New Delhi – A sharp political exchange marked a marathon discussion spanning over three hours on air pollution in the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Friday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government mounting a data-heavy defense of its pollution record while targeting the Aam Aadmi Party for what it called a decade of inaction.
The heated debate over Delhi’s pollution record saw both sides present competing narratives, with the BJP government defending its 11-month tenure against AAP’s 11-year administration. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized that tackling pollution was a shared civic responsibility and not a political contest.
Government’s Defense Of Its Pollution Record
Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa set the tone for the debate, asserting that the government would confront the crisis head-on. “We will not run away from pollution. We will fight it, confront it, and eliminate it,” he told the House while defending the government’s pollution record.
Sirsa’s defense of the BJP’s pollution record included allegations that Delhi’s air quality worsened after 2014 even as landmark interventions such as CNG adoption and industrial relocation were already in place. Citing global rankings by WHO and IQAir, the minister said Delhi was repeatedly labeled the world’s most polluted capital between 2014 and 2025.
Five-Pillar Strategy Unveiled
Outlining the government’s approach to improving its pollution record, Sirsa presented a five-pillar strategy under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The strategy includes dust and solid waste management, industrial controls, vehicular solutions, green cover expansion, and institutional reforms.
He contrasted this comprehensive pollution record improvement plan with alleged publicity-driven measures like odd-even schemes and smog towers implemented by the previous government. “While hundreds of crores were spent on optics, we are repairing roads, reducing garbage mountains and attacking real sources,” Sirsa said.
Concrete Actions on Ground
Detailing specific actions to improve the pollution record, Sirsa revealed that biomining at Okhla, Bhalswa, and Ghazipur landfills was removing about 35,000 metric tonnes of legacy waste daily, with 45 acres reclaimed so far. These efforts represent tangible steps toward addressing Delhi’s environmental challenges.
On the transport front, he said the year-round ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule had shut down fake pollution check centers and penalized non-compliant vehicles. The government’s pollution record also includes a target of 7,500 electric buses by December 2026. Additionally, more than 10,000 acres have been notified as reserve forest for the first time since 1994.
Education Minister Joins Attack
Education minister Ashish Sood criticized what he called symbolism over solutions in AAP’s pollution record. “Wearing masks just to show severity is symbolism, not a solution. The Connaught Place smog tower is a complete failure… its capacity was less than even an exhaust fan,” Sood said, urging that it be preserved as a monument to 11 years of failure.
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Sood also flagged unspent pollution funds and pending electric vehicle subsidies, saying the current government was clearing dues and tightening policy to improve Delhi’s pollution record.
AAP’s Counter-Attack on Pollution Record
Former environment minister Gopal Rai led the Opposition’s response, alleging that pollution levels would fall if the BJP simply continued the AAP’s previous policies instead of deploying “failed attempts” like inducing artificial rain. His defense of AAP’s pollution record included specific data points and policy achievements.
Rai argued that political slogans and personal attacks could not clean Delhi’s air. Citing data to defend AAP’s pollution record, he said Delhi recorded only 109 “good air days” in 2016, which rose to 209 by 2018 due to sustained interventions, including round-the-clock electricity supply that reduced generator emissions.
Artificial Rain Controversy
“Why did none of the BJP leaders talk about the failed artificial rain attempt despite public announcements. They spent three crores on an experiment that had to fail,” said Rai, attacking the government’s pollution record on this specific initiative.
He also rebutted claims over smog towers, stating that on Supreme Court directions, two towers were installed—one by the Centre at Anand Vihar and another by the Delhi government at Connaught Place—and questioned why only one featured in official narratives about the pollution record.
Call For Data Transparency
Calling pollution a matter of governance responsibility, Rai said repeated references to Kejriwal would not substitute for policy action. He urged the government to place complete data from agencies such as CPCB, CAQM, and DPCC before the House, emphasizing that transparency about the pollution record was essential.
Opposition’s Absence Noted
Assembly speaker Vijender Gupta pointed out that while the CM was yet to make her speech around 9pm, none of the opposition leaders were present. “The fact that none of the opposition leaders are present during the discussion on pollution in the Assembly that they repeatedly asked for shows that their concerns are merely for optics,” said Gupta.
Chief Minister’s Concluding Remarks
Concluding the session, CM Rekha Gupta reiterated that tackling pollution was a shared civic responsibility, asserting that her government was focused on solutions rather than blame regarding the pollution record. She criticized previous administrations for relying on symbolic and short-term measures.
“We have started bio-mining of landfills, new biogas and e-waste processing plants will come up for the first time in Delhi, stricter vehicle fitness checks and large-scale road carpeting to control dust is being done. Environmental improvement is a continuous process requiring sustained government action and public participation,” said Gupta, outlining her vision for improving Delhi’s pollution record.
