'Suffocating' Sunday for Delhiites; BJP questions why Kejriwal didn't take dip in Yamuna

Delhi continues to choke as air pollution worsened on Sunday with hapless residents complaining that the air quality has reached "life-threatening" levels. On Sunday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded 352, pushing the national capital to the 'very poor' category. 

Sunday's situation is worse than Saturday's when the AQI read 255 which was poor, as per the statistics provided by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). 

Many areas in the national capital, including Anand Vihar, crossed the 400 mark at 7 am which is "severe". The AQI at Bawana 392 while the reading touched 400 in Jahangirpuri and Nehru Marg. 

The AQI at Indira Gandhi International Airport was 324 and the reading at Akshardham Temple premises was 261. 

Residents have complained of suffocation despite covering up their noses with masks. "We are facing a lot of problems due to pollution. We take precautions also but nothing is enough," ANI quoted a cyclist.  

Another resident raised concern about whether the government was not doing enough. "It feels suffocating due to pollution. The government should look into what can be done to reduce pollution," he told the news agency. 

Toxic foam was seen floating on the Yamuna River in Kalindi Kunj. On Saturday, the BJP state chief was admitted to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for skin rashes and breathlessness, two days after he took a dip in the Yamuna to highlight the level of pollution in the river.

A political slugfest has erupted over the issue with the BJP urging former Chief Minister and AAP Chief Minister Arvind Kejirwal to take a dip in Yamuna as he promised.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Sunday said the pollution in Delhi was at a life-threatening level. "Since 2015, he (Arvind Kejriwal) has been saying that he will take a dip in the Yamuna but till now he has not done that. This is because the river is dirty and the situation is very bad due to pollution," Bhandari added. 

Bhandari also took a dig at Kejriwal, stating he could install 40 purifiers in his big bungalows, but a person living in a slum had no means to do that. 

New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj too said Sachdeva’s dip in the river has shaken the AAP government. "AAP’s deception on Yamuna cleanliness became evident when Sachdeva invited Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi to visit the Yamuna but neither showed up. The AAP government has done nothing except politicise the issue of Yamuna cleaning for the past decade. Once BJP comes to power, a Yamuna Cleanliness Tribunal will be set up to ensure continuous cleaning efforts," Swaraj said.