New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Thursday, condemned the State Congress President Devender Yadav's statement on air and water pollution, saying that the truth is that pollution in the city began increasing around 2009 when the Congress was in power.
Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the air pollution problem had grown serious in 2009 itself when Congress leader Sheila Dikshit was the Chief Minister, and that the Yamuna river had already become a dirty drain before 2009 due to the failure to install sewage treatment plants on drains.
Calling the Congress remarks as politics over a serious matter, the Delhi BJP Spokesperson said that between 2007 and 2009, indiscriminate construction was permitted in the city in the name of the Commonwealth Games, due to which Delhi's air pollution levels remained above the danger mark year-round and have not been brought under control to this day.
He noted that the 27-year incompetent rule of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party is responsible for the failure to install sewage treatment plants and water treatment plants in Delhi, and for the failure to develop a drainage master plan.
Congress leader Yadav earlier on Thursday criticised the Delhi Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma's statement that the problem of pollution in Delhi will not be solved in four-six months and will gradually reduce in several years.
"Did the BJP in its manifesto before the elections said that they would try to reduce pollution in many years?" he asked.
Yadav said that in 11 years, the Aam Aadmi Party ruined Delhi, the people of Delhi have known this, but in the last 10 months, the BJP could not do anything on many problems, including pollution.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Thursday that the state government's goal is that by next year, all Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses should be electric to make the public transport bus completely emission-free.
The Chief Minister said, "Our government is continuously implementing long-term and effective solutions for pollution control in Delhi. In the same vein, today 100 new e-buses have been added to the DTC fleet."
"Our goal is that by next year, all DTC buses will be electric, so that Delhi's public transport can become completely emission-free. With this same vision, we are continuously moving forward," she said in a message on social media platform X.
The Chief Minister added that an interstate e-bus service has also been launched from Dhaula Kuan in Delhi to Dharuhera in Haryana.
"The interstate bus service, which had been closed for many years, has been restarted by our government. These buses, equipped with modern facilities, will not only reduce pollution but will also make the daily commute of people travelling to and from Delhi-National Capital Region safe and comfortable," she said.
Chief Minister Gupta also highlighted the absence of even a single incident of stubble burning in the city during the winter season marks a significant and tangible achievement of the government's pollution control policy.
--IANS
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