BJP: Delhi Govt has no action plan to combat pollution

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta criticised the Delhi Government for its “visionless” approach to tackling pollution in the Capital.

Sachdeva said, “The Delhi Government neither has the will nor an action plan to combat pollution,” while Gupta described the government’s efforts as mere “eyewash”.

During a press conference, Sachdeva noted a lack of effective measures or future plans presented by Atishi. He highlighted two main contributors to winter pollution in Delhi — stubble burning in Punjab and dust from local construction sites.

“Sadly, the Chief Minister made empty promises without any concrete plans from her government,” he said.

Criticising Environment Minister Gopal Rai, Sachdeva added, “Only in Delhi can the same minister claim the air is clean in the morning, ban firecrackers in the afternoon and implement emergency GRAP measures by night.”

He accused Rai of misleading the public without presenting serious studies or reports to back his claims.

He dismissed promises of mechanical street cleaning, sprinklers and anti-smog guns as “deceptive rhetoric” that residents no longer believe. Further, he criticised the condition of Delhi roads, stating, “Despite claims of increased street cleaning and repairs, no visible progress has been made.”

Saying that Rai attempted to blame neighbouring states for Delhi’s pollution, Sachdeva asserted, “The truth is, no winds from Uttar Pradesh reach Delhi; rather, Delhi’s polluted air and water flow towards UP.”

He emphasised that scientific reports show stubble burning in Haryana has decreased by 90 per cent over the past four years.

Gupta echoed these sentiments, criticising the implementation of GRAP-I (Graded Response Action Plan) as a temporary measure intended to mislead the public. “This supposed activity is a ‘sham’ and ‘eyewash’,” Gupta remarked, emphasising that the formation of 386 monitoring teams by the Delhi Municipal Corporation will do little to curb pollution. He argued that a solid plan should have been in place to address this ongoing issue.

Gupta noted that in the past nine years, the AAP government has failed to improve Delhi’s roads, leading to large potholes that contribute to dust and accidents.

“Instead of implementing GRAP-I, the Delhi Government should have repaired the roads,” he suggested. He also criticised the lack of improvement in public transport, which forces residents to rely on personal vehicles, further exacerbating air pollution.