Chandigarh, November 6
The Sirsa MP, Former Union Cabinet Minister, General Secretary of All India Congress Committee, Uttarakhand Incharge and Congress Working Committee member Kumari Selja has expressed deep concern over rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR and various cities of Haryana. She said providing clean air was the constitutional and moral responsibility of governments, adding that blaming one another would not provide relief to the public.
Selja said when the Aam Aadmi Party was in power in Delhi, Punjab was held responsible for pollution. Now, with the BJP government in Delhi, it is also accusing the AAP government in Punjab. The question, she said, was what effective and lasting measures both parties had taken to control pollution during their respective terms. She said the BJP had made major promises regarding pollution control and cleaning the Yamuna when it assumed power in Delhi, but people were still waiting for results. The BJP-led government has been in power at the Centre for nearly 12 years. It must explain how much money was spent on river cleaning and pollution control during this period and what outcomes were achieved.
Selja said pollution in the Ghaggar, Haryana’s lifeline, was also a serious concern. Questions were being raised at several places about water quality and its suitability for irrigation. The government must take concrete action to prevent industrial waste and contaminated water from flowing into the river. She said deteriorating air quality in Gurugram, Faridabad and other Haryana cities showed that the problem was not confined to Delhi.
Selja demanded that the governments of the Centre, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab immediately hold a joint meeting and prepare a time-bound action plan. Public accounts of expenditure on pollution control should be presented, negligent officials held accountable and weekly progress reports issued. She said compromising the health of children, elderly people and working communities was unacceptable. Clean air and clean water were public rights, and political blame games could not replace concrete action.
