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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav attacked the ruling BJP at the Centre, while the saffron party and the AAP in Delhi butted heads over the reason behind the annual dip in air quality
A man wears a mask to protect himself from rising level of air pollution, in Delhi-NCR. (Image: PTI /File)
Pakistan is to blame for the ‘very poor’ air quality in NCR cities like Noida and Ghaziabad, as farm fires are sending toxic smoke across the border: this is what the Uttar Pradesh government had to say about the 304 AQI in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad.
There is, however, no dearth of politicking over the issue. The opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh attacked the ruling BJP, while the saffron party and the AAP in Delhi butted heads over the reason behind the annual dip in air quality.
Days ahead of Diwali, rising air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR have been a major concern. In the national capital region (NCR), however, this is the first time this season that cities are experiencing ‘very poor’ air quality on the same day, especially when it was in the ‘moderate’ only a day before (Sunday, October 27).
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
A senior official of the state pollution monitor in Greater Noida blamed Pakistan for the rising levels of air pollution. “This is the first time this year that all three cities of Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad saw ‘very poor’ air quality on the same day. And our neighbouring country, Pakistan, needs to be blamed for this. Increasing instances of stubble burning have been sending toxic smoke across the border,” DK Gupta of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board told Times of India.
Thick and toxic smog has enveloped northern India and eastern Pakistan, and this is likely to get worse when Diwali is celebrated on October 31. People burst firecrackers during the festival, due to which air quality levels plummet considerably for the next few days.
While Delhi may have recorded a slight improvement in air quality on Monday at 327, it was still in the ‘very poor’ category. According to CNN, in the Pakistani city of Lahore, which is roughly 25 km from the border, air quality surpassed a “hazardous” 500 on Monday.
This is almost 65 times the World Health Organization’s guidelines for healthy air, making it the most polluted city in the world at the time of the ranking, as per IQAir. As windless winter days approach in this region, a yellow haze will blanket the skies as farmers burn agricultural waste, coupled with vehicular and industrial air pollution contributing to the smog.
‘Message of failed BJP govt: Don’t rely on us…’: Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday (October 27) called the Delhi pollution issue an “annual” topic and said its effects had started reaching UP. The BJP and AAP, meanwhile, traded barbs over pollution levels in Delhi.
“The havoc of pollution in Delhi has become an ‘annual’ topic. When the country’s central government is unable to do anything to keep the environment clean and healthy, what of the rest of the country? This is called chiraag taley andheraa (darkness below the lamp) or dhundhalkaa (dusk),” he said in a post on X.
“The BJP government, which claims to be making the country proud across the world, is not able to save the country’s image from getting blurred by the smog in the capital itself. The offices of ambassadors and high commissioners of countries from across the world are also located there, what message would this send them? This is the failure of the BJP government’s governance and policies,” he added.
Yadav further said: “Now the effect of this havoc has started reaching Uttar Pradesh. Whether it is water pollution of the Yamuna or air pollution, it is badly affecting the health of the public and also the Taj Mahal. The BJP government of Uttar Pradesh cannot see anything anyway, now they will also get the excuse of smog. In such a situation, the public is requested to protect their lives and health themselves. Drive carefully in this twilight and protect yourself from respiratory diseases and also take special care of the elderly and children. Message of the failed BJP government to the public: Don’t rely on us, take care of yourself. Your well-wisher, Akhilesh,” he said.
On Sunday, calm winds prevented the dispersion of pollutants as Delhi’s AQI was recorded as ‘very poor’. Some areas recorded ‘severe’ pollution levels. At 4 pm, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 355 against 255 on Saturday (October 26), showed data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
(With PTI inputs)
