Lt Governor VK Saxena targeted the AAP governments in
Delhi and Punjab over air pollution in the city, saying the national capital can
do little to stop smoke from stubble-burning from other States, on Thursday.
He highlighted that the problem in the national
capital can be mitigated by reducing “dust that our unrepaired roads, unpaved
pavements and construction sites cause” and curbing vehicular emissions.
Saxena said Delhi can do little to stop crop residue
smoke from other states and added “blaming others should not be alibi for gross
inaction over years.”
He accused the Punjab Government of “playing truant.” “We
can do little to stop crop residue smoke from other States, apart from pleading
with them.
Despite States, especially Punjab playing truant, we
are, but petitioners for mercy. AQI yet hovers around 400, making the capital
gasp,” he said in a post.
Delhi’s air quality fluctuated between “very poor” and
“severe” categories on Thursday as unfavourable meteorological conditions
hindered the dispersion of pollutants.
Noting that firecrackers certainly add to the menace,
he said that the most affected in this “gas chamber” are those who commute on
roads to earn their daily bread.
“The poor & the hapless living in slums &
unauthorized colonies whose lungs are frying because they can’t afford to sit
at home & buy air purifiers The real solution to pollution in Delhi lies in
Delhi itself. We can mitigate the choking smog by reducing the dust that our
unrepaired roads, unpaved pavements & construction sites cause. We can
employ effective means to curb our vehicular emissions,” he added.
“Since the deadly smog in 2016, this has become a
recurrent issue subjected to nothing but platitude and rhetoric.
“Publicity around props like smog towers mean little
& politics of propaganda that involve over hyped events like “Red Light On,
Gaadi Off” and “Odd- Even” cannot hold the life of people of Delhi to ransom,”
he added.
Nothing concrete after the implementation of CNG in
Delhi and construction of a maze of flyovers since then, has been attempted, he
alleged.
“Delhi needs action, not mere posturing. We can
achieve sustainable goals within a fixed timeline. Let’s do it. Politics can
wait,” he said.
There was no immediate reaction from the Delhi Government.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will hold a
meeting with departments on the effective implementation of measures outlined
in the Centre’s air pollution control plan, officials said.
Rai had previously reprimanded the departments
concerned for their negligence in executing the air pollution control plan and
urged them to establish a monitoring mechanism for overseeing the teams
responsible for enforcing anti-air pollution measures.
PTI
