Delhi pollution worsens; AAP minister Gopal Rai shifts blame on ‘people’ over deteriorating AQI

Once again, Delhi is currently reeling with rapidly deteriorating air quality with pollution levels on the rise in the capital a few days after Diwali. While the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has slammed the Delhi government repeatedly over rising pollution levels, AAP has decided to deflect the blame.

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has said that the BJP-led Centre and the people of the capital and nearby states are the ones responsible for the worsening air quality index (AQI) in the city, which is currently under the ‘very poor’ category.

Deflecting the blame from the AAP government, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said that the “people” of Delhi are responsible for the bad air quality of the national capital. The AQI in several parts of Delhi stood at 358 on Wednesday morning.

As quoted by ANI, AAP leader Gopal Rai told reporters, "I appeal to people if possible work from home and avoid taking out private vehicles. 50% of the pollution is from vehicles. People shouldn't burst crackers.”

He further pointed a finger at the Centre, saying that stubble burning by the farmers in the nearby state of Punjab is happening because the BJP government didn’t support AAP and farmers to curb this issue.

Making a request for BJP, Rai said, “I request the UP and Haryana governments to form a regional special task force to reduce air pollution in areas adjoining Delhi like Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Noida. The pollution problem is not the state's problem. It happens due to the air system that develops.”

Earlier, AAP also slammed Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for rejecting the ‘Red Light on, Gaadi off’ campaign of the party, which was aimed at curbing vehicular pollution. AAP said that the Delhi LG was acting on behalf of the BJP and Centre.

The burning of agricultural waste in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, according to analysts, is one of the primary reasons for the rising air pollution in the region. The air quality of Delhi and nearby cities has always been a problem during the beginning of the winter season, due to festivals and stubble burning.

Noida, which is part of the national capital region, slipped to an AQI of 406 and continued to remain in the 'severe' category, while Gurugram's AQI stood at 346 and continued to remain in the 'very poor' category, as per SAFAR.

(With ANI inputs)

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