Delhi, Dimapur and Pollution
Environmental issues were one of the major talking points in the weeks leading up to the recently concluded Delhi Assembly election, as political parties pointed fingers at each other for the mess while promising to address it if voted to power
- Environmental issues were one of the major talking points in
the weeks leading up to the recently concluded Delhi Assembly election, as
political parties pointed fingers at each other for the mess while promising to
address it if voted to power. The sprawling landfills in the national capital
have become a health threat to residents, even as the authorities keep
extending the deadline to clear it. As for the air quality, the less said, the
better. Delhi’s air turns unbreathable every winter. The city’s Air Quality
Index in November last year plummeted to a shocking 494 (severe category). Then
there is the Yamuna river, which was once the lifeline of the national capital
but has become a toxic water body. In short, frothing Yamuna river, sprawling
waste landfills and deteriorating air quality resurfaced in political debates
ahead of the election. For the voters, it might not be surprising, as it
usually pops up during elections, only to be forgotten once the results are
announced. But that doesn’t mean they do not care. They are aware of the health
consequences of this prolonged neglect. They are frustrated. This growing
awareness and frustration seem to have compelled political parties to take it
more seriously this time, as was evident in the speeches of big political figures
during the campaigning and the prominent mention in the manifestos. Perhaps
environmental pollution has not received so much importance in Indian elections
like the recent Delhi polls. It is good that the city’s never-ending struggle
has received the attention it deserved, though it is to be seen if the promises
will go down the drain again.
- Similarly, Dimapur’s growing waste issue came to the fore
during the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections held last year, as candidates vowed
to remove the “dirtiest city” tag. More than seven months have passed since the
new Dimapur Municipal Council has taken the helm of things but no visible
change can be seen on the ground as garbage continues to pile up on roadsides,
and plastic items choke rivulets and drains. All hell will break loose again if
the new team of DMC fails to address these perpetual problems before the onset
of the rainy season. It may be mentioned that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has
paid a huge price for undermining environmental issues in the national capital
during its tenure. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal promised in 2015 that, if voted
to power, his government would clean the Yamuna river within five years. The
river remains to be filthy and polluted even after 10 years, far from becoming
a family picnic spot, as proclaimed by Manish Sisodia. The party had failed on
the ‘environmental front’ even before going to the polls. Now, the baton of
addressing the pressing environmental and health concerns has been passed to
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has pulled off a convincing win in the
Delhi election. Be it in Delhi or Dimapur, overlooking environmental concerns
can lead to costly consequences.
