AAP government gives a miss to tree plantation and Yamuna

Expressing acute concern for the hazardous pollution levels in the national capital, the AAP government in the Budget 2016-17 has earmarked approximately one per cent of the total outlay towards environmental development.

It is interesting to note that there has been no mention of any schemes for the Yamuna cleaning and on planting saplings. In its maiden budget, the AAP had set a target to plant 13 lakh saplings, while the government has not completed its target, in the Budget there is no section which takes care of the depleting forest cover in the capital.

The AAP government has indicated that its project on Yamuna cleaning has been pending with the Central government.

The AAP government has proposed to allot Rs 137 crore for putting up LED screens across the city for displaying pollution levels, public awareness messages and traffic-related information.

“We are constantly monitoring the pollution levels on a real time basis and have installed six Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations in Delhi. It is proposed to increase these to nine. In addition, one mobile Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Van is also proposed,” deputy CM Manish Sisodia said in his Budget speech on Monday.

Keeping in mind other factors that add up to ever increasing pollution woes in the city, he told the Delhi Assembly that the AAP government has proposed a new scheme for “comprehensive maintenance of roads.” The amount proposed for the same is Rs 100 crore.

This scheme would include mechanised sweeping of roads, routine washing and cleaning of street furniture and signage, collection of debris/litter through mechanical sweepers in disposable bio-degradable bags, periodical washing of the kerb stones and subways and the scheme would also include horticultural work.