New Delhi: The Hon’ble Minister for Education, Urban Development, Home and Power, Shri Ashish Sood, today addressed an important press conference at the Delhi Secretariat. Holding the previous government responsible for Delhi’s pollution crisis due to its policy failures, he outlined the administrative reforms undertaken over the past 10 months by the current government and presented a clear roadmap for the future.
Strong attack on failures of the previous government
Shri Sood stated unequivocally that pollution in Delhi is not a seasonal issue, but the outcome of years of administrative negligence. He accused the previous government of misleading the public through advertisements and manipulated data instead of delivering real solutions.
Manipulation of data: Citing the CAG report, Shri Sood said that in 2017–18, 30% of AQI monitoring stations were deliberately installed in green areas to conceal the actual pollution levels.
Lack of scientific approach: He said campaigns such as Odd-Even and “Red Light On, Vehicle Off” were mere PR exercises. Even the DPCC and courts had questioned their effectiveness.
Judicial reprimand: Shri Sood recalled that the Supreme Court had to intervene, observing that there was money for advertisements but not for crucial public transport projects like RRTS.
Decisive steps taken in 10 months by the present government
Shri Sood stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta, the government is focusing on long-term administrative reforms rather than cosmetic measures.
1. Waste management and landfill remediation
C&D Waste Policy: From 11 October 2025, the use of recycled construction material has been made mandatory in construction works. Payments for civil works will not be released without compliance.
End of landfills: The Bhalswa landfill is targeted for complete remediation by September 2026. A tender has already been issued for the disposal of 18 lakh metric tonnes of waste.
Biogas plants: Biogas plants have been commissioned at Nangli Sakrawati and Ghoga dairies for scientific disposal of dairy waste.
2. Mechanical sweeping and strengthening of municipal bodies
To curb dust pollution, one mechanical sweeping machine will be provided in each Assembly constituency.
To strengthen municipal bodies financially, ₹175 crore has been released, with an additional ₹500 crore under process.
3. Public transport and EV policy
The ₹45 crore EV subsidy, withheld by the previous government, has been cleared by the current government.
Bottlenecks in projects such as Metro Phase-IV and RRTS are being removed to strengthen public transport.
Education and children’s health a top priority
Highlighting a major initiative for children’s health, Shri Sood announced that the Delhi Government has issued tenders today for installing air purifiers in 10,000 classrooms of government schools in the first phase. The government aims to extend this facility to all government schools in Delhi, ensuring that pollution does not adversely affect children’s health or education.
In conclusion, Shri Sood reiterated that while Delhi’s geographical location means that activities in neighbouring states impact air quality, strong local-level interventions can significantly reduce the impact. The present government remains committed to delivering a cleaner and healthier future for Delhi through long-term administrative reforms.
