Delhi BJP chief hails marginal impact of Diwali crackers on air quality

New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva stated that it is a welcome sign that firecrackers were burst during Diwali celebrations on Monday night, yet there was no significant negative impact on the air pollution situation in the region.

Sachdeva said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders like Saurabh Bharadwaj are compelled to oppose Diwali crackers to appease the Muslim community to secure their vote bank.

“This is why they continue to spread confusion among the public on one issue or another. Currently, the AAP leaders are making statements blaming the marginal spike in air pollution on Diwali firecrackers and are calling for another ban on them,” said the Delhi BJP President.

Sachdeva stated that without a doubt, the AQI — which rises every winter — will increase slightly this year as well.

On the morning of October 31, 2024 — the day after Diwali — Delhi had recorded an AQI of a record-breaking 396. Today, October 21, the city’s average AQI stands at 356, he said.

He added that although Punjab’s farmers have been troubled by floods this year, now that the floodwaters have receded, they are working to clear their fields, which includes burning some stubble.

“Between October 11 and October 19, 2025, a total of 309 major stubble burning incidents were registered in Punjab,” he said.

It is shameful that the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Punjab neither helped the farmers earlier to prevent stubble burning nor is it offering any assistance now to the flood-affected farmers to stop them from burning stubble, said Sachdeva.

The Delhi BJP President said it is true that pollution levels in Delhi have risen post-Diwali, but it is also true that reports of stubble burning in Punjab began surfacing two to three days before the pollution levels started increasing on October 17.

He further said that neither the previous Congress governments nor the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi took any solid steps to control pollution or improve the situation.

“Now that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s administration is working in a planned manner to improve the pollution scenario, AAP leaders — who are known for their misleading statements — are actively trying to worsen the situation,” he said.

--IANS

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