NEW DELHI: Even as the Delhiites began to gasp for clean air on Sunday amidst the deteriorating air quality in the region, the blame game continued between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government in the city and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While the opposition BJP criticised the city government for being “not serious” about controlling pollution, the AAP, on the other hand, blamed the BJP-led governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for their alleged failure to control stubble burning.
In the past 24 hours, the quality of worsened in the city and its satellite cities with some places recording the AQI level more than 400.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality may reach a severe category on October 30 due to additional emissions from firecrackers and stubble fires.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva stated that the data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and reports submitted to the Supreme Court confirm that stubble burning in Punjab and dust from “poorly maintained roads” in Delhi are the “major contributors to air pollution in North India”, particularly Delhi.
“Yet, the Environment Minister (Gopal Rai) avoids discussing these issues, as the responsibility lies with the AAP governments in Punjab and Delhi,” the Delhi BJP chief said.
Sachdeva said that poorly maintained roads are more “to blame for pollution” than vehicular emissions. He urged Rai to focus on road repairs rather than “wasting public funds on awareness campaigns” like “Red Light On, Engine Off.”
Presently, of the 40 monitoring stations in the city, eight have recorded AQI levels in the “severe” category. These include Anand Vihar, Alipur, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Wazirpur, Vivek Vihar and Sonia Vihar. The rest were below the 400-level AQI mark.
In response to the BJP’s allegations, the AAP said that it is well established that the AQI at Anand Vihar is worsening due to the “pollution of diesel buses” at UP’s Kaushambi Depot.
“Cases of stubble burning are rising each day in BJP-ruled UP and Haryana. On the other hand, UP and Haryana are discharging high volumes of industrial waste in Yamuna. If Vijender Gupta and BJP truly care for Delhi, they should stop the theatrics and work with their state governments to address the pollution problem,” the ruling party said.
According to the experts, Punjab and Haryana alone generate 30 million tonnes of paddy straw every year, of which only a small fraction is used. Still, the stubble contributes at least 15 per cent to the city’s total air pollution.
The air quality in the capital deteriorates with the onset of winter due to several factors, including low wind speed, stubble burning, vehicular pollution, and dust.
Many celebrate Diwali by bursting firecrackers, which aggravates pollution. The city government has imposed a total ban on their use, storage, and sale.
Moreover, the authorities have implemented Stage-2 emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb the city’s air pollution. The fresh curbs include a ban on the use of coal and firewood, including in tandoors at hotels, restaurants, and open eateries, as well as diesel generator sets, except for emergency services.