'Civic Body Fined Rs 1 Crore For Burning Waste In The Open, It's A Crime': AAP On Delhi Air Pollution

The Aam Aadmi Party-led government has instructed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to impose a fine of Rs 1 crore against the North Delhi civic body for burning waste in open. Raghav Chaddha has said that they will attach the civic body's account to recover the money.

(PIC/Twitter account)

New Delhi: As India enters into the festive season, rising air pollution in Delhi has turned into a political slugfest between the state and the central government, both accusing each other of failing to control the hazardous levels of air pollution. Now, attacking the BJP-ruled Delhi civic bodies and calling them "most corrupt", Aam Aadmi Party national spokesperson Raghav Chaddha said the Arvind Kejriwal-led government has instructed the pollution control committee to impose a fine of ₹ 1 crore against the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) for burning garbage in the open. Also Read|PM Modi Takes Stock Of COVID-19 Situation; Suggests Vaccine Delivery System To Be Developed On Lines Of Conduct Of Elections "Even a fine of ₹ 1 crore is less. We are going to recover this money anyhow. We will attach their account if needed. It (open burning of garbage) is criminal," Chaddha said. The NDMC had recently claimed it was facing a fund crunch because the Delhi government owed it money. Chaddha said, “Even a fine of Rs 1 crore is less. We are going to recover this money anyhow. We will attach their account if needed. It (open burning of garbage) is criminal.” Reacting to this, NDMC Mayor Jai Prakash has said that they have filed a police complaint against the AAP for trying to defame the BJP. Prakash said, “The local MLA and the MP, both are from the Aam Aadmi Party. They intentionally burn garbage in the area and defame us. A day earlier, the AAP leader had tweeted images of garbage burning at Baba Vidyapati Marg in north Delhi's Kirari and accused the civic bodies led by BJP - in power at the centre and locked in an intense blame game with the AAP over air pollution in Delhi - of permitting it despite deteriorating air quality amid the coronavirus pandemic. "I would like to ask the Central Pollution Control Board and the Supreme Court-appointed EPCA, how is the BJP openly indulging in this criminal act with rampant impunity? How is the municipal corporation burning garbage with such brazenness," he said. The Delhi BJP unit had hit back saying Friday's incident was a "solitary case". This comes a day after Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai issued directions for the imposition of  Rs 1 crore fine on NDMC for not taking action against garbage burning in Kirari village in northwest Delhi. “The Delhi government is taking strict action regarding the quality of air pollution in Delhi. The MCD has set a full fire here and no one has come since the morning. This is a serious situation and a penalty of Rs 1 crore is going to be imposed on North MCD,” Rai said. (With ANI inputs)