AAP alleges AQI data manipulation in Delhi, seeks legal action against CM Rekha Gupta, Sirsa

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused the BJP-led Delhi government of manipulating air quality data and demanded legal action against Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, alleging large-scale data fraud amid worsening pollution in the national capital.AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that air quality monitoring stations were being sprinkled with water to manipulate pollution readings. (ANI)AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that air quality monitoring stations were being sprinkled with water to manipulate pollution readings, citing the Jahangirpuri station, located in one of the most polluted areas of the city.Also read | No respite for Delhiites as pollution levels surge; AQI at 373, 21 stations in ‘severe’ categoryBharadwaj said the party had repeatedly raised the issue with Gupta and Sirsa but alleged that they had avoided addressing its concerns.“Jahangirpuri, one of the most polluted areas”"I and several AAP leaders and councillors have posted on X that the AQI monitoring station in Jahangirpuri, one of the most polluted areas, is being sprinkled with water," he said.In a formal complaint to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Bharadwaj sought criminal proceedings against Gupta and Sirsa for alleged manipulation of ambient Air Quality Index (AQI) data.Also read | GRAP-2 comes into effect in Delhi-NCR as AQI slips into 'very poor' categoryHe also demanded an immediate, independent and high-level investigation into the alleged physical interference with monitoring stations, along with a strict audit of data acquisition systems and monitoring locations managed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).In his letter to the CPCB, Bharadwaj said millions of vulnerable people, including severe asthmatics, COPD patients, pregnant women, senior citizens and young children, rely on official AQI readings to make crucial decisions about their daily activities."When the Delhi government publishes fabricated, lower AQI data, vulnerable patients are tricked into a false sense of security," he alleged, claiming that such readings could lead people to venture outdoors or skip necessary medical precautions, exposing them to hazardous pollutants.Bharadwaj warned that such exposure could trigger serious respiratory and cardiovascular complications, putting public health at risk, particularly that of children and other vulnerable groups.He urged the CPCB and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to intervene and exercise their statutory powers to investigate the alleged manipulation.Bharadwaj said the party had expected pollution management to improve during the second year of the BJP government's tenure but claimed that little had changed.The party also announced a social media campaign to raise awareness about air pollution and the alleged manipulation of monitoring data, saying many vulnerable people may not be able to participate in physical protests."Many vulnerable people may not be able to participate in physical protests, so we will use social media to spread awareness," Bharadwaj said.The AAP and the BJP have been blaming each other over the worsening air quality in Delhi. Sirsa had earlier blamed the AAP government in Punjab for stubble burning incidents contributing to pollution in the national capital.Delhi's air quality was in the 'very poor' category on Wednesday, with the AQI recorded at 379, according to the CPCB.There was no immediate response from the Delhi government or the BJP over the allegations.