BJP's Adesh Kumar Gupta slams CM Kejriwal over Delhi pollution as govt declares lockdown

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Delhi unit president, Adesh Kumar Gupta, slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday for the worsening air pollution in the national capital, saying that the Delhi government only blames stubble burning as one of the causes of pollution, while vehicular pollution and dust pollution remain major factors that they ignore. 

Speaking to ANI, the Delhi BJP chief said,

"Pollution level has increased in the national capital and it has turned into a gas chamber. People are forced to live in that chamber. Delhi government said that the stubble burning in the nearby states is the reason for the increasing level of pollution but in reality, vehicle and dust pollution are the biggest factors responsible for the pollution."

Gupta went on to say that the AAP-led administration pledged to introduce electric vehicles, but that no progress has been made in the last seven years. He said that Delhi's roads are clogged with dust. There are no plans in place to reduce dust pollution, he added. 

'BJP will help in every possible way': Adesh Kumar Gupta 

Gupta said that the outcomes of the Green Action Plan, passed by the Delhi government in 2018, which comprises 24 pollution-prevention steps are nowhere to be found. Every year people have to face the gas chamber, he added. The BJP leader praised the Supreme Court's proposal for a two-day lockdown in the national capital to combat air pollution.

"The government should take all the necessary steps in the matter. The BJP will help in every possible way," he added.

Delhi under pollution lockdown from November 14

To combat rising levels of air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi administration declared a 'pollution lockdown,' in which schools will be physically closed for a week starting Monday. Students would not have to breathe contaminated air because classes would be conducted online.

Earlier on Saturday, a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice NV Raman, and Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant recommended a two-day lockdown in the national capital in light of the severe air pollution. From November 14 to November 17, all construction operations in Delhi have been halted. After chairing a high-level emergency meeting with senior officials and ministers from the Delhi administration, CM Kejriwal announced the decision.

"Government office employees will be asked to operate from home (WFH) at 100 per cent capacity for a week, while private offices will be issued an advisory to go for WFH (work from home) option as much as possible," Kejriwal announced.

On Saturday morning, Delhi's air quality was in the 'severe' category. The overall AQI in Delhi in the evening was 427, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. An AQI of 0-50 is regarded as good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe/hazardous.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: @AdeshGupta/Facebook/PTI/Representative)