NEW DELHI: Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav on Thursday lambasted the BJP-led Delhi Government for its “complete failure” to tackle the capital’s worsening air quality, saying the Supreme Court’s direction to enforce GRAP-IV restrictions clearly exposes its inaction.
Yadav said Delhi has turned into a “gas chamber” as the Rekha Gupta Government continues to indulge in “empty rhetoric” instead of taking decisive measures to curb toxic air.
He pointed out that while the AQI crossed 400, the Delhi Government was still struggling to enforce GRAP-III measures, prompting the Supreme Court to step in and order the implementation of the more stringent GRAP-IV restrictions.
“The Supreme Court’s concern over Delhi’s pollution has proved that the BJP government in Delhi has only been making statements instead of taking effective steps,” said Yadav.
He added that he has sought a response from the Punjab and Haryana governments on actions taken to curb stubble burning, which remains a major contributor to Delhi’s pollution. “The BJP and AAP are indulging in shadow boxing to mislead people while ignoring concrete action on stubble burning,” he said.
Citing alarming pollution levels, Yadav said, “PM10 was recorded at 395.2 and PM2.5 at 246.2 micrograms per cubic meter, nearly four times above safe limits.”
He termed the Centre’s advisory to set up chest clinics an admission of failure. “If the Centre is concerned about rising pollution, why aren’t state governments acting decisively?” he asked.
Yadav also accused the Delhi Government of fudging AQI data and pointed out that the Supreme Court has sought a clarification from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) over the issue of discrepancies. “The government’s negligence at a time when AQI levels have breached 400 shows its utter insensitivity to public health,” he said.