NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that the INDIA bloc is going to form the next government and its priority would be working on five environmental issues, including pollution in air and Yamuna river, in Delhi.
“India bloc is going to form the government, and it will give priority to the five issues related to environment, including air pollution, afforestation of Aravalli, reviving Yamuna Action Plan,” he said.
During a press conference over at DPCC office, Ramesh said that if the city is compared with metropolitan cities across the world, it would be among the most polluted cities.
“The air pollution is so severe in Delhi that if a comparison is made with other metros in the country and across the world, Delhi’s position comes first or second. The primary responsibility of controlling pollution in Delhi lies with the Central Government, due to whose failure, pollution in Delhi remains at dangerous levels. It cannot be delt with the Delhi Government alone, as the Capital is also connected with neighboring States like Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan,”
“In the last 10 years, air pollution norms have been violated in 11 coal-based power generation plants around Delhi, which has had a dangerous impact on public health. The National Clean Air Programme was announced but it has had no impact in checking air pollution. The enforcement of air pollution standards at these power plants should have been done long back, but the Modi Government failed to do it in the past 10 years, and the people of Delhi are suffering for that,” he added.
However, when asked about AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal’s alleged assault at the CM residence, Ramesh refused to comment saying that the presser was on pollution issue.