New Delhi: AAP has accused BJP-led Delhi govt of manipulating air quality figures and claimed that AQI crossed 3,000 at several locations in the capital on Diwali night.An AAP functionary said govt was sprinkling water around monitoring stations and installing 20 stations in green areas to artificially lower Delhi’s average AQI. The “misleading pollution figures could expose people to serious health risks, including heart attacks, asthma and respiratory failure,” he said.AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha also hit out at BJP minister Kapil Mishra over his allegations of “conspiracy against Delhi” in Punjab where there was an alleged spike in farm fires on Diwali night. Jha said that Mishra’s remarks were an attempt to hide BJP govt’s failure to control pollution in Delhi.“Stubble was burned in Punjab, and Delhi’s pollution immediately shot up? Does the air teleport all the way to Delhi? Incidents of stubble burning have decreased in Punjab, and farmers have worked hard,” said Jha.Another AAP functionary alleged that the AQI “manipulation” was like tampering with blood pressure or diabetes readings, preventing people from taking necessary precautions and medication.He said that govt had installed 20 new monitoring stations in green and open areas. “Areas such as Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri have high levels of pollution, traffic and population density. Therefore, govt has identified new areas where the population and traffic are lower and which are greener. When the average is calculated using these stations, it will come down. This will not reduce pollution, but the data will be made to appear lower,” the AAP functionary said.AAP alleged that water was being continuously sprayed over the AQI monitoring station at ITI Jahangirpuri. Due to this pollution may not decrease, but the water spraying reduces the AQI. “How can anyone trust a govt that shuts down AQI monitoring stations on Diwali night and manipulates the data?” the AAP functionary asked.AAP said BJP govt should take responsibility for its actions and present the public with the true AQI. “If this is not done, the lives of people who are ill, the elderly and children may be lost,” he added.
