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Parliament panel on pollution sees near-full house, suggests artificial rain to help Delhi

After drawing flak for missing a meeting last week, MPs like Gautam Gambhir discussed a range of measures to curb pollution in Delhi and its neighbourhood.

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New Delhi: From artificial rain to finding alternative uses for paddy stubble in neighbouring states, Members of Parliament across party lines Wednesday discussed specific measures that could help reduce pollution in the national capital.

The parliamentary panel on urban affairs had taken centre stage last week after a number of MPs missed the meeting, including BJP’s East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir. But Wednesday’s meeting, which lasted several hours, saw a near-full house of MPs and officials.

According to a source, officials who missed the meeting last time were pulled up by the committee and apologised several times for it. “The chairperson (BJP MP Jagdambika Pal) questioned their absence and asked them what reasons they had for not attending the meeting,” the source said, adding that the MPs had given Pal the reasons for their absence.

The source also said that Pal directed the officials to be present at the next meeting, reach the venue early and to come fully prepared.


Also read: What is hydrogen fuel? Supreme Court’s solution to Delhi’s air pollution crisis


Measures discussed

According to another source, a number of measures for reducing the pollution level in Delhi were discussed in the meeting.

“Many pointed out that artificial rain should be carried out, as it is done in China and other countries,” the second source said.

“At the same time, rather than burning stubble, it was suggested that it can be used for some other purpose so it doesn’t lead to pollution.”

The committee agreed that stubble burning was a major factor behind the capital and neighbouring states’ increased pollution levels.

“Officials who briefed the parliamentary panel said that only the 2016 data was comparable with 2019 as the government did not have complete data for 2017 and 2018. According to the data, pollution spiked in the capital in the months of October and November, mostly on account of stubble burning,” the source said.

Officials also said they had been facing challenges in curbing pollution, such as the increasing vehicular pollution in the capital.

Garbage disposal

A third source ThePrint spoke to said apart from air pollution, the panel also discussed other issues like garbage disposal.

“Officials told the committee members that there is a ‘Swachhta’ (cleanliness) app wherein anyone can post pictures of garbage, and it will be picked up in 48 hours. The government has also come up with an emergency number and will promote it further.”

Former cricketer Gambhir, who had received a lot of flak for missing the last meeting owing to his commentary commitments at the India-Bangladesh Test match in Indore, was quite vocal at the meeting about the garbage collection issue, said a fourth source.

While Gambhir and BJP MP from Mathura Hema Malini were present throughout the meeting, Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh had to leave midway. BJP leader C.R. Patil didn’t attend the meeting.


Also read: Blame-games and band-aids: Delhi is a classic example of how not to fight air pollution


(With inputs from Shanker Arnimesh)

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