Cornering the government on the premature dissolution of the Commission for Air Quality Management set up by the Narendra Modi government by way of an Ordinance that lapsed on March 12, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned the government’s commitment towards the issue.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, as it is called, came into being after the 22-year-old Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) that has so far addressed air pollution in Delhi was dissolved in October.
Mr. Ramesh said the government that is usually agile in converting an Ordinance into an Act let this important one lapse. This despite the fact, Mr. Ramesh said, the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha had allocated three hours for discussion on the conversion of the Ordinance to a Bill.
Mr. Ramesh’s question went unanswered with Deputy Chairman Harivansh taking up other listed business. The Session is slated to end on Thursday and it is unlikely that in the last two days, the government will bring in a fresh bill to reactivate the Commission.
“No clarification was forthcoming. A much-hyped measure to tackle air pollution languishes,” Mr. Ramesh tweeted.
