CM Atishi attacks BJP over Delhi air pollution crisis, says North India facing 'medical emergency'

Pic/PTI

Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Atishi on Monday raised concerns over the severe air pollution which is affecting most parts of North India and described the situation as a "medical emergency caused by rampant stubble burning in several BJP-ruled states".

According to news agency PTI, Atishi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government, instead of addressing the crisis, is focussed on political blame games.

"North India is choking because of the Modi government's inaction. Stubble burning incidents have escalated in BJP-ruled states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, while AAP (Aam Aadmi Party)-governed Punjab has registered a decline," Atishi said, while addressing a press conference in the capital.

Atishi also highlighted the distress of Delhi's residents, recounting how she had received phone calls throughout the night from citizens seeking medical help, PTI reported.

"Some needed to admit their elderly parents to hospitals due to breathing difficulties, while others had to rush to get asthma inhalers for their young children late at night," the CM said.

Pointing to official data, Atishi claimed that the reduction in stubble burning incidents in AAP-ruled Punjab demonstrated effective governance, in stark contrast to the approach seen in states governed by BJP, reported PTI.

Delhi air pollution: Centre playing politics while people are finding it difficult to breathe, says CM

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva dismissed the CM's claims as "most irresponsible", accusing her of attempting to defend the Punjab government. "On a day Delhi expected drastic relief measures from CM Atishi, all she did was make the most irresponsible claims on pollution to defend the Punjab government," Sachdeva remarked.

He further argued that if the central government had not built infrastructure projects such as the East-West Corridor and the Dwarka Expressway, allowing thousands of diesel trucks and other vehicles to bypass the city, the Air Quality Index (AQI) would have likely surpassed 600 by now.

Delhi's air quality worsened to the 'severe plus' category on Monday, with the city recording an AQI of 484, as a dense toxic smog caused visibility to sharply drop in the morning.

Atishi criticised the central government's response to the situation, stating, "The people of Delhi are struggling to breathe, with the elderly and children needing medical support due to the severe pollution. Instead of taking action, the central government is busy playing politics, pushing the entire region towards a health crisis."

She also questioned why the central government had not taken the same measures as those implemented in Punjab. "If the Punjab government can reduce stubble burning, why can't BJP-ruled states do the same? The rising pollution levels across North India highlight the failure of the central government's policies," Atishi said.

While BJP-ruled states are seeing an alarming rise in stubble burning, Punjab stands as the sole exception, having reduced stubble-burning incidents by 80 per cent, from 73,300 in 2021 to 8,404 in 2024, Atishi added.

In response to the Delhi air pollution crisis, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas has ordered the implementation of Stage-IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR.

(With PTI inputs)