Kejriwal under fire over Dubai trip amid Delhi pollution crisis
As pollution in India’s capital hit “severe” on the air quality scale yesterday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriweal came under fire following reports he had left the city for an overseas family trip.
For a second year Kejriwal has likened Delhi to a “gas chamber” because of the pollution.
Seasonal burning of crop stubble and smoke from fireworks let off to celebrate the Diwali festival on November 7 have aggravated already high smog levels in the past few days from vehicle emissions, industrial gases and construction work.
Television news channels said Kejriwal had left the country on a private family trip to Dubai, triggering a backlash on social media and finger pointing on Twitter by the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Arvind Kejriwal cares about his family so much that he urgently booked tickets and ran away to Dubai with them as soon as Delhi started choking with pollution,” said one Twitter user.
A member of Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that the chief minister was not in the city. He declined to elaborate or be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
A city government spokesman did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment.
Environmental activists say residents need to be more vocal about holding political leaders to account over the pollution.
“Public pressure has to be much sharper and demand compliance. Directions, policies have been issued but stringent implementation is needed,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, an executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment, a think-tank.
Still, there is little sign in Delhi that residents are doing much to protect themselves from the smog.
Activists say the apparent lack of concern about the pollution gives federal and local politicians the cover they need for failing to adequately address the problem.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority had banned all construction activity and ordered use of sprinklers in the city until yesterday, among other measures.
Yesterday, it indicated the measures would be extended until tomorrow.
The city government has banned heavy vehicles from entering Delhi until today and it was not clear if that order would be extended.
It had also urged drivers to avoid using private diesel-powered vehicles until yesterday, but there has been no ban.
Measures of tiny poisonous particulate matter, or PM 2.5 particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, reached an average of 401 across Delhi at 4pm, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.