Delhi: CAG Report Highlights Data Gaps and Pollution Issues
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Synopsis
The CAG report reveals significant issues in Delhi's air pollution management, including data discrepancies, insufficient public transport, and ineffective governmental policies, which have led to poor air quality and health risks for residents.
Key Takeaways
- Discrepancies in PUC certification system noted.
- Lack of data on vehicular emissions identified.
- Shortage of public transport buses highlighted.
- Previous government’s failure to implement clean alternatives.
- Air quality categorized as ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ for over half of the last five years.
New Delhi, April 1 (NationPress) The discrepancies in the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification system, alongside a lack of data concerning vehicles’ emission loads and a deficit of public transport buses, were identified as significant contributors to the city's hazardous air in a CAG report on pollution presented by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday at the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s report on the 'Performance Audit of Prevention and Mitigation of Vehicular Air Pollution in Delhi' for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, was shared by CM Gupta, enabling discussions regarding the previous AAP administration's unsuccessful endeavors to manage air pollution.
Air quality was a pivotal issue in the Assembly elections, with the BJP vowing to enhance air quality and criticizing the former Arvind Kejriwal government for neglecting the problem.
The CAG report unveiled several shortcomings in the state government's initiatives to manage vehicular emissions, noting the absence of data concerning the types and quantities of vehicles operating on Delhi's roads and the evaluation of their emission outputs.
In addition to highlighting inaccuracies in the data from Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), the CAG report criticized the scarcity of public transport buses and the lack of last-mile connectivity options to diminish reliance on personal vehicles.
Moreover, the report held the prior government accountable for not adopting less polluting alternatives such as Monorail, Light Rail Transit, and Electronic Trolley Buses.
These findings are particularly important as Delhi's air quality has been classified as ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ for 1,195 out of 2,137 days (56 percent) over the last five years, adversely affecting public health.
The air quality in Delhi is influenced by various sectors, including transport, residential activities, solvents, power plants, and road dust. The CAG report specifically addressed pollution stemming from the transport sector—primarily vehicular emissions.
With vehicular emissions being a major pollution source within Delhi, they are thus potentially manageable by the Delhi government, as indicated by the report.
