Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday hit- out at the states under Bharatiya Janata Party’s governments, alleging that despite rise in pollution, and restrictions imposed under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage- III, they are sending BS- 4 Diesel buses to the national capital.

Rai further accused the BJP ruled states in the northern region for deliberately working to increase Delhi’s pollution.

Delhi environment minister on Saturday conducted an inspection at the ISBT Kashmiri Gate in wake of the GRAP stage-III restrictions in place and directed that the rules be followed very strictly.

While speaking to reporters, Rai said that during the inspection it was found that Diesel buses that were BS- 4 compliant, still arrived in the city, and mentioned that two such buses, one from Haryana and one from Uttarakhand were fined as well.

He questioned the BJP ruled states, saying that it was beyond understanding as to why they were still sending such Diesel buses to Delhi despite the restrictions and spike in pollution levels.

Rai claimed that the people of Delhi, who are reeling under severe levels of pollution, will never forgive this.

According to the minister, Delhi government has banned the BS- 3 petrol and BS- 4 Diesel cars on road as per the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) anti pollution plan, and alleged that despite all this the BJP ruled states are sending such buses from all directions to Delhi, to increase the pollution.

He further requested the BJP ruled states to not send such restricted buses to Delhi, or else stricter actions will be underway.

According to the minister’s claims, recent research suggests that out of Delhi’s total pollution, 30 per cent was generated from within the city, while 70 per cent of it comes from the outside states.

Rai has alleged that the 70 per cent pollution comes from states ruled by the BJP.

On Friday, amid the rise in pollution levels, Delhi government had implemented anti pollution plan GRAP’s stage- III, while a high-level meeting was held with all the concerned departments for its better implementation.

According to the measures specified in the plan, the construction and demolition works going on in Delhi have been put to halt, while the BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel vehicles have been banned.