Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj charged that Delhi’s pollution crisis has spiralled into a public health emergency because the BJP-run Delhi Government manipulated air quality data, suppressed mandatory Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions and allowed construction activity to continue unchecked across the city.
The AAP Delhi Unit Chief said the Supreme Court’s graded response framework has collapsed under data fraud and corruption, with pollution levels of 500–700 being falsely recorded as 300–400 to avoid enforcement, while both private and government construction sites continue running despite GRAP-3 prohibitions.
During a media interaction on Friday, senior AAP leader and Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “A few years ago, the Supreme Court created a commission and, apart from the government, established an independent commission called the Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM). It was created so that as pollution increased, a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) would automatically come into effect. For example, schools would be closed so that pollution from school buses reduces and children have less exposure.”
The AAP Delhi unit Chief further added that certain construction activities, whether by the government or private entities, would be completely stopped so the dust from construction sites and the movement of trucks carrying materials would be reduced. “Restrictions would be placed on certain categories of vehicles, and odd–even would be implemented. For the past several years you would have seen that as soon as pollution increased, GRAP was enforced and pollution began to decline,” he noted
The former Delhi Minister said the system has failed this year because the government deliberately manipulated pollution readings. “This time the government has committed large-scale fraud in the entire pollution-measurement system. If the actual pollution level is 500, the government reports it as 350. If it is 700, the government reports it as 400. Because of this manipulation, the graded action response that should have been triggered is not being implemented,” he pointed out.
Saurabh Bharadwaj added that even the restrictions officially in force are being openly violated across the city. “Even the GRAP rules that are technically in force are not being followed. GRAP Stage 3 is in place today, but if you step outside my home you will see construction going on day and night. Next to my house in Chirag Delhi, construction is happening continuously. If you go to Vinod Nagar, government road construction is going on non-stop,” he added.
The AAP Delhi State President pointed out, “The government has stopped neither private construction nor its own construction. Money is being taken and corruption is at its peak. When corruption is allowed and no enforcement is done, pollution will only continue to rise.”
Saurabh Bharadwaj said the scenes Delhi is witnessing this year have never been seen before and are the direct result of manipulated data, deliberate non-enforcement and rampant corruption.
Sharing newspaper reports on X, Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote: “‘Chachi 420’ Government’s fraud continues. False AQI figures are being fabricated. But Delhi’s reality is in front of everyone.”
