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‘Own doing, Delhi now a gas chamber’: Kejriwal responds on BJP's 'request' to AAP to not spike pollution
Arvind Kejriwal said the BJP government in Delhi delayed the implementation of GRAP-4 and alleged that instead of controlling pollution, they were tampering AQI
A day after being “requested with folded hands” to not spike pollution, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre and in Delhi over deteriorating pollution in the capital, alleging that the city never saw such pollution levels during the previous AAP government.
Kejriwal's comments come a day after Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused AAP of deliberately burning waste to increase pollution levels and requested the AAP chief of not indulging in “dirty politics”.
The AAP leader also hit out at the Rekha Gupta-led government in Delhi saying that the AQI in Delhi was alarmingly high despite no stubble burning in Punjab. The AAP chief was addressing a press conference in Punjab along with chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
‘Current pollution in Delhi is its own’
"It was earlier said that the pollution in Delhi was due to stubble burning in Punjab. But now, across the cities in Punjab, the AQI is between 70 and 100. So, if there is no smog in Punjab, there is no stubble burning in Punjab, so whatever pollution is at present in Delhi is its own," Kejriwal told the briefing.
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Kejriwal claimed that the Delhi government is focusing on fudging the AQI data, instead of tackling it. The pollution levels on Thursday was recorded at 373 (very poor) at 4 pm, according to CPCB data. The AQI was 334 on Wednesday and 354 on Tuesday.
"The official AQI is manipulated because they are sprinkling water near AQI meters. Despite that the AQI is crossing 400 or 450. The real AQI might me above 700-800," he claimed.
The former Delhi CM said that the BJP government delayed the implementation of GRAP-4 in capital and alleged that instead of controlling pollution, they are tampering AQI.
"For many days, the GRAP Stage IV was not allowed to be implemented. It was implemented recently. But construction work was still underway in Delhi. GRAP Stage IV was only implemented on paper," he alleged.
The Commission for Air Quality Management announced GRAP-4 measures after the city registered AQI in 'severe' category on December 13.
Delhi govt accuses AAP of 'burning waste' to increase AQI
On Wednesday, Delhi Environment Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused AAP leaders of deliberately burning waste to increase pollution levels in the city.
While addressing a press conference in the capital, Sirsa alleged, "I have to said this with regret that AAP is deliberately burning waste to create pollution, they are burning wastes, they are praying that the AQI should increase. They don't care about the people of Delhi. They should not resort to such dirty politics."
The BJP minister alleged that he was informed by the Trilokpuri MLA that an AAP councillor lit fire to the waste in his ward and later recorded a video.
Kejriwal attacks PM Modi
The AAP convenor also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he didn't utter even a single word over Delhi pollution.
"The capital of the country has turned into a gas chamber and the prime minister of that country has nothing to do with pollution, then how pollution level can come down?" Kejriwal said.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal took a dig at PM Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the pollution issue.
Taking to Facebook, the AAP leader jibed, "Prime Minister in Oman, Leader of Opposition in Germany and the national capital under pollution."
