Delhi RWA collective asks civic body to prioritise fight against bad air

MCD and the Delhi government will work cohesively on policies and we will see a significant reduction in pollution levels over the next 2-3 years, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said

Representatives of resident welfare associations (RWAs) in the Capital on Friday asked the new municipal leadership to prioritise the mitigation of air pollution. Atul Goyal, the head of URJA -- a collective body of RWAs in the city -- who participated a discussion forum held on Friday, said: “We have asked the new Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) leadership for a blueprint for the next five years on various topics with budget provisions and their implementation in a phased manner, besides clarification in the role of RWAs and the civil society.”

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak, who also spoke at the forum, said the AAP-led MCD and Delhi government will work on a cohesive policy to implement projects that will help significantly reduce the air pollution levels in the Capital. (HT Archive)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak, who also spoke at the forum, said the AAP-led MCD and Delhi government will work on a cohesive policy to implement projects that will help significantly reduce the air pollution levels in the Capital. “MCD and the Delhi government will work cohesively on policies and we will see a significant reduction in pollution levels over the next 2-3 years,” he said.

Pathak said the municipal government will work on increasing the green cover on a very large scale. “If these parks are well maintained, we can significantly add to green cover. After coming to power in MCD, the party will be able to implement various projects on ground. Delhi fares poorly in sanitation surveys and uncollected garbage on our streets is burnt, leading to air pollution. Landfill sites regularly catch fire, and 80-85% of internal roads that are damaged add to dust pollution in these areas,” he said. Pathak added that building bye-laws are not followed by the construction sector, which also adds to dust pollution.

Pathak also listed out several measures undertaken by the Delhi government to mitigate air pollution, such as regular power supply, closure of Badarpur power plant, electric vehicle policy and strengthening of bus fleet.