Delhi's air quality plummeted to the 'severe' category following Diwali, with the overall Air Quality Index reaching 373 on Sunday night. As pollution levels rose, several monitoring stations stopped displaying real-time data, prompting the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party to accuse the government of suppressing air-quality information. Opposition leaders questioned whether the equipment was malfunctioning or if the government was deliberately hiding dangerously high readings.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra alleged that AAP members are orchestrating farm fires in Punjab to worsen the capital's air quality, suggesting that an investigation could implicate former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Conversely, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal dismissed the opposition's concerns as a selective attack on Hindu festivals. He argued that the Congress and AAP failed to implement long-term solutions during their combined 25 years in power, leaving residents to suffer the current consequences.
Amid the political confrontation, the Commission for Air Quality Management had previously implemented Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan as a pre-emptive measure. While the Delhi government had explored artificial rain as a potential intervention, experts remain skeptical of its long-term effectiveness. The city continues to grapple with thick smog and reduced visibility as authorities trade accusations over the ongoing environmental crisis.
