Delhi Air Pollution Did Not Drop by 25% as Govt Claims: Greenpeace

The Delhi government’s claim of a 25 per cent reduction in air pollution levels over the past few years is not true, Greenpeace India said on Thursday, inviting a quick rebuttal from city’s ruling party which dismissed the NGO’s report.

According to a Greenpeace India analysis, “Historical ambient air quality monitoring and satellite data coupled with increasing fossil fuel consumption in Delhi and adjoining states contradict the government’s claims of a 25 per cent reduction in pollution levels over past years.” Reacting to the Greenpeace report, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said they are not concerned about the analysis.

“The Centre in its affidavit to the Supreme Court has said it under oath that the pollution in Delhi has reduced and the pollution in October and November is due to stubble-burning.” In government advertisements, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been claiming that levels of PM 2.5 (or particulate matters equal to smaller then 2.5 microns in diameter) reduced to an average of 115 between 2016 and 2018 from an average of 154 between 2012 and 2014, which amounted to a 25 per cent reduction.