New Delhi: Hardening its stance against open burning of trash, the Delhi government has decided to empower officials of its revenue department to crack the whip on the offenders months after a similar move arming the SDMs with the same powers to check growing pollution.
Delhi Environment Minister Asim Ahmed Khan made the announcement to this effect on World Environment Day and enumerated several other steps taken by the AAP government towards improving the capital's hazardous air quality.
Speaking on the sidelines of 'Delhi Environment Summit' in New Delhi, he also blamed the previous governments for their "complete failure" in tackling pollution, and stressed that Arvind Kejriwal-led dispensation was laying more emphasis on working on the ground rather than on paper.
"As per the order of the National Green Tribunal to stop burning of trash and dry leaves in the open, we are empowering tehsildars of revenue departments to take action against the offenders," Khan said.
Earlier, the government had asked all sub-divisional magistrates to crack down on open burning of garbage, plastics and leaves in Delhi. It had also announced a helpline number (9717593574), for registration of complaints in this regard.
The AAP's Matia Mahal MLA said two rounds of discussions had already taken place with the Union government on air pollution and that it had served several notices to more than a hundred big construction sites. "We have also expedited the construction of the East-West Corridor".
"Combating pollution is not the responsibility of Delhi only. That is why we have had talks with the Centre and other NCR states as well. We have already had two rounds of meeting," he said.
Khan said that the AAP government had adopted the policy of handing over "plant saplings" while welcoming guests instead of the usual norm of greeting with flower bouquets.
"We are also focusing on plantation. We plan to plant 14 lakh saplings," he added.
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