Move central govt out of Delhi to reduce pollution: former AAP leader

A former AAP leader on Thursday suggested that the central government establishments should be shifted out of Delhi to other states in order to decongest the national capital and tackle the menace of pollution.

The suggestion was given by Rakesh Agarwal, who had left the AAP in 2013 over differences with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and formed another party Azad Bharatam.

Agarwal said at a press conference here that every Delhiite dies 10 years sooner due to air pollution which also causes 30,000 deaths per annum.

He also demanded that air pollution be declared a national emergency.

Azad Bharatam said all central ministries, departments and constitutional authorities should be shifted out of Delhi and relocated to all other states to reduce the capital's population by 30 lakh, so that the toxic air pollution and congestion can be brought within the tolerable limits.

It, however, made an exception for Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhawan, the PMO, the Ministry of External Affairs and the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court.