Cong MP in LS demands govt bring Beijing-style plan to deal with Delhi pollution

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday said that the air pollution in Delhi is a human crisis and demanded that the government undertake a Beijing-style time-bound clean air emergency plan to deal with pollution.

Raising the matter during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Tagore accused the government of not putting in place enough enforcement or fixing accountability to control air pollution even though people continue to breathe toxic air.

Tagore said that China’s capital Beijing was more polluted than Delhi a few years back, but it took steps by fixing strict deadlines and accountability and undertook electrification of the transport system.

“I demand an immediate time-bound, Beijing-style clean air emergency plan,” Tagore said, as he suggested steps like stricter penalties for violators and electrification of public buses to deal with air pollution.

“This is not just an environmental crisis, it is a human crisis. When people are chocking with polluted air, no nation can call itself developed,” the Congress MP said.

Speaking during the Zero Hour, TMC member Saugata Roy raised the issue of funds due to West Bengal under various central schemes like MNREGA and Jal Jeevan Mission.

Roy accused the Centre of using dues to state as a weapon to “beat” the state governments which are opposed to it. “I protest the discriminatory attitude of the Centre towards the state,” Roy said.

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Balwant B Wankhede (Congress) demanded a separate rail reservation quota for soldiers of the Indian Army, saying if their rail tickets are not confirmed on time, it creates a hindrance in their duty.

He also demanded that the Defence Ministry and the Centre take steps to ensure a smooth ticket confirmation process through digital verification for soldiers.