Speaking at a press conference here, AAP Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj presented data suggesting that stubble burning from Punjab accounts for merely 8% of Delhi’s pollution, placing the responsibility for the remaining 92% squarely on city-based agencies, all of which are under the control of the BJP.
File Photo: IANS
The AAP on Tuesday held the BJP-led Delhi government responsible for the city’s severe pollution crisis through systemic failure, data manipulation, and corruption, while asserting that stubble burning now contributes to only a minor fraction of the problem.
Speaking at a press conference here, AAP Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj presented data suggesting that stubble burning from Punjab accounts for merely 8% of Delhi’s pollution, placing the responsibility for the remaining 92% squarely on city-based agencies, all of which are under the control of the BJP.
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Bharadwaj cited statements from two central government institutions—the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research—to highlight a 95% reduction in stubble burning incidents in Punjab under the AAP government.
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He noted that cases have dropped from approximately 83,000 in 2020 to just 3,500 this year.
“The pollution situation in Delhi this year is unprecedented,” Bharadwaj stated.
“Hospitals are overflowing with respiratory illnesses. Instead of taking concrete action, the government is engaged in data manipulation—shutting down AQI monitors and spraying water on sensors. Even then, the AQI touches 400.”
He further alleged widespread corruption among officials, claiming that construction bans under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) are being openly flouted in exchange for bribes. He accused Sub-Divisional Magistrates and District Magistrates of turning pollution control into a “money-making business.”
AAP spokesperson Nyvaan Sharma contrasted the Delhi administration’s approach with the AAP government’s efforts in Punjab. He detailed a multi-pronged strategy in Punjab that includes on-ground volunteer teams, machine subsidies for farmers, and the creation of supply chains to transport stubble to industries.
“Punjab’s model is built on implementation, not manipulation,” Sharma said.
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