Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday (1 November) slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for politicising the issue of air pollution in Delhi and indulging in a blame game by blaming everybody, including neighbouring states and the Centre.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday (1 November) called Delhi a gas chamber due to high crop burning incidents. "Delhi has turned into a gas chamber due to smoke from crop burning in neighbouring states. It is very important that we protect ourselves from this toxic air", he said in a tweet.

Speaking at an event, Javadekar said the Delhi CM is doing politics on Delhi's pollution and blaming Punjab, Haryana for stubble burning.

The Minister said that if the blame game starts, many hidden matters may get unearthed. Instead of blaming others, the efforts should be on cooperation among all to provide relief to the people, he said.

Citing Delhi government's attitude, Javadekar said they never gave Rs 3,500 crore that the local government was supposed to contribute to the construction of eastern peripheral expressway and bypass in the vicinity of Delhi. Finally, the court had to intervene and asked them to deposit Rs 1000 crore for the project.

Javadekar said this project which was hanging on for 15 years, and was completed only by the Modi government in 5 years.

This project, he said, will relieve Delhi of the burden of 60,000 trucks which did not otherwise have to pass through the city resulting in reducing of pollution.

He said all stakeholders - government, industry and farmers need to come together on the issue of pollution to provide relief to the people.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)