Air pollution in the national capital, as well as many parts of Northern India, has reached a severe level. Primary schools in Delhi have been closed until November 10, and classes 6 to 12 have the option to shift to online classes. Despite a complete ban on bursting firecrackers, including green ones, pollution levels are expected to rise during Diwali. The Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) has imposed stage four of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes a ban on diesel vehicles, non-essential construction activities, and the entry of diesel trucks and light commercial vehicles into Delhi.
The Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had announced a 15-point winter action plan at the end of September. However, these measures seem to have had little impact on the pollution levels. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has faced criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. The BJP spokesperson accused Kejriwal and the government of Punjab of not implementing steps to control pollution. The Congress also criticized the CM for neglecting important government projects that contribute to air pollution.
The AAP government has been attacked for not doing enough to address the pollution crisis, despite ruling both Delhi and Punjab. The government has taken steps such as introducing electric vehicles and electric buses into its fleet. However, these efforts have been overshadowed by the challenges posed by winter pollution, which affects the whole of North India. Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, expressed helplessness and called on the central government, as well as the governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, to take action.
Rai emphasized that only 30% of Delhi’s pollution comes from local sources, while the rest comes from neighboring states, including Punjab. He also criticized senior government officials for not attending important meetings on pollution and making decisions without informing him. In Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced an eight-point action plan to tackle stubble burning.
As Diwali approaches, the air quality in Delhi is expected to worsen. However, the daily average air quality in Delhi for the first 10 months of the year has been better compared to the past six years, except for the Covid-affected 2020. The opposition parties are blaming Kejriwal and Mann for the current hazardous air quality, questioning whether more could have been done. However, it is clear that addressing winter pollution requires collaboration between multiple states and cannot be solved by any individual state government alone.