Congress: Delhi, North India suffers from ‘death by breath, Modi govt & AAP govt clueless

The Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Sighvi on Monday expressed serious concern over increasing pollution in north India and in Delhi. In a statement, Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, the impenetrable haze and the intolerable smell of burning have cast a dark cloud on the festivities in Northern India, particularly in Delhi. On Sunday, a Mumbai batsman Siddhesh Lad, was seen wearing a breathing mask during a Ranji trophy fixture in Delhi. Last year in December, in a similar embarrassing instance Sri Lankan players had come out to play wearing air pollution masks.

The shadowboxing between the Modi government at the Centre and AAP government in Delhi and their combined lack of the political will to fight the ‘The Great Smog of India’ is squarely responsible for this health hazard. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who creates much hype and hoopla over Swachh Bharat Mission- is absolutely silent on the fact that Varanasi, his constituency along with Delhi, Agra, Lucknow and Kanpur are now among the most polluted cities in the world, the Congress spokesperson said.

He cited some important facts regarding the grave situation of pollution in India;

• Around 93% of the children globally under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe toxic air daily. 25% of them die in India.
• Every year, over 10 Lakh people die a ‘Silent Death’ due to Air Pollution in India.
• 14 out of the 20, most Polluted Cities are in India. 9 out of 10 most polluted cities are in India. Delhi was named as the World’s most Polluted Mega City. [WHO Report]
• Air purifier business in India has boomed, volumes tripled in the past two years.
• Not only PM 2.5, but hazardous toxic gases like Nitrogen Dioxide & Benzene are also choking Delhi.

As per an international study conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and E3G, Delhi’s conversion into CNG was declared as one of the top 10 policies in the world. Delhi had also received the UN Clean City Award for environment.

But the present AAP led Delhi government and the Central government were forced to take some temporary measures to check pollution levels. Subsequently, Delhi has become the most polluted mega city in just five years.

Abhishek Manu Sighvi slammed the Delhi and Central government for blaming stubble-burning by farmers for air pollution in the city and said that the stubble burning in Punjab has reduced while it has increased in BJP ruled Haryana.

Quoting some of the previous government’s environment-friendly steps, the Congress spokesperson gave some constructive suggestions to curb pollution:

• The construction of the Phase 4 of the Metro project has to begin. There are 10 phases of the Metro, as conceptualised by the previous Congress Govt- and inaction on that, will only affect the people of Delhi.
• The Ministry of Railways must also seriously examine reviving the 35 km Ring Railway in Delhi, and better integrate it with Delhi’s public transport network
• Trucks are a major source of vehicular pollution. Railways should be roped in to strengthen freight movement All mandis should be connected to rail network. Major wholesale markets like Azadpur, Sadar Bazar and Okhla are already on this network.
• Make coal-based power plants comply with pollution norms and buy electricity from gas-based power plants. The Central Govt & Delhi Govt has to strictly enforce these measures to fight air pollution.