Delhi Air Quality Slips To 'Very Poor' Ahead Of Diwali As Stubble Burning Continues, AAP, BJP Trade Barbs

(MENAFN- Live Mint) With Diwali just few days away, the national capital struggles to breathe as its air quality deteriorates to 'very poor'. The AQI (air quality index) was recorded at 356 as the stubble burning continues in the neighbouring states.

Amid this, the BJP and the ruling AAP have begun pointing fingers at each other for lack of efforts towards solving the issue of air pollution.

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After a two-day gap, Delhi's air quality turned 'very poor' on Sunday evening as calm winds prevented the dispersion of pollutants. Some areas in the national capital even recorded 'severe' pollution levels.

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, at 4 pm on Sunday, Delhi's 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 356 against 255 on Saturday.

Three stations in the national capital – Bawana, Burari and Jahangirpuri – recorded 'severe' air quality, showed CPCB data.

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The air quality was also 'very poor' in neighbouring areas such as Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Noida and 'poor' in Faridabad and Gurugram.

BJP vs AAP

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta hit out at the AAP government, alleging that it had "utterly failed" to control the city's rising pollution.

The people of Delhi are forced to breathe suffocating air while AAP is preoccupied with "hollow promises and low-level politics", Gupta charged.

In response, AAP said in a statement that if Gupta and his party truly cared for Delhi, they should stop their "theatrics" and work with state governments run by the BJP to address the pollution problem in the national capital.

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Gupta claimed the pollution situation had become so critical that the AQI near ITO and Anand Vihar were recorded at 361 and 405, respectively falling under the 'very poor' and 'severe' categories.

"This poses a serious health threat to Delhi residents (who are) blanketed by smog. Yet, the AAP government lacks both the will and a concrete plan to improve the situation," he charged.

However, AAP said it was "well established" that the situation at Anand Vihar was worsening because of pollution caused by diesel buses at the Kaushambi depot in Uttar Pradesh.

Cases of stubble burning are rising each day in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, it alleged.

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Delhi government has implemented the Graded Response Action Plan's (GRAP) as an emergency measure to control air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region during winter.

During Stage 2, daily mechanized sweeping of roads is done, and sprinkling water using dust suppressants is done at least on alternate days. Uninterrupted power supply is provided to discontinue the use of generators.

Air quality is categorised into four stages: Stage I -- 'poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II -- 'very poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III -- 'severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV -- 'severe plus' (AQI above 450).

(With PTI inputs)

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