NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister Atishi, citing road dust as the biggest contributor to air pollution in the city, suggesting it would be better to set one’s own house in order rather than blaming others.
The AAP, however, said the country’s top three cities with the worst AQI levels are in BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, which exposes the party’s hypocrisy. It claimed Delhi was “breathing its cleanest air in the last decade” and noted today’s Supreme Court order reprimanding the Centre for not taking stringent measures to control pollution.
Citing studies and his own experience of visiting various localities, Saxena claimed in his letter that about 36 percent of the air pollution in the city was due to road dust, largely caused by unprocessed construction and demolition waste.
He claimed the government might have little control over 26 percent of the causative factors behind pollution due to parali (paddy stubble) burning in other states, but the remaining 74 percent was well within its control.
“I reiterate that all it would take to address the situation are simple measures: regular repair of roads, end-to-end carpeting of pavements, planting small shrubs, forages and grass covers in open areas and central verges of the roads, porous tiled carpeting of pavements and footpaths, mechanical sweeping of roads, among others.”
Most important in this regard is repair of the roads that are in an ‘extraordinarily bad shape’, causing tonnes of dust to fly around with vehicles running on them, the LG pointed out.
He expressed his readiness to work in tandem with the CM and her government to help mitigate “dust disaster” in the city.
“I am conscious of the fact that smoke coming from neighbouring states, especially those to our north, is worsening the situation and if need be, I will again request them to help us. However, it will only be appropriate we first set our house in order before blaming others or asking for their help,” he said.
Responding to LG’s letter, the AAP issued a statement saying, “Delhi is the only state where a summer action plan, a winter action plan, and targeted efforts against pollution are implemented. As a result, pollution in Delhi has dropped by over 31 percent, and this year, Delhi is breathing its cleanest air in the last decade.”
It pointed out that the country’s top three cities with the worst AQI levels today are from BJP-ruled Haryana and UP, where they have held power for nearly a decade.
“This exposes their hypocrisy regarding pollution,” the AAP added.