NEW DELHI: BJP on Sunday alleged that "stubble burning in Punjab" and "dust from poorly maintained roads" in the city were the main contributors to air pollution in the capital even as Congress claimed that AAP govt "did not learn" any lessons from "poor air quality" in the past few years.
While Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva alleged that AAP govt was "not serious" on finding a solution to clean Delhi's air, leader of opposition, Vijender Gupta, accused it of making "hollow promises" and indulging in "low-level politics".
Track the pollution level in your cityAAP, however, said if BJP "cared" for Delhi, it would "stop the theatrics" and work with the govts of their own party in the neighbouring states to address the problem of pollution.
In a press statement, Sachdeva alleged that the data from Indian Agricultural Research Institute and reports submitted to Supreme Court confirmed that stubble burning in Punjab and dust from poorly maintained roads in Delhi were the major contributors to air pollution in north India, particularly Delhi. "The responsibility lies with AAP govts in Punjab and Delhi, but environment minister Gopal Rai avoids discussing these issues," Sachdeva alleged. He added that the five-point plan presented by Rai a few days ago to reduce pollution over the next 15 days failed to offer a concrete solution to tackle stubble burning.
"As usual, Gopal Rai shifts the blame on firecrackers, despite the absence of any scientific evidence supporting his claim. The real reason for ban on firecrackers is Rai's anti-Hindu ideology," he further alleged.
Sachdeva claimed that poorly maintained roads were a bigger reason for pollution than vehicular emissions.
Gupta charged that the Air Quality Index near ITO and Anand Vihar was recorded at 361 and 405, respectively, which posed a serious health threat to the residents of Delhi but AAP govt "lacked the will and a concrete plan" to improve this situation. He also alleged that the ammonia level in the Yamuna's water had reached a dangerous level, and the white froth spread across the river signified Delhi govt's helplessness.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said there was no sign of the air quality improving any time soon.
AAP claimed that the situation at Anand Vihar was worsening because of the pollution of diesel buses at UP's Kaushambi Depot. "Cases of stubble burning are rising each day in BJP-led UP and Haryana. The two states are also discharging high volumes of industrial waste in the Yamuna. If BJP truly cared for Delhi, it should stop the theatrics and work with their own state govts to address the pollution problem," AAP said.
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