes of Delhi’s pollution. Thank you, Kejriwal, for making Delhi a gas chamber,” he added.
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Environment Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai on Tuesday said people associated with the BJP are offering “absurd” justifications for supporting firecracker bursting during Diwali, which resulted in a sharp spike in pollution levels in the national capital.
“The BJP alleges that the AAP government in Delhi failed to curb firecracker bursting. However, it’s the BJP-controlled police in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh that failed to prevent firecracker burning during Diwali, not the Delhi government,” Rai told news agency PTI.
“When questioned about firecracker bursting, a BJP leader attributed it to the unused environmental cess in Delhi. Is this the reason for instigating people to burn firecrackers?” Rai questioned.
“Another BJP leader, when questioned about the fireworks on the day after Diwali, claimed people were using the remaining firecrackers. These are all sorts of absurd justifications for firecracker bursting. There is a need for a change in their mindset,” he said.
Gopal Rai said that the primary causes for the escalated pollution levels in Delhi currently include firecracker bursting, stubble burning, and a lack of stringent enforcement of measures under the final stage of the Centre’s air pollution control plan, known as the Graded Response Action Plan.
He urged all states to collaborate in reducing the incidents of stubble burning.
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Updated: 14 Nov 2023, 03:39 PM IST