New Delhi: Delhi and its adjoining areas are reeling under severe air pollution with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) describing the prevailing situation as a state of “medical emergency”.
Both the central and Delhi government have failed to take steps to curb the alarming levels of air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
On Thursday, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted that thorough research needed to be done to find the cause of air pollution.
“Thorough research needs to be done to identify major reasons behind air pollution. Our Ministry will offer all possible help for the same,” Gadkari said.
The least the government can do is to sensitise the people and launch a social campaign to reduce the pollution level before the onset of winter every year. Yet, they simply sit over the issue and wish it away.”
Even simple measures such as sprinkling water at all construction sites, covering of dumpers transporting construction material and waste including flyash, covering of exposed soil at working sites and adherence to air quality norms by all plants and machinery are not followed in the capital.
Taking action on the same, National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan government directing them to put a halt to all kinds of construction activities till November 14.
In 1998, a Supreme Court order led to the constitution of a statutory body called the Environment Pollution-Prevention Control Authority (EPCA). The EPCA had sweeping powers back then, but gradually it has become a toothless tiger. The EPCA failed because states get away with not implementing its guidelines and directives.
Also, it has been observed that every time the government tries to introduce new rules and legislations to curb pollution, the general public devises ways to counter them by cheating. In a way, people who complain about bad air quality are equally to blame for this environmental mess. They have brought this malaise on themselves, almost.
