As Delhi’s air quality plunged deeper into the ‘severe’ category on Sunday, the worsening pollution levels triggered a fresh war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
AAP attacked the BJP over the deteriorating air quality, alleging that the air quality index (AQI) had crossed 450 despite the stubble-burning season being over. “December is already half over, and the BJP government has completed almost one year. Today, there is no stubble burning anywhere in the country. Yet the level of pollution is such that if you are inside a closed room, there is haze all around and smog is visible even indoors,” AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj told mediapersons.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi recorded its highest AQI of the season on Sunday, 461, up from 432 a day earlier, as air quality remained in the ‘severe’ (401-500) category.
Mr. Bharadwaj said the most unfortunate aspect of the crisis was the absence of public confidence in governance. “What is even more tragic is that the people of Delhi do not know whom to look towards with the hope that something will be done. Should they look towards a Chief Minister who cannot even pronounce AQI properly?” he said.
