A delegation of BJPโs Delhi unit met officials of the air quality management body even as it stepped up its attack on the AAP government over the rising winter pollution in the national capital.
The air pollution levels slipped into the โsevereโ category from โvery poorโ on Saturday evening, as per official data.
Led by Delhi BJP chief Aadesh Gupta, the delegation held a meeting with the chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, MM Kutty.
The delegation handed over a representation, demanding its intervention in the control of pollution.
โThe Arvind Kejriwal government has completely failed in the prevention of pollution. Hence, we have demanded the intervention of CAQM,โ Gupta said.
Speaking to the media, the Delhi BJP chief alleged that the Delhi government has no practical plan to deal with the notorious pollution levels in Delhi.
Gupta said that the AAP government in Delhi would blame stubble burning in Punjab before the party came to power in the neighbouring state. โBut they are now mum on this subject since they are now in power in Punjab.โ
โThe words of the Delhi chief minister have changed. Now, they (AAP leaders) are talking about the odd-even scheme and other measures,โ he stated.
BJP MP Parvesh Varma accused the Delhi government of being non-committal to implementing the policy formulated by the commission.
โThe commission told us that they had formulated a policy in July and sent it to the Delhi government. The policy lays out steps to be taken in short and long terms but the AAP government did not even hold even a single meeting on pollution,โ he said.
Since the AAP formed its government in Punjab, it has shifted the policy of blaming Punjab to blaming Haryana, Verma alleged.
โIn Haryana, the rate of stubble burning has decreased by 25 per cent whereas it has increased by 34 per cent in Punjab,โ he added.
BJP leaders said that the party could move to the Supreme Court for necessary directions to the AAP government in the future.
Stubble burning in neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh has long been blamed for high pollution levels in Delhi during winters.
Earlier this week, the Union environment ministry, under which CAQM functions, said that it taking steps by issuing statutory directions for the implementation of the State Specific Action Plan to curb pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.
