BJP's 'dirty politics' responsible for growing air, water pollution in Delhi: Atishi

NEW DELHI — The "dirty politics" of the BJP is responsible for growing air and water pollution in Delhi, Chief Minister Atishi said on Sunday.

The air quality in the national capital has started deteriorating with the onset of winter while thick layers of toxic chemical froth was seen covering the Yamuna river's surface at various places, especially Kalindikunj.

Atishi gave a clean chit to AAP-ruled Punjab and blamed 'parali' (paddy stubble) burning, diesel buses and brick kilns in BJP-ruled Haryana for poor air quality in Delhi.

She also alleged that thousands of diesel buses from UP reaching the Kaushambi bus depot on the Delhi- Ghaziabad border, brick kilns in NCR and thermal plants in the region also contributed to air pollution in Delhi.

The Delhi chief minister slammed the BJP, saying the froth appearing on Yamuna in Delhi was because of untreated industrial wastewater released in Yamuna.

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Haryana releases 165 million gallons per day (MGD) industrial untreated wastewater through Badshahpur, Mungeshpur and other drains into Yamuna, while 65 MGD of such polluted water is discharged by UP through various drains into the river, she said.

"The dirty politics of the BJP is responsible for growing air and water pollution in Delhi but AAP led by Arvind Kejriwal is committed to help people of the city," she said.

In a press conference, Atishi claimed the central government data showed Punjab reduced farm fires from 71,300 in 2021 to 36,600 in 2023.

"Even this year, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute data show that there was a 27 per cent decrease in parali burning in Punjab between October 1 and 15, from 1105 in 2023 to 811," she claimed.

Meanwhile, farm fires this year increased from 341 to 417 in Haryana, while in UP the number went up from 244 to 417, between October 1 and 15, as compared to the last year, she said.