What has it done in 10 years? Delhi BJP takes potshots at AAP’s ‘cloud seeding’ proposal

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva on Saturday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over its inability to solve Delhi’s pollution crisis in the past ten years and accused it of engaging in ‘grandstanding’ rather than finding workable solutions. 

He claimed that Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai’s letter requesting the Centre for ‘cloud seeding' to combat Delhi's air pollution was a mere eyewash.

Virendraa Sachdeva also claimed that the AAP government is evading responsibility and only writing letters to the Centre to project a ‘positive image’ in public perception.

"As an Environment Minister, what he has done in the last 10 years? Is there any scientific data on artificial rain that indicates how much it could reduce pollution? And what is the reason behind the pollution in Delhi? It is due to dust pollution. Delhi government is not doing anything to reduce dust," he told IANS.

Virendraa Sachdeva criticised Gopal Rai for not holding the DPCC meeting and said, "When it was held last time? September is here. What he has done in the last 5-6 months? He has done anything to reduce pollution in Delhi?

Delhi BJP chief attacked the AAP minister and said: "Monsoon will be over now, now he will play the blame game. The Centre has allotted Rs 32.88 crore for pollution control, but they have used only Rs 10 crore till now. Rs 700 crore was allocated as an environment fund, but they have not utilised it. Supreme Court has also criticised the Delhi government for this."

"DPCC questioned Gopal Rai on his functioning and intention. They criticised the Delhi government for focusing on distractions and diversions instead of addressing serious issues," he asserted.

Delhi BJP chief hit out at the AAP government on Yamuna pollution, saying: "Yamuna water which comes from Haryana is clean but when it enters Delhi it becomes dirty. It is because they are not working on the STP plants. The Centre allocated more than Rs 1,000 crore but they have not done anything for this. Delhi government is busy with corruption.

On Friday, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, requesting him to convene a meeting of different stakeholders to evaluate the possibility of inducing artificial rain in the capital this winter in a bid to keep in check the high air pollution levels recorded in the city during the colder months.

In his letter, Rai said that year-on-year, Delhi records alarmingly high air pollution levels in winter, particularly in November, and thus, there is a need to assess the feasibility of inducing artificial rain.