Delhi pollution, issue diluted?

In the last seven years, the air quality index of Delhi has been 224 on average, which is 350 percent more than the criteria set by the WHO.

In November last year, 'Center for the Study of Developing Societies' (CSDS) conducted a survey among 2,000 voters in Delhi.

It was found that 45 percent people consider air pollution to be the biggest problem facing the national capital.

Air pollution does not appear to figure prominently in the agenda of political parties in Delhi Assembly elections.

A study found that 10,000 to 30,000 people die annually in Delhi from air pollution.

Consequently, the United Residents Joint Action (URJA) of Delhi issued a 'Green Declaration' keeping in mind the announcement of the Delhi elections.

URJA demanded that the candidates must outline their plans to tackle air pollution.

The group has demanded that air pollution should be reduced by 65 percent by 2025.

Let us see how the three major parties of Delhi have planned to solve pollution when they come to power.

In Arvind Kejriwal's 10 point 'Guarantee Card', AAP has promised free travel for 11000 additional buses and students besides women.

In 2019, the Delhi government released its electric vehicle policy but lost focus soon.

The Congress has outlined a detailed roadmap which promises to provide public transport to 80 percent of the population, at affordable prices.

Party has also said that it will ensure that every residential and commercial area is within walking distance of public transport.

The party has said that it will establish a unified metropolitan authority as per the demand of URJA for better coordination between different modes of transport.

It said that 15,000 new electric buses would also be procured if they came to power ...

....and the government would form committees to periodically review the quality and utility of public transport.

The party has promised Rs 1,100 crore for Delhi's electric vehicle policy to help those who shift to electric vehicles.

The objective is that by 2025, 50 percent of all vehicle registrations are electric and that all new government vehicles purchased after 2021 will be electric.

The Congress manifesto has also introduced the most progressive step in this regard.

They have promised to bring a law that would make the felling of trees illegal for infrastructure projects.

The Congress has also said that with the goal of increasing the green cover in 30 percent of Delhi's area, they will plant 50 lakh trees every year.

BJP has no material plans to tackle with the menace, it rather diluted the issue by largely focussing on divisive politics.