L-G Saxena directs civic agencies to take up year-long 'Dust-Free Delhi Drive', AAP says he is trying to 'claim credit'

Reacting to the development, the Aam Aadmi Party said Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had already called a meeting of departments on the issue earlier and it was unfortunate that Saxena was trying to use 'such tactics to claim credit'.

New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has directed civic agencies to take up a Dust-Free Delhi Drive over the next week and asked officials to convert it into a year-long campaign, Raj Niwas officials said on Monday.

Reacting to the development, the Aam Aadmi Party said Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had called a meeting of departments on the issue earlier and it was unfortunate that Saxena was trying to use "such tactics to claim credit".

"All heads of departments and the chief secretary were invited to the meeting. However, the meeting could not be held due to the unavailability of the chief secretary," the party said.

The L-G, in a meeting on September 20 to review air pollution, stressed the need for preparedness to mitigate the problem well in advance.

"He has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, New Delhi Municipal Council, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi Jal Board to take up a Dust-Free Delhi Drive over the next one week/10 days. He has asked for the same to be converted into a year-long campaign," an official said.

Pollution caused by road dust is one of the two major contributors to air pollution in Delhi and with the rains having stopped over the past three to four days, dried-up mud on roads is causing air pollution, he added.

According to the official, dilapidated unrepaired roads, back-flowing sewer lines and unsilted drains have resulted in a huge amount of mud and silt getting deposited on roads and footpaths.

"This mud and silt, wet till now due to continuous rains, is drying up and flying due to moving traffic," he said.

The L-G has advised the agencies, primarily the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Public Works Department, to clean the roads of dust.

Similarly, agencies responsible for cleaning of drains and sewer lines -- Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi Jal Board -- have been asked to coordinate and dispose of the mud properly.

Saxena emphasised that even if it rains, the exercise of removing the wet mud from roads should be continued, the official added.

The AAP said Bharadwaj had sent a meeting note in which he attached dozens of photographs along with GPS locations showing silt deposits on the sides of the roads maintained by the MCD and PWD, among others.

In the meeting note, he had told the heads of department to prepare a plan to remove the silt in the next two weeks, the party said.