BJP Leaders Encouraged People To Burst Crackers, Alleges Delhi Minister

Rai said the pollution levels in the city increased on Sunday evening due to firecrackers. “The pollution level (Air Quality Index or AQI) was under 215 in the last three days but due to firecrackers, the pollution levels have spiked. It has come to light that many people avoided using firecrackers but in some places, firecrackers were burst on a large scale,” the minister said to explain the rise in pollution levels.

Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI on Sunday was recorded at 218 at 4pm by the Central Pollution Control Board and started to rise after 8pm. By 10pm, it was at 230, 240 at midnight, 244 at 2am, 250 by 4am, 266 by 6am, 283 at 8am and reached 301 by 10am on Monday. PM 2.5 remained the prominent pollutant, showcasing the impact of combustion sources – in this case, firecrackers.

“The people of Delhi were cautious not to use firecrackers so that the air pollution did not worsen. But the way the BJP leaders egged people (to burst firecrackers), people have to suffer due to pollution. I think the post-Diwali air could have been far better had the firecrackers not been used. I want to appeal to the people of Delhi that they should not come under the influence of the BJP which misleads the people because the air quality impacts us,” said Rai.