MCD, DDA 'not properly implementing' directions on curbing pollution:EPCA chief

EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal lashed out at Delhi's civic and urban bodies for "not properly implementing" the directions issued to curb pollution.

The Supreme Court-empowered Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) chairman said enforcing agencies were "completely dormant" and bodies like the DDA and the MCD were indulging in a blame game.

"We have to confront the problems but enforcing agencies are dormant and indulge in blame game," he said at an event at India Habitat Centre here.

Delhi's air quality remained "very poor" on Monday due to slow wind speed and high humidity.

Rejecting the allegation, North Delhi Mayor Adesh Gupta said the civic body "follows all instructions" as directed by the top court-appointed monitoring committee while DDA Vice-Chairman Tarun Kapoor said the urban body discharged all its duty diligently.

Lal said the need of the hour was to preserve Delhi's ecology which is "decaying and dying".

Countering the allegation, Gupta said, "It cannot be a military rule, or a magic wand cannot be waved to curb all problems. We take action as per the law, which takes time, but ir doesn't mean we are not serious."