New Delhi: The opposition AAP claims that the situation was “never a bad thing” during its reign as a fall in air quality caused by dust storms, and the BJP was called the alleged attempt to score political Brownie points. Overnight, air quality in Delhi caused a slid into the bad category at 236 at 8 am on Thursday.
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.
Atishi, the opposition leader of the Delhi parliament and senior AAP leader, 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.”
In a letter from the Chief Minister of Atishi, Rekha Gupta, Hindi, wrote: “Delhi’s AQI crossed 500 in May; this never happened; the official figures from the Central Pollution Control Commission (CPCB) witnessed the fact that from 2022 to 2024, from 2022 to 2024, from 15 May, the AQI never exceeded 243 AQI.
She further said: “Chief Minister, today, the BJP is in power at the center, and LG (Governor) is also from the BJP; BJP is in MCD and now BJP is in power in Delhi. This is the four engine governments of BJP. Still polluting?”
Atishi further asked Delhi’s environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa if he would be responsible for the city’s worsening air pollution.
“In your government, Environment Minister Sirsa once made a big statement that the garbage burning in Delhi is causing pollution. Now, when there is a BJP government in the MCD, why is the atmosphere in Delhi so toxic today?”
She added that the people of Delhi are facing a “double blow from high temperatures and pollution” and questioning the government’s preparations.
“No plan, no action, only false claims and slogans.”
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 rather than misleading. But let’s talk about the real misleading ATISHI ji for 10 years, and the AAP allows Delhi to be submerged on untreated heritage waste, broken and dusty roads with zero responsibility for pollution!” said the Urban Environment Minister on X.
Manish Sisodia, senior AAP leader and former deputy chief minister, claimed that the AQI has reached 500, and he shared a screenshot of a mobile phone of an 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”.
