Stop making excuses: AAP slams Delhi govt over capital's worsening pollution crisis

The latest exchange followed Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa's allegations against the AAP government in Punjab.

In Short

• AAP's Jarnail Singh cites AQI data to sharply dispute BJP claims on Punjab farm fires
• Delhi recorded AQI 633, while Murthal touched 818 during Singh's Wednesday trip
• Kurukshetra's AQI was below 300, while Mohali's reading stood at just 45, Singh said

The political blame game over Delhi’s worsening air pollution intensified on Thursday, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hitting back at the BJP-led Delhi government and demanding immediate action to improve air quality.

Responding to allegations that stubble burning in Punjab was responsible for the deteriorating pollution levels in the national capital, AAP leaders accused the government of diverting attention from the crisis instead of addressing it.

The party urged the Delhi government to "stop making excuses and provide clean air".

The latest exchange followed Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s allegations against the AAP government in Punjab.

Sirsa accused the neighbouring state of misleading the public about stubble burning and claimed that a significant increase in farm fires had contributed to Delhi’s worsening air quality.

Countering these allegations, AAP Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh cited AQI readings recorded during his journey from Delhi to Mohali on Wednesday.

He argued that the pollution levels along the route contradicted the BJP’s claims about Punjab being responsible for the national capital’s deteriorating air quality.

According to Singh, Delhi recorded an AQI of 633 at around 7 am, while the reading at Murthal was even higher at 818. However, as he travelled further towards Punjab, the AQI he said dropped considerably, with Kurukshetra recording a level below 300 and Mohali registering just 45.

"People say that if you make a mistake, you should accept it, but BJP leaders do not seem to understand this. On Wednesday morning, I was travelling from Delhi to Mohali. At 7 am, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was 633. When I reached Murthal, the AQI there was 818, even higher than Delhi's. As I travelled further towards Punjab, Kurukshetra's AQI was below 300, while Mohali's AQI was just 45," Singh said.

He also accused the Delhi BJP of shifting attention away from the pollution figures by highlighting an error involving the date displayed in the video he shared.

Singh challenged the BJP, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Environment Minister Sirsa to establish that the video and its pollution readings were incorrect.

He further maintained that Delhi’s pollution problem required urgent attention, particularly as several areas of the capital were witnessing extremely high AQI readings during the evening.

The political confrontation comes as Delhi continues to battle a severe pollution spell. The capital recorded an AQI of 510 at 10:01 am on Thursday, according to AQI.in.

The daily average also climbed sharply from 410 on November 3 to 493 on November 4, indicating a rapid deterioration in air quality.

Weather conditions are further aggravating the situation. During nighttime and early morning hours, weak winds and temperature inversion prevent pollutants from dispersing, trapping harmful emissions closer to the ground.

Vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial emissions and stubble burning across neighbouring states continue to add to the pollution burden.

With Diwali approaching on November 8, the possibility of additional pollution from firecrackers has raised further concerns.

As Delhi’s air quality continues to deteriorate, the focus will remain on whether the government can move beyond political accusations and implement effective measures to provide immediate relief to residents.

- Ends
With PTI news