New Delhi – In a press conference held today, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) pointed fingers at Haryana as the culprit behind the ongoing pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR. Priyanka Kakkar, the national spokesperson for AAP, emphasized the proximity of Haryana to the national capital and called for a comprehensive analysis of the anti-pollution measures implemented by the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government since 2014.
Kakkar stated, “The stubble burning in Punjab occurs approximately 500 kilometers away from our city, whereas in Haryana, it is a mere 100 kilometers away. It is imperative that we scrutinize the efforts made by the Khattar government to combat pollution over the past eight years.”
Furthermore, Kakkar highlighted a positive aspect, saying, “According to the Economic Survey of 2022-23, the central government recognized that Delhi’s air quality has shown significant improvement, reaching its best level in the past eight years. Data from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) also indicates a 50-67 percent reduction in stubble burning in Punjab.”
Despite these positive trends, Delhi’s overall air quality remains in the ‘severe’ category, leading to a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi Secretariat. The Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi has projected that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city will continue to register as ‘severe’ for the coming days.
In response to the deteriorating air quality, the CAQM has activated stage IV of the graded action response plan (GRAP), triggering additional anti-pollution measures. These measures include a ban on the entry of truck traffic into Delhi, with exceptions for vehicles transporting essential goods and services, as well as a restriction on Delhi-registered diesel-operated Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), except those involved in the essential transport of goods and services.
The blame game continues as Delhi grapples with its persistent pollution problem, and citizens await the effective implementation of anti-pollution measures to alleviate the situation.
– Reported by Kunal Gaurav, Hindustan Times
