Sheila Dikshit hits out at AAP government over rising pollution

New Delhi: Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit has hit out at the AAP government, saying lack of preparedness in tackling pollution in the capital shows “failure of governance”, and pitched for a centre-led panel to deal with the issue of pollution.

Ms Dikshit also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)  government for making “pronouncements”, but not following them up, and said the government used its run-ins with the lieutenant governor (LG) as an “excuse” for not delivering.

The Congress leader said the Delhi government “failed” to anticipate the pollution crisis, despite it being a repeat of that last year when stubble burning was again supposed to have been a major cause for toxic air. “It is nothing new that has happened, which wasn’t expected and not to be prepared for it is a failure of governance,” Ms Dikshit said.

A “substantially knowledgeable” panel has to be constituted, she said, adding that it must comprise experts, who can solve the problem of increasing pollution.

On the issue of stubble or crop residue burning, Ms Dikshit said the Delhi government should have worked with the Punjab, Haryana and the Uttar Pradesh governments to find an alternative to it.

She also suggested that governments look into pooling in resources to deploy machines, which can roll up the stubble so that it can be used for something other purpose rather than being burnt, which significantly leads to smoke and pollution.

The NGT had recently issued directions to deal with the worse air quality in Delhi and neighbouring states and had banned construction, industrial activities and entry of trucks into Delhi.

On the frequent LG-AAP government confrontations, she said Delhi doesn’t have full statehood and so it lacks the freedom that UP, MP or Haryana enjoy. The government has to work within the Constitution’s framework applicable to Delhi and it can be done with the Centre’s cooperation, Ms Dikshit added.