New Delhi [India] : Launching a scathing attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the worsening pollution levels in the national capital, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Friday said the people, the highest office of justice in the country and even the Almighty have turned against him for ‘poisoning’ the city’s air.
Taking to his official handle on X, the BJP leader posted, “Has the God, too, turned against Arvind Kejriwal after the people and the Supreme Court? Everyone’s angry and upset with him for poisoning the air, water and lives in Delhi. Thankfully, the Almighty blessed Delhi with some showers today,” Dubey posted in Hindi on X.
Despite the welcome showers, the overall air quality in the national capital continued to hover in the ‘severe’ zone on Friday morning, according to data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to data issued by the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India), the AQI in Ashok Vihar was recorded at 462 (severe), while in the RK Puram area, the AQI stood at 461.
The air quality index at Punjabi Bagh also remained ‘severe’ at 460 while ITO, too, breathed hazardous air at 464, around 6.30 in the morning.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi said it was mobilising urgent measures to rein in the city’s runaway pollution numbers and was also considering the possibility of ‘artificial rain’ over the national capital to bring down the pollution graph.
Several ministers in the AAP government were spotted out and about on Thursday night, inspecting and taking stock of measures to rein in the city’s declining air quality.
Currently, Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is in force across the national capital after the city’s air quality dropped to the ‘severe plus’ category.
Expressing concern over the toxic smog shrouding not just the national capital but the entire north Indian belt, the Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Centre, and the governments of Delhi and surrounding steps, directing all stakeholders to crack down on crop burning.
According to doctors, for any healthy person, a recommended AQI should be less than 50. However, the overall AQI in the city has been struck in the ‘severe’ zone, beyond 400, which is deemed hazardous for public health.