New Delhi, February 28 The Congress on Saturday criticised the Delhi government over the poor air quality in the national capital, accusing it of making excuses and questioning the implementation of its "clean air plan."
Congress leader Ajay Maken cited data from several parts of the national capital over the past 24 hours, alleging that the city's air quality had deteriorated since 2021.
"Delhi's air is getting WORSE, not better," he wrote on X, citing air pollution metrics from the city's seven monitoring stations.
He said that the levels of PM2.5 at Shadipur, NSIT Dwarka, Wazirpur, Punjabi Bagh, Jahangirpuri, Dhyan Chand Stadium, and IHBAS had increased by 291 per cent, 131 per cent, 72 per cent, 22 per cent, 21 per cent, 22 per cent, and 6 per cent, respectively, compared to 2021.
"It's late February, not the peak of winter. Yet, the air remains toxic," he said.
Maken, who is the party treasurer, cited a 2024 Lancet study which estimated 3.8 million deaths in India attributable to PM2.5 exceeding national standards between 2009 and 2019, with every 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase linked to an 8.6 per cent rise in mortality, according to Harvard research.
"Where is the National Clean Air Plan? Five years have passed, and there has been no improvement. Only excuses," the Congress leader alleged.