BJP made people burst firecrackers on Diwali, says Delhi Environment Minister

The air quality in various parts of the National Capital Region deteriorated as it entered the 'severe' category on Friday morning, following Diwali. Environment Minister Gopal Rai said BJP made people burst firecrackers.

New Delhi: After Delhi's air quality deteriorated post-Diwali and entered 'severe' category, the Union Territory's Environment Minister Gopal Rai hit out at the BJP saying that the party made people burst firecrackers on the festival on Thursday. He also pointed out the surge in farm fires as a reason behind the dip in air quality.

"A large number of people did not burst firecrackers. I thank them all. But some people burst firecrackers on purpose. The BJP made them do it," he said while addressing media. While mentioning that Delhi's base pollution remained the same, Rai said firecrackers and stubble burning have aggravated it. The number of farm fires surged to 3,500 and its impact is visible in Delhi, he said.
As per the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecast agency SAFAR, stubble burning contributed to 36 percent of Delhi's PM2.5 on November 5. It is the highest so far this season.

As per the Ministry Earth Sciences' SAFAR-India application, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Noida slipped to the 'severe' category. The concentration of Pollution Meter (PM) 10 stood at 448.

"The overall air quality of Delhi plunged to the upper end of the severe category with additional firework emissions... The share of stubble emissions has peaked today at 36 percent," said Gufran Beig as quoted by news agency PTI. Beig is the founder project director of SAFAR.

Rampant buring of firecrackers on Diwali night amid surge in fumes from stubble-burning led to a thick layer of acrid smog engulfing the Delhi-NCR region on Friday. It should be noted that there is a complete ban imposed on firecrackers till next year by Delhi government. A full-fledged campaign was also held against the sale and use of firecrackers.