Atishi blames Centre for Delhi's air emergency
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government for its inaction against pollution, as the national capital region woke up to an air quality index (AQI) of 481—the worst this season yet. The Aam Aadmi Party leader blamed farm fires in neighboring states and inaction by the BJP-led Centre for leaving the "people unable to breathe."
Supreme Court questions Delhi government's pollution control measures
The Supreme Court has questioned the Delhi government's delay in implementing Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which should have been enacted after the AQI surpassed 400. The court emphasized that the government could not revert from Stage 4 without its authorization, even if AQI levels improved. It also criticized lax enforcement of firecracker bans post-Diwali, attributing them to worsening air quality.
Stubble burning and weather conditions worsen Delhi's air quality
The Central Pollution Control Board recorded an AQI of 417 on Saturday, with stubble smoke playing a major role in PM2.5. Meteorological conditions, such as slow winds and fog, worsened pollution levels. Despite hopes of improvement, winds remained calm, worsening air quality. In Punjab alone, farm fires jumped from 136 to 404 in a day—majorly contributing to Delhi's PM2.5 load as strong northwesterly winds carried smoke toward the capital.
BJP criticizes AAP's handling of pollution control measures
As Delhi gears up for elections in February, the BJP took a dig at AAP's pollution control measures. BJP's Virendraa Sachdeva blamed the AAP for poor governance which led to deteriorating air quality and demanded stricter dust control and stubble burning measures. "The situation in Delhi is getting worse. People in Delhi are suffering because of the kind of governance in the city...dust control will have to be done and stubble burning in Punjab will have to stop," Sachdeva said.
Hope for improvement amidst severe air quality challenges
Meteorological experts said that although a dip in temperatures and calm winds aided smog formation, there is hope for improvement as wind speeds are likely to increase. However, Delhi continues to battle severe air quality challenges as authorities grapple with enforcement and mitigation strategies amid political disputes. The city has been waking up daily to blankets of toxic smog (smoke + fog) covering it, prompting repeated warnings from health experts about increased respiratory illnesses and diseases.
