Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 7: Delhi’s Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, on Sunday, underlined the BJP-led government’s ongoing efforts to tackle air pollution in the national capital, while accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of attempting to sabotage those initiatives.

Taking to X, Sirsa shared visuals of on-ground dust mitigation drives and wrote, “Following the Viksit Delhi Sankalp of PM Narendra Modi Ji we are working to bring life back into Delhi. Watch our on-ground dust mitigation efforts because clean air isn’t a luxury, it’s a right.”

His remarks come close on the heels of a scathing report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that flagged serious gaps in Delhi’s public transport infrastructure a key contributor to vehicular pollution.

The CAG report, tabled in the assembly by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, pointed out a shortfall of 2,250 buses in Delhi’s public transport system. It recommended urgent corrective measures, including route rationalization and expansion of last-mile connectivity options to combat rising pollution levels.

The audit further revealed that 238 of the 657 notified bus routes remain completely unserved. NCR connectivity via DTC buses had been discontinued, and the number of Gramin-Sewa Vehicles for last-mile coverage hasn’t changed since May 2011.

It also expressed concern over the poor checking of polluting vehicles entering Delhi. While 80% of commercial vehicles enter from just 13 of the 128 border points, enforcement teams are deployed at only seven, and lack proper vehicle-mounted pollution-checking equipment.

Addressing these findings, Sirsa lashed out at AAP, accusing it of orchestrating pollution incidents to malign the BJP's record. “Since the BJP took charge in Delhi, we have consistently worked to reduce pollution. We’ve seen improvement year after year. Cleaner days have increased. But this clearly doesn’t sit well with AAP,” he said in a video post.

Sirsa went further, alleging deliberate attempts to worsen the air quality. “It saddens me, but the AAP has stooped so low that they are burning trash in city parks to create pollution. I’ve shared a video as evidence. This is a shameful attempt to defame the BJP,” he charged.

The Delhi Minister reiterated the BJP’s commitment to clean air and urged citizens to support constructive solutions rather than fall prey to ‘political theatrics.’