Urgent need to tackle dust pollution: BJP

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva criticised the Atishi-led Delhi Government for its failure to address the escalating air pollution crisis in the city.

During a visit to Kartavya Path near India Gate on Monday, Sachdeva pointed to the area’s deteriorating condition and stated, “Environment Minister Gopal Rai can blame others for air pollution across Delhi, but who will he blame for the polluted and unkempt Kartavya Path? The reality is that all of Delhi is reeling under severe air pollution.”

Sachdeva highlighted the discrepancies in the government’s approach, noting that while Atishi and Rai point fingers at buses from UP for rising pollution in Anand Vihar, those buses do not enter Delhi.

“Instead, it’s the poor state of Delhi’s roads that significantly contributes to pollution,” he asserted.

Anil Gupta, spokesperson for the Delhi BJP and a member of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), accompanied Sachdeva to the event. He emphasised the urgent need to tackle dust pollution, stating, “Dust from broken roads accounts for 40-55 per cent of PM2.5 and PM10 levels in Delhi’s air pollution.”

Sachdeva also raised concerns about the pollution in the Yamuna, explaining how untreated sewage and industrial waste harm both the river and the city’s air quality. He noted, “The water entering Delhi from Haryana is clean and rich in oxygen. By the time it reaches Kalindi Kunj, it becomes oxygen-deprived and contaminated due to untreated sewage and toxic industrial waste.”

The BJP leader alleged that only Rs 10.77 crore of the Central Government’s allocation of ?38.22 crore under the National Clean Air Programme has been utilised so far.

He lamented, “Despite Punjab purchasing 1.5 lakh machines to curb stubble burning with Central funds, they remain undistributed, demonstrating the lack of urgency.”

Sachdeva pointed out the inefficiency of the Delhi Government, stating, “With a budget of Rs 76,000 crore over the past decade, the Aam Aadmi Party has failed to implement any concrete plans to tackle air and water pollution.” He urged the government to prioritise public health and environmental concerns, saying, “One in three people in Delhi suffers from respiratory issues, and this is unacceptable.”

Gupta echoed Sachdeva’s sentiments, reiterating that road dust is a major contributor to air pollution and criticised the Kejriwal government for reducing greenery along roadsides. Official data shows that Delhi’s green cover has decreased by 0.62 per cent, further exacerbating the pollution crisis.