In 8 Years, Pollution Dipped But Development Didn’t: Delhi CM On World Environment Day

Hailing eight years in power, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said pollution levels have dipped in the city despite the swift pace of development and the construction of schools, hospitals and flyovers.

CM Kejriwal addresses the gathering on World Environment Day

While addressing a gathering at Thyagaraj Stadium on the occasion of World Environment Day, the chief minister asserted that both PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels “fell by 30 per cent” in 2022 compared to the figures in 2016.

Whenever development happens, it is accompanied by pollution due to the felling of trees, road construction, and kicking of dust, among others, he said.

“In Delhi, the pace of development has not gone down in the last eight years. Schools, hospitals and flyovers are being constructed,” Kejriwal said, adding work on development has taken place at a swift pace. “But, the pollution level has dipped in this period,” he said.

CM cites the date of the pollution level

Citing the data, CM Kejriwal said in 2016, on 26 days, the pollution level was ‘very bad’ when the city was “akin to a gas chamber” with grey skies and bad air. In 2022, only six such days were there, he said. In 2016, on 109 days, the pollution level was ‘low with clear sky’ and ‘very good air outside’, but in 2022, the number of such days was 163, he said.

In his address, the chief minister also said that the tree cover percentage (of total land area) in the city has risen to 23 per cent today from 20 per cent in 2013.

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world, the UN says on its website.

In 50 years pollution has gone down in Delhi

In his address, the CM also said it has been 50 years of World Environment Day celebrations. And, in these 50 years, pollution has “increased in every city, village and locality”, but it has gone down in Delhi, “as we have worked with 2 crore people of the city and taken a number of measures to mitigate pollution”.

Moreover, in an impassioned plea, he called upon the people of Delhi to transform the fight against pollution into a ‘Jan Andolan’ (people’s movement).

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BJP hits out at Kejriwal’s government

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ranveer Singh Bidhuri, in a statement, dismissed Mr Kejriwal’s claiming credit for reducing pollution in the national capital.

The BJP leader alleged that the condition of Delhi’s roads is “very poor”, and the deteriorating state of public transportation is contributing the most to pollution.

“The government has not taken any steps to clean the Yamuna River. If pollution has decreased in Delhi, it is only possible due to the efforts of the central government,” Bidhuri claimed.

Delhi govt.’s initiatives

Further, the CM also highlighted the other initiatives taken by the Delhi government to combat pollution, including tree transplantation, implementation of piped natural gas (PNG) in industries, and utilisation of Real-Time Source Apportionment Technology. Moreover, the government has identified and is actively working on 13 pollution hotspots in the city.

He also mentioned the implementation of the ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Virrudh’ campaign. Also, the Delhi government has set an ambitious target of planting 52 lakh saplings this year, demonstrating its determination to foster a greener and healthier future for all, he added.

Green Delhi Application

Moreover, the chief minister pointed out that the firecracker ban in Delhi has been immensely successful after some opposition to it in the beginning. On the ‘Green Delhi’ application.

During the event, a street play was performed to raise awareness about the pollution caused by plastic, and a group presented a song dedicated to the environment. A short film on the environment was also screened. At the end of the event, representatives of eco clubs, RWAs, and forest guards who have been actively involved in improving the environment were awarded certificates.

The event was attended by Delhi Environment and Forests Minister Gopal Rai, local legislators, and other senior officials of the department.