Chief Minister Atishi on Sunday blamed BJP’s “soiled politics” for the rising air and water air pollution in Delhi. She, nonetheless, gave a clear chit to AAP-ruled Punjab and blamed stubble burning, diesel buses and brick kilns in BJP-ruled Haryana for the poor air high quality in Delhi.
The air high quality within the Capital has began deteriorating with the onset of winter whereas thick layers of poisonous chemical froth was seen overlaying the Yamuna river’s floor at varied locations.
Addressing the media together with former water and PWD minister Satyendar Jain, Atishi stated, “Delhi is seeing a spike in each air and water air pollution in the previous few days… Immediately, I wish to inform all Delhiites that the actual cause for the rise in air and water air pollution is the soiled politics of BJP.”
She, nonetheless, added, “Everybody is aware of that stubble burning is likely one of the vital causes for air pollution in Delhi and AAP in Punjab is working laborious for the final two years to scale back the incidents of stubble burning.”
“The figures of the Union authorities present that earlier than the formation of the AAP authorities in Punjab, 71,300 incidents of stubble burning have been reported in 2021. However because of the incessant efforts of the AAP authorities, the instances have been decreased by 50% in two years and final 12 months, solely 36,600 incidents have been reported,” Atishi stated.
She added that Indian Agricultural Analysis Institute presents knowledge on stubble burning instances every single day. “These figures present that from October 1 to fifteen, 2023, 1,123 incidents of farm hearth have been reported in Punjab, which has decreased by 27% to 811 this 12 months.”
“Alternatively, if we take a look at the figures of BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, farm fires this 12 months elevated from 341 to 417 in Haryana, whereas in UP the quantity went up from 244 to 417, between October 1 and 15, as in comparison with the final 12 months,” she stated.
“This clearly reveals the soiled politics of the BJP. If the Punjab authorities can cut back parali burning, why can’t the BJP governments in Haryana and UP do it?” Atishi requested.
With Anand Vihar being probably the most polluted space within the Capital when it comes to air high quality, Atishi, together with Setting Minister Gopal Rai, inspected Anand Vihar bus terminal and surrounding areas on Sunday. Anand Vihar, which on Saturday had recorded extreme Air High quality Index (AQI) at 457, reported very poor AQI of 374 at 4 pm on Sunday.
Sustaining that whereas solely electrical and CNG buses ply to and from the Anand Vihar ISBT in Delhi, Atishi alleged that hundreds of diesel buses from UP attain the Kaushambi bus depot on the Delhi-Ghaziabad border. Additional, 3,800 brick kilns and 9 thermal energy vegetation in NCR cities of Haryana and UP additionally contributed to air air pollution in Delhi, she added.
She alleged that the froth showing on Yamuna was due to untreated industrial wastewater launched in Yamuna. Haryana releases 165 million gallons per day (MGD) industrial untreated wastewater via Badshahpur, Mungeshpur and different drains into Yamuna, whereas UP releases 55 MGD of polluted water via Sahibabad and Indrapuri drains. Atishi stated using silicone-based defoamers will begin from Sunday evening to subside the froth layer on Yamuna’s floor.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva described Atishi’s claims as baseless. “Until 2021, Kejriwal and AAP leaders persistently blamed Punjab’s stubble burning for turning Delhi right into a fuel chamber. Now, they’re shifting the blame for air air pollution to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan… (Atishi) Marlena ought to cease the blame sport and restore the damaged highway and installs vegetation to curb mud air pollution as a substitute.”
