Modi, Kejriwal responsible for Delhi pollution: Congress

The Congress on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government and the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government must share the responsibility for the pollution in the national capital.

The party also asked why they have not framed a policy in the past six months to control it.

"The Narendra Modi-led central government and AAP government in Delhi are responsible for Delhi pollution. They cannot run away from their responsibility by blaming others," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.

"PM Modi goes to Paris and talks about climate change but doesn't he see climate change in Delhi when the toxic smog envelopes the city," asked Surjewala.

"Be it Modi or Kejriwal government, they cannot run away from their responsibility," he said.

Surjewala added: "What steps have the central government taken to ensure the farmers around the National Capital Region (NCR) don't burn stubble. Have they been incentivised. Have special machines been provided in these regions -- which roll the stubble and dispose them."

"Do Modi and Kejriwal government even know that if the stubble is left behind in the farmland, new crop can't be produced there," asked Surjewala.

The Congress leader further said: "No farmer would burn their farmlands willingly. So, the government should have come up with a policy planning, parameters to ensure that such a situation was controlled. These arrangements should have been made about six months back."

He also said the Supreme Court has taken many steps to control the pollution in Delhi. 

"The UPA government was even criticised for not constructing the peripheral expressway around Delhi. But this government is there for the past 41 months. Why have they not been able to construct the 300-km peripheral expressway in this period, when they boast of constructing 52-km road each day. In 41 months, they could have constructed more than 20,000 km," said Surjewala.

"What steps have they taken to stop the construction work and vehicular pollution in Delhi. what is their long-term policy to ensure a pollution-free environment?" Surjewala asked.

Asked why Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was refusing to meet Kejriwal, Surjewala said: "There is no objection in meeting. Kejriwal is more than welcome to meet Captain Amarinder Singh or anybody else." 

"However, the responsibility has to be shared between Modi and Kejriwal. Meetings can also be photo-ops. We need to go beyond photo-ops and optics into real action to protect the environment," he said. - IANS