AAP asks CPCB to 'take a leaf out of Arvind Kejriwal's book'

The AAP on Wednesday asked the apex anti-pollution body CPCB to "take a leaf out" of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's book on how to tackle pollution in cities like Varanasi, the prime minister's constituency, that recorded high levels of pollution. 

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According to the Central Pollution Control Board's daily air quality bulletin, Varanasi recorded the highest pollution in the country at an AQI of 276 which falls in the poor category on Tuesday. 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'.

In a letter to CPCB chairperson S P S Parihar, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Raghav Chadha said, "It is distressing to note that PM's own parliamentary constituency should suffer from apathy, inefficient governance and ineffective policies that have led it to the national hall of shame".     

Chadha advised CPCB to "take a leaf out" of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's book on how to tackle pollution in cities like Varanasi. 

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"I am sure the CPCB's concerns are at par if not more for the people of Varanasi as for the people of Delhi and you will find it timely to hold the erring parties accountable," Chadha said, taking a dig at the CPCB.

AAP has been blaming government agencies like CPCB and SAFAR for holding people of Delhi responsible for increasing pollution in the national capital by saying that local factors contribute more to pollution than stubble burning from surrounding states.

"We recognise that air pollution doesn't understand or limit itself along state territorial boundaries and there are internal and external factors contributing to air pollution levels. It must be noted that the people of a landlocked Delhi are facing the brunt of complete apathy on the part of neighbouring state governments," he said. 

"The courage or the willingness to curb stubble burning in neighbouring states of Delhi has been absent," he added. The Delhi government has been claiming that the pollution in the national capital has reduced by 25 per cent due to its schemes like odd even, real time monitoring of air quality and hotspot monitoring among others. 

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