• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Delhi-NCR AQI Level: Delhi residents woke up to a thick layer of smog following the Diwali festival, with air quality deteriorating to the 'Very Poor' category. Most monitoring stations recorded levels in the 'Red Zone'.

This prompted a political slugfest over the rising pollution levels, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blaming each other for the worsening air quality.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 359 as of 10 am today.

As per the CPCB, Bawana recorded AQI of 432 as of 10 am, Jahangirpuri had an AQI of 405, Ashok Vihar had an AQI of 408 and Wazirpur with an AQI 408 remains the worst hit areas with air quality falling under 'Severe' category.

During the 'very poor' air quality, residents might face breathing difficulties and one can develop respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.

ALSO READ: Delhi-NCR Wakes Up To Toxic Smog After Diwali Celebrations As Air Quality Turns 'Severe', AQI Hits 999 In Some Areas

In response to the deteriorating AQI, Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj launched a scathing attack on the government on Tuesday. He accused it of failing to control pollution after Diwali celebrations and questioned why the "promised artificial rain" was not carried out.

Speaking to ANI, Bharadwaj said that the government has a collusion with private hospitals.

"The government lies. The government said that after Diwali, we would fix all the pollution by conducting artificial rain. Did artificial rain happen? No, my question is that if you could have conducted artificial rain, then why didn't you do it? Do you (the government) want people to fall ill. The government has a collusion with private hospitals," he said.

Responding to the accusations, Delhi Environment Minister Ashish Sood stated on Tuesday that both citizens and neighbouring states share responsibility for the alarming post-Diwali pollution levels, which entered the “Severe” category following widespread violations of firecracker restrictions.

“The AQI in Anand Vihar at around 5 a.m. was 943 and 390 in Shahdara. Only firecrackers are not responsible for pollution in Delhi. However, I believe people should have followed the Supreme Court’s order to burst crackers before 10 pm,” Sood said.

“Delhi has no weather of its own; many factors determine the weather and pollution levels here, and adjacent states also have a role to play," he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya also blamed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ruled Punjab government for rising air pollution levels in the national capital.

In a post on X, Malviya claimed that Punjab's practice of burning stubble is the primary cause of air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), rather than the festival of Diwali or firecrackers.

He further held AAP responsible for Delhi's poor air quality, implying that the party's inaction on stubble burning is a more significant contributor to pollution than the traditional festival celebrations.

ALSO READ: Delhi Chokes Again: Post-Diwali AQI Nears 'Severe' Category; Did Green Firecrackers Make A Difference In NCR?

"Unless Arvind Kejriwal-ruled Punjab stops burning stubble, Delhi and NCR will continue to choke. Stop blaming Deepawali for the sins of the Aam Aadmi Party, it's their smoke, not the festival's lamps or firecrackers, that darkens Delhi's skies. Their dark shadow still looms large over the Capital," Malviya posted on X.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had relaxed its blanket ban on fireworks in the national capital, allowing the sale and use of green fireworks under certain conditions.

Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has implemented Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the NCR with immediate effect as of Sunday.

( With Inputs from Agencies )

Also In News