The AAP on Thursday said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government has taken a slew of measures over the past several years, which has led to a significant improvement in the air quality as was appreciated in the Economic Survey 2022-2023 tabled in Parliament.

The party’s reaction comes after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena hit out at the AAP government over air pollution in the national capital, saying the city can do little to stop crop residue smoke from other states.

The AAP in a statement said” “In its one and a half years tenure in Punjab, a string of ex-situ and in-situ measures have been implemented which has resulted in a near 50 per cent decrease in farm fires.”

“Further reduction can be achieved if the Central Govt accedes to the demand of subsidy, which was also observed by the Supreme Court in its order dated 7.11.2023 that there is no reason why the Central Govt cannot grant this subsidy,” it said.

The AAP further said: “Red Light on Gaadi Off” and the odd-even scheme are emergency measures, which have had significant impact in reducing vehicular pollution.”

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, has also acknowledged the reduction in pm concentration levels during the period when odd-even was implemented previously vide Un-starred question No. 4340 answered on 13.12.2019, it said.

“It is imperative on the Govt’s in NCR, more particularly Haryana to control farm fires in the NCR region and enable the industries working in the NCR region to switch to clean fuel and provide 24×7 electricity and take similar measures like the Delhi Govt to protect the environment. We can lend specialists to Haryana since Haryana govt has miserably failed on all counts,” the statement added.

Earlier in a post on X, Saxena said: “We can do little to stop crop residue smoke from other States, apart from pleading with them. Despite States, especially Punjab playing truant, we are, but petitioners for mercy. AQI yet hovers around 400, making the Capital gasp.”

“Publicity around props like smog towers mean little and politics of propaganda that involve over hyped events like “Red Light On, Gaadi Off” and “Odd- Even” cannot hold the life of people of Delhi to ransom,” he said.