New Delhi [India]: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal on Monday criticized the AAP government for the increasing pollution in Delhi and blamed them for the city’s “poisonous” air. He also claimed that Arvind Kejriwal has done nothing in the last ten years to effectively address the issue.
BJP MP Khandelwal said, “It is a concerning matter for everyone. We are breathing poisonous air here, and the AAP government is responsible for that. In the last 10 years, Arvind Kejriwal has not done anything which can permanently resolve the issue of air pollution in Delhi.”
Earlier today, a thin layer of smog engulfed the national capital as the Air quality index (AQI) in Delhi remained in the “very poor” category.
The AQI of Delhi was recorded above 300 at 7 AM on Monday in many areas of the national capital, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
At around 7.00 am on Monday, New Moti Bagh recorded an AQI of 400, RK Puram at 393, Dwarka Sector 8 at 393, and ITO at 349. All these areas reported ‘very poor’ air quality levels, posing significant health risks.
The AQI at Vivek Vihar was recorded at 421, and 409 in Ashok Vihar taking the air quality level to the “severe category.”
An AQI is considered “poor” between ‘200 and 300’, “very poor” at ‘301 and 400’, “severe” at ‘401-450″ and 450 and above, is “severe plus.”
Earlier, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that around 200 mobile anti-smog guns will deployed across the national capital to combat dust pollution. He added that they will operate in three shifts of eight hours each, spraying water in every assembly constituency to help control dust levels.
“To control dust pollution, yesterday we brought 200 mobile anti-smog guns on the roads in Delhi, in which water will be sprayed all around in every assembly constituency spraying of water is being done. Earlier, spraying was done for 8 hours in one shift. Now it has been divided into 3 shifts for 8 hours so that dust pollution can be controlled through regular and large-scale water sprinkling,” he told.
He further stated that the Delhi government has started the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign to control pollution caused by vehicles.
“For the pollution caused by vehicles, we have started the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign and we have increased the sticker campaign on autos too,” he added.