- On Diwali night, Delhi recorded very poor air quality, leading to contentious air quality monitoring data.
- From November 5-7, Punjab saw around 100-125 farm fires daily, according to satellite data.
- On November 8, Punjab recorded 1,152 farm fires, the highest single-day count this season, bringing the cumulative total to 4,459.
- AAP and Congress accused the BJP-led Delhi government of manipulating air quality data after Deepavali, while Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra alleged a conspiracy behind the spike in stubble burning.
- AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the Delhi government of shutting down air quality monitoring stations on Diwali night and committing data fraud.
- Bharadwaj warned that understating pollution levels could cause severe public health issues, including heart attacks and respiratory failure.
- Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken stated that PM2.5 data was available from only 23 of Delhi's 59 monitoring stations at 1 a.m. on Monday.
- Kapil Mishra alleged that the sharp rise in farm fires in Punjab on Deepavali was suspicious and warranted an investigation.
- Mishra claimed that farmers reported stubble being set on fire by someone while they celebrated Diwali, calling it a conspiracy against Delhi, Punjab, and farmers.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated significantly during Diwali, leading to accusations of data manipulation against the BJP-led government. The AAP and Congress criticized the government for allegedly shutting down air quality monitoring stations on the night of the festival, raising concerns about public health risks such as heart attacks and respiratory failure.45
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the credibility of a government that “shuts down air quality monitoring stations” and accused it of “data fraud”. He highlighted that only 23 out of 59 monitoring stations provided PM2.5 data at 1 a.m. on Monday, prompting calls for immediate inspections.67
In parallel, Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra pointed to a suspicious spike in farm fires in Punjab, with 1,152 fires recorded on November 8, the highest this season. He claimed that satellite data indicated a surge to nearly 1,200 fires on Diwali, suggesting a deliberate act against farmers and the Delhi populace.389
Mishra urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to investigate these incidents, stating, “Someone was setting stubble on fire and running away while farmers were celebrating Diwali”. He also questioned the logic of attributing Delhi's pollution solely to Punjab fires, noting that smoke takes time to travel.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the AAP and BJP, with accusations of politicizing environmental issues amid a public health crisis.
“Air quality data was available from only 23 of Delhi's 59 monitoring stations at 1 a.m. Monday, prompting calls for inspection. Kapil Mishra alleged a conspiracy after farm fires in Punjab surged to 1,152 on November 8, the highest single-day count this season, and urged an inquiry.”
