NEW DELHI: Congress on Saturday hit out at the Delhi government over the worsening air pollution in the national capital, accusing it of failing to implement a permanent solution and offering excuses instead of taking effective measures. Delhi Congress president Devendra Yadav alleged that the situation had deteriorated under the present administration, with several monitoring stations recording Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the ‘severe’ category.“Ever since this govt came to power two years ago, all it has done is offer excuses… Today, the situation has gone from ‘very poor’ to ‘severe.’ In many places, the AQI has crossed 500, yet this govt has no plan… Regarding the anti-smog guns, the ones purchased last year aren’t even being operated this year; instead, new orders are being placed. There is a long waiting list, and it points to the misuse of funds—a matter we will discuss in detail. This govt certainly needs to pay attention,” Yadav said.He also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing its previous government of failing to take sustained steps to tackle pollution. Drawing a comparison with the Congress government led by former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Yadav said measures such as expanding green cover, introducing CNG buses and encouraging the use of LPG had been undertaken during its tenure.“…I have maintained from the very beginning that this is nothing but making excuses. There is no doubt that the Aam Aadmi Party has failed to provide any permanent solution. During our administration, under Sheila Dikshit, we expanded the green cover, introduced CNG buses, and transitioned people to using LPG. Throughout the 12 years that the Aam Aadmi Party has been in power, no such concerted effort has been made...” he added.Meanwhile, Delhi continued to grapple with poor air quality on Saturday morning. The city’s overall AQI stood at 364 at 8 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. However, several monitoring stations recorded ‘severe’ readings, with IIT Delhi reporting 443, Punjabi Bagh 433 and Narela 409.
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The reading marked a slight improvement from Friday morning, when the citywide AQI was 389. The development comes a day after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR as a precautionary measure to prevent further deterioration in air quality.