NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday slammed former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the ruling AAP dispensation over increasing air pollution in the city.
Delhi's air quality continues to be in 'very poor' category for past couple of days. On Thursday morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was hovering around 332, creating discomfort and trouble for city residents. Also, an Air Quality Early Warning System has predicted that the ‘very poor’ air quality level is likely to continue till Saturday.
Delhi BJP chief also took a dip in the Yamuna River this morning, to mark his protest against Delhi government and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal over latter's promise of cleaning the Yamuna river.
Talking to IANS, Virendra Sachdeva said, "We have been waiting for the Chief Minister of Delhi and also from the one who controls from behind the scenes and is out on bail, to explain the use of the Rs 8, 500 crore allocated by the Central Government for cleaning the Yamuna. They must come forward and explain what they have done to clean the Yamuna river."
Sachdeva's searing remarks come on back of deteriorating air quality in the capital and also accumulation of thick layers of toxic froth at various places in Yamuna river, particularly in Kalindi Kunj area.
Sachdeva further expressed concerns about the upcoming Chhath festival, emphasizing the difficulty devotees have in performing rituals in the polluted river.
"How will my mothers and sisters worship Lord Suryadev in a river that is unfit to even touch?" he asked.
In response to the AAP's claims of progress in tackling pollution, Sachdeva challenged the Delhi CM to share a report card on past decade of governance.
"Apart from corruption and looting, what have you achieved? Under NCPA, the central government allocated Rs 37 crore, yet only ₹10 crore was utilised. Had the remaining funds been used effectively, Delhi's air quality could have significantly improved, " he asserted.
He further said that the situation will change only when the BJP forms government in Delhi.
Earlier on October 20, Delhi CM Atishi blamed BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the growing air and water pollution in the national capital. She supposedly gave a clean chit to AAP-ruled Punjab and blamed 'parali' (paddy stubble) burning, diesel buses and brick kilns in BJP-ruled Haryana for the poor air quality in Delhi.