New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday slammed the central government for its inaction in addressing the ongoing pollution crisis, saying its “indifference” is akin to “leaving the people to die”.
“If the central government had collaborated and acted promptly, people in Delhi wouldn’t have to face these hazardous conditions,” he said in a press conference here.
Rai alleged that while the AAP dispensation is doing its part to control the situation, the BJP-led governments in Delhi’s neighbouring states remain inactive.
The Delhi government has directed the health department to form a special task force at LNJP Hospital to handle medical emergencies related to pollution.
The AAP government will take all necessary measures required to control pollution in Delhi, he asserted in response to a question about rolling out of odd-even.
“The entire northern region of India is currently grappling with a serious air pollution crisis. The elderly are struggling to breathe, schools are being closed, and people’s health is being adversely affected.
“During this critical time, the BJP is quiet and the central government seems to be in deep slumber, despite the urgent need for action,” Rai said, adding that the Centre should have taken immediate steps to address the pollution in north India.
“The BJP is responsible for leaving the entire northern region in this medical emergency and preventing others from taking any steps to address it,” he alleged. “They have left people to die in this situation,” he added.
Rai said BJP governments in neighbouring states are not taking steps that are needed to control pollution levels.
“We all know that stubble burning is a major contributor to the rising air pollution. In Punjab, when our government came to power in 2022, there were 47,000 stubble-burning incidents reported. In the past two years, we have successfully reduced this number to just 7.5 thousand incidents.
“Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, the state government also seems to be inactive. Stubble-burning incidents there have risen to 2,500. This is the situation in BJP-ruled states,” he charged.
The minister also raised concerns about the continued operation of BS-IV buses in Delhi, which contribute significantly to pollution levels.
“The BS-IV buses, which emit pollutants, continue to operate in Delhi under the BJP-led government. They have not taken any steps to stop these emissions. If the central government had devised a proper plan, we wouldn’t be facing such a crisis today,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government, Rai said, has taken several measures to control pollution.
Rai further alleged that his appeals to the Union Environment Minister for emergency measures, including approval for artificial rain, have gone unanswered.
“Around two and a half months ago, I wrote a letter to the Environment Minister, urging him to convene a meeting with all central agencies to devise an emergency action plan and explore the possibility of artificial rain. He has yet to respond, and no meeting has been held so far,” he said.
The minister also called for stricter enforcement of pollution control measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
“The Delhi government is constantly taking measures to tackle this crisis. We have enforced GRAP-IV in Delhi, held meetings with all relevant departments, and are implementing the measures strictly. We are doing our part, and I urge the BJP to wake up and stop playing with the lives of people,” he said.
Regarding the odd-even scheme, Rai said a decision will be taken based on the evolving situation and any directions by the Supreme Court.
“Today, we discussed the ongoing crisis and have restricted various activities under GRAP-IV, including providing masks to Class 10 and 12 students and forming a special task force at LNJP Hospital. We are taking the necessary steps at our level, but for the entire northern region, the BJP must take responsibility,” he said.
The Delhi government has enforced GRAP-IV measures after the city’s air quality index (AQI) worsened to “severe” levels but Rai insisted that more coordinated efforts are needed to tackle this “medical emergency.” PTI SJJ NSM VIT SJJ SKY SKY
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