Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote on X that under the AAM AADMI Party (AAP) rules, air pollution “has never been this bad thing” at this time of year.
His successor and senior AAP leader Aitishi claimed on social media platforms that Delhi’s AQI was never so high in May.
She said data from the Central Pollution Control Commission (CPCB) showed that the AQI of May 15 never exceeded 243 from 2022-2024. “Today, the AQI is 500.”
Atishi wonders if Delhi’s environment minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, will be responsible for the city’s worsening air pollution.
Sirsa fought back, saying the former chief minister was using natural phenomena to score political Brownie points as “unfortunate.” The BJP leader said the “real responsibility” lies with the AAP, which ignored pressing issues during its 10-year rule in Delhi. “The surge in AQI today is due to weather events, not the wrong government. But let’s talk about the real misleading Atishi ji…For 10 years, AAP allowed Delhi to be submerged on the road of untreated legacy waste, broken and dusty, with zero responsibility for pollution!” The Urban Environment Minister said on X. AAP’s senior leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia that the AQI has reached 500, and he shared a screenshot of the air quality figure on X.
He said: “Four engines of the BJP government are emitting smoke in Delhi. The AQI in Delhi is currently 500, which means poison! The sun is invisible, a person cannot breathe, eyes burn, throat is painful, sore throat. No plans, no emergency plans. Only speeches and slogans.”
AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 are “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 are “medium”, 201 and 300 are “poor”, 301 and 400 are “very poor”, and 401 and 500 are “severely poor”.
