NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said that her government was making a determined push against air and water pollution, a problem that she described as a “legacy issue” that persisted for decades due to inaction by previous administrations.
She also listed a series of steps that her government was taking and asserted that there had been a visible improvement in the national capital.
“Delhi has legacy problems related to pollution. There were problems of transport, open burning, dust, all of which had been ignored by governments earlier. We have no jadu ki chadi (magic wand) with us, but are trying our best to deal with these issues,” Gupta said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
The chief minister highlighted initiatives taken by her government including steps to reduce localised pollution from household burning during winters.
“We have planned the distribution of 10,000 electric heaters. We have introduced the Ujjwala Yojana for LPG gas cylinders in parts of Delhi. These are the little bits of burning that add to pollution, and we are ensuring people have alternatives,” she said.
Gupta also urged citizens to adopt behavioural changes, such as carpooling. “Imposing a lockdown is not the solution,” she said, arguing that the government could not bring the city to a standstill to reduce pollution.
Referring to the government’s stance on festive pollution, the chief minister said her administration has allowed certain freedoms in order to maintain public sentiment.
“After we came to power, we allowed the bursting of crackers for Diwali. There is no restriction on end-of-life vehicles that are 10–15 years old… and yet the pollution levels have not gone very high compared to previous years. We have done something right,” she said.
Responding to allegations that the government was spraying water on AQI monitors to manipulate readings, Gupta dismissed the claim as misinformation. “It is a misconception. Water will only be sprinkled at pollution hotspots to control dust,” she said.
The chief minister also detailed efforts to clean the Yamuna river. “We are setting up decentralised sewage treatment plants at multiple locations so that only treated water reaches the Yamuna,” she said, adding that her government was working to tackle pollution from both sewage networks and unauthorised drains.
Gupta denied criticism of the state government’s preparations for Chhath Puja at Vasudev Ghat, where an enclosure with cleaner water had been set up for devotees. “The narrative was fabricated by the Opposition,” she said, underscoring that it was built keeping in mind the safety of people and that it also had Yamuna water.
Gupta asserted that her administration was working around the clock to deliver solutions. “I have been working 24 hours in the past 10 months for the welfare of people of Delhi, so that all legacy problems are resolved,” she said.