Delhi air quality enters very poor category as Sirsa blames Punjab stubble burning
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa says the responsibility for tackling worsening pollution now lies with Punjab and its leadership.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the very poor category on Monday, with the capital recording an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 307, according to News18 and Scroll. The index rose from 60 on October 30 to approximately 350 within four days, according to Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Sirsa blamed the worsening pollution on stubble burning in Punjab, alleging that Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for the issue. He claimed that winds are carrying pollutants from Punjab, Haryana, and Pakistan towards the capital. The minister also alleged that some police officers in Punjab were participating in setting paddy stubble on fire.
According to Urban Acres, Sirsa stated that Punjab recorded 584 stubble-burning incidents on November 3, the highest single-day figure this season. He noted that Punjab has recorded 2,196 incidents so far this season and that 494 first information reports have been registered. Sirsa accused the Punjab government of misleading the public regarding the scale of crop-residue burning.
The Commission for Air Quality Management summoned deputy commissioners and senior police officers from several Punjab districts on November 4 regarding the failure to prevent stubble burning. Sirsa maintained that Delhi residents have already cooperated with restrictions, such as halting construction and stopping the use of polluting vehicles.
Stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been invoked for the entire National Capital Region (NCR) with immediate effect. These measures include additional pollution-control steps and higher parking charges. Restrictions under the Winter Action Plan, including limits on vehicles below BS-VI emission standards, remain in place.