Opposition accuses Delhi government of manipulating air pollution data
The Aam Aadmi Party and Congress allege data fraud while the BJP claims a conspiracy behind Punjab farm fires.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Monday accused the Delhi government of manipulating air quality data following Deepavali. According to The Hindu, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the government is falsifying pollution readings by placing monitoring stations in green zones and using water to lower local measurements.
Bharadwaj warned that understating pollution levels could lead to serious health issues such as respiratory failure and heart attacks. Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken noted that only 23 of the 59 monitoring stations in Delhi provided PM2.5 data at 1 a.m. on Monday, and he called for an immediate inspection of the stations.
Meanwhile, Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra alleged a conspiracy behind a surge in stubble-burning in Punjab. Mishra stated that official data showed 1,152 farm fires on November 8, the highest single-day count this season. He claimed satellite data showed daily fires rose from approximately 100 to 125 on November 5, 6 and 7 to nearly 1,200 on Deepavali.
Mishra urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to investigate the incidents and examine the phone records of AAP members from Delhi who were in Punjab. He suggested the fires were a deliberate attempt to pollute the capital.
Rejecting these claims, Saurabh Bharadwaj said smoke from Punjab takes two to three days to reach Delhi and questioned why Delhi alone faces high pollution if Punjab is responsible. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also rejected the allegations, accusing the BJP of defaming the state's farmers.
Punjab AAP media in-charge Baltej Pannu claimed the state has achieved nearly 90 per cent control over stubble burning this year. Pannu accused the BJP of using the issue to divert attention from its failure to manage Delhi's air quality.