Delhi awoke to a grim reality the morning after Diwali: a dense smog blanket, severely reduced visibility, and dangerous air quality. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeted into the ‘very poor’ category, once again igniting a heated political dispute over pollution, this time primarily between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
BJP Accuses AAP of Stubble Burning Negligence
Amit Malviya, the BJP’s IT cell chief, directly blamed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, alleging a failure to curb stubble burning in Punjab, a state governed by the AAP.
“Arvind Kejriwal-ruled Punjab must cease stubble burning, otherwise Delhi and the NCR region will continue to suffer. Stop blaming Diwali for the Aam Aadmi Party’s failures – their smoke, not the festival’s lights or firecrackers, is responsible for darkening Delhi’s skies,” Malviya stated on X. His comments came as the capital’s air quality deteriorated significantly following the Diwali festivities, with fireworks reportedly continuing past the Supreme Court’s mandated two-hour limit.
AAP Criticizes Delhi Government’s Pollution Control Efforts
In response, Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj launched a sharp critique of the government’s performance in controlling post-Diwali pollution. He specifically questioned the non-implementation of the promised ‘artificial rain’ to mitigate the smog.
Bharadwaj suggested a possible collusion between the government and private hospitals, stating to ANI, “The government is lying. They promised artificial rain after Diwali to fix pollution. Why wasn’t it done? Are they trying to make people sick? The government has ties with private hospitals.”
Call for Public Introspection from TMC MP
Offering a different perspective, Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose urged a collective self-reflection among citizens regarding their contribution to the city’s worsening pollution.
“Delhi is covered in toxic smoke this morning. Over 200,000 people in Delhi have been hospitalized with Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) in the past year. We must collectively ask ourselves and introspect why we willingly choose to harm our own health,” she commented.
Delhi’s Air Quality Remains in ‘Very Poor’ Zone
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed Delhi’s AQI at 352 at 8 AM, a slight increase from previous hours. An AQI between 301 and 400 is classified as ‘very poor’, while levels above 400 are considered ‘severe’.
The CPCB’s data indicated that 36 out of 38 monitoring stations across Delhi registered pollution levels in the ‘red zone’. The previous day’s 24-hour average AQI was 345, also falling into the ‘very poor’ category.