Workshop on Air Pollution in Delhi

 

 

Delhi has become one of the most polluted cities in the  world and is the most polluted city in India.  Considering the serious effect of air pollution on the health of the citizens of Delhi, Women's Association for Development Alternatives (WADA) organized a workshop under the guidance of Delhi Commission for Women on "Air Pollution in Delhi" Smt. Bina Singh, Secretary General, WADA, was the convener. 

 

The workshop was held in December 1996 at India International Centre, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi.  A number of NGOs and citizens, groups took part in the workshop to understand the causes of this menace and how best they could contribute in checking vehicular pollution, the main culprit.  The main speakers at the workshop were : Dr. Harshvardhan, Health Minister of Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Sh. Rajendra Gupta, Transport Minister of Delhi, Prof. H. B. Mathur, IIT, Delhi Ms. Anju Sharma, Centre for Science and Environment, Sh. Rajat Nundy and Sh. S. G. Shah, AIAM, Swami Ranjit, Environmentalist, Sh. D. K. Singh, Director, Horticulture, MCD. 

 

Dr. Harshvardhan inaugurated the workshop and Sh. Rajendra Gupta was the Chief Guest.

 

The conclusions reached at the workshop and recommendations made included: -

  1. Plant trees,

  2. Educate women specially those living in slums about the health hazards caused by burning of plastics, refuse, etc.

  3. To ask the government to bring pollution control under a single authority.  There are various ministries that set up norms, but there is no one to look after the enforcement of these norms.

  4. To persuade the government to set up a body of NGOs to keep vigilance over observance of rules for controlling air quality.

  5. To make the automobile owners aware of the importance of good maintenance of their vehicle and to make an effort to organize car pools to reduce vehicular traffic.

  6. To demand good fuel quality.

  7. To ask the DCP (Traffic), Traffic Police to impose traffic rules strictly and punish the corrupt police personnel.  The policemen regulating the traffic at peak hours is the most effected by the vehicular emissions and should be provided gas masks, etc.

  8. To protest to Bajaj Motors for the archaic two stroke engine used by two wheelers and three wheelers that are the worst pollutants.  No new registration of these vehicles should be allowed.

  9. Strict vigilance on petrol pumps to make sure they do not mix kerosene with petrol.

WADA was to present these recommendations to the government and seek NGOs help to implement its suggestions.