NEW DELHI: In view of the poor air quality in the national capital, the Delhi Congress on Saturday demanded that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta bring out a white paper on the issue during the four-day winter session of the Delhi Assembly, beginning January 5, and explain what permanent steps the government has taken in the last 10 months to control air pollution.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said that despite the BJP’s talk of collective involvement in eliminating air pollution, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has not yet taken any decision on the party’s demand for an all-party meeting on air pollution control. This, he alleged, shows that the Delhi government is not serious about tackling pollution in the national capital.
Yadav further said that during the upcoming Assembly session, the government should discuss in detail the steps taken to control air pollution, ensure proper sanitation in the city, and implement various schemes in the interest of the people. He also demanded that the 10 CAG reports earlier presented in the Assembly be discussed thoroughly.
He urged the government to announce a project to improve the living standards of slum dwellers and provide housing to the poor, including those displaced under the BJP government’s policies.
“The Rekha Gupta government has completely failed on the issues of cleanliness, pollution control, transport, clean drinking water, Yamuna cleaning, and providing a `2,500 monthly honorarium to women in Delhi,” Yadav alleged.
Stir over redefinition of Aravalli
Hundreds of JNU students protested the Centre’s redefinition of the Aravalli range, warning it could open vast areas to mining and real estate, threatening ecological balance, worsening pollution, and harming livelihoods.