Tharoor releases white paper on pollution in Delhi

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday released a white paper on air pollution in the national capital, saying the people of Delhi have a right to breathe, but the central and Delhi government are preventing it.

The white paper was prepared at the direction of party's Delhi unit President Ajay Maken by the Delhi chapter of the Professionals' Congress, with the help of experts and members of various chapters across the country to look into feasible short and long-term measures to deal with air pollution crisis.

Addressing the media at Delhi Congress office, Tharoor, who is also head of the Professional's Congress, said: "How bad the air pollution has become in Delhi was evident from the fact that the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team not only found the going tough, but they could not field even 11 players in the ongoing Test match against India at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground."

"Delhi is experiencing an unprecedented air quality emergency, tackling which will require a concerted effort by the central and state government, industries, traders, citizens and various sections of society."

The White Paper says that the air pollution needs to be confronted with a mix of short and long-term measures, and suggests measures like strengthening of public transport including buses, metro expansion and metro fares, buying electricity from gas-based power plants and make coal-based power plants comply with pollution norms, enforcing dust control measures and waste burning.

--IANS

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