Delhi’s pollution a legacy problem caused by past government negligence, says CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta says pollution is a legacy problem caused by years of negligence, stressing long-term solutions over temporary measures to tackle air, water and urban planning challenges.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that pollution in the city is not a short-term problem but a “legacy issue” due to the lack of long-term planning by earlier governments and stressed that the actions taken by her administration such as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were never designed as solutions but aimed to provide relief from pollution. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Rekha Gupta’s comments come amid recent criticism over pollution in Delhi.

Air and water pollution in Delhi: ‘A legacy problem’

“Pollution is a legacy problem. This problem has arisen due to the neglect of previous governments. We have never claimed that measures like GRAP will solve Delhi’s air pollution,” Gupta told ANI when asked about Delhi’s air pollution.

The Delhi CM added that multiple agencies need to work together on factors such as dust control, air pollution, and water contamination. “All these things need to go hand in hand. If we look at pollution only from the narrow prism of saying that the air should be clean, then we will not reach anywhere. We need structural reforms.”

Addressing Delhi’s water woes: The ‘negligence of previous governments’

During the interview, Rekha Gupta also criticised past governments, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which held power until recently, for focusing on quick-fix solutions and photo opportunities instead of planning ahead.

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“The previous governments never planned for long term and only did things for seeking media attention. Sprinklers, anti-smog guns and mist provide only short-term relief. The real work should have been done on dust mitigation, enhancing public transport systems and long-term planning,” Gupta said.

Delhi tops chart on vehicular pollution: Rekha Gupta

Accusing previous governments of putting temporary band-aids on Delhi’s air pollution problem, Rekha Gupta said vehicle emissions, dust from roads and garbage burning are the top reasons behind air pollution in Delhi and added that tackling the problem has been Delhi government’s top priority since day one.

How Delhi govt plans to combat air pollution long-term

In her government’s defence, Rekha Gupta said they have mapped out a long-term plan that will be executed in phases. She said a major aspect of the Delhi government’s long-term plan is focussing on increasing buses to ensure residents have access to affordable and convenient public transport.

When asked about private vehicles being one of the top contributors to Delhi’s air pollution problem, Gupta said her government aims to increase Delhi’s fleet of buses from the current number of 3,600 to 7,700 by December 2026.

“This will be increased to 11,000 buses by 2028,” she said while adding that Delhi was left with just 3,600 buses when her government took charge.

On dust control measures

Gupta further said the Delhi government has reformed their ways of dust control and waste management by conducting coordinated dust mitigation drives and focussing on landfills that were neglected for years by previous governments.