Centre accepted Delhi air improved in last few years: AAP

 Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday claimed the Central government has accepted before the Supreme Court that the pollution level in the national capital has come down in the last few years, and it increased after Diwali due to stubble burning.

Speaking to the media, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj displayed an affidavit, which he claimed was submitted by the Centre in the apex court.

"Today, I want to expose the lies of BJP because in the Supreme Court, the Central government has submitted there is an increase in the good to moderate days in Delhi. This means that as the Delhi government claimed that the pollution of Delhi has come down is now being accepted by the Central government," said Bharadwaj.

"That it is submitted that in reference to the overall air quality status of Delhi (2018-2019), there has been an overall improvement in air quality of Delhi in 2019 (from January up to November 2) as compared to that of 2018. It is respectfully submitted that the number of 'Good' to 'Moderate' days has increased to 175 in 2019 as compared to 157 in 2018. Correspondingly, the number of 'Poor' to 'Severe' days has reduced to 131 as compared to 149 in 2018. The Comparative Air Quality Index Status for 2018-19," said the document.

Bharadwaj also said that the Central government has also accepted that the stubble burning incidents have increased in the states of Punjab and Haryana and that caused a spike in pollution after Diwali in Delhi.

He also claimed that the Centre's submission in the Supreme Court also said that "bursting of firecrackers during Diwali, stubble burning and adverse meteorology conditions have led to rise in the pollution level in Delhi-NCR and the air quality on the night of October 30 reached to severe category and the same has continued up to the morning of November 2."

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh demanded the BJP should apologise to the people of Delhi for their "lies".

"The affidavit filed in the Supreme Court clearly says that the spike of pollution in Delhi happened due to stubble burning and the Delhi government is saying that from a long time but the BJP defames the Delhi government. In this affidavit, the Central government has also accepted that the spike in pollution happened due to the failure of the neighbourhing state governments to distribute machines as an alternative to the stubble burning," Singh said.IANS