The minister said Delhi Cabinet approved the pollution study proposal in 2021. (Representational)
The Delhi government's first-of-its-kind study to determine pollution sources in the national capital has been halted unilaterally and arbitrarily on the orders of Delhi Pollution Control Committee Chairman (DPCC) Ashwani Kumar, alleged city Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday.
In a press conference, Mr Rai said the Delhi Cabinet had approved the study proposal in July 2021 and signed an MoU with IIT-Kanpur in October 2022.
"The estimated cost was over Rs 12 crore. The Delhi government had released Rs 10 crore to IIT-Kanpur for the procurement of necessary equipment and set up a centralised supersite for data collection," he said.
The minister claimed that Ashwani Kumar, who took up the role of DPCC chairman in December, made a file note in February this year, expressing concerns about the "substantial expenses associated with the study".
Following several meetings with IIT-Kanpur scientists, Kumar issued orders on October 18 to stop the release of the remaining funds to IIT Kanpur, effectively cancelling the study, Mr Rai said.
"It's very unfortunate that such a decision has been made at a time when Delhi urgently needs scientific data to address its pollution problem. Kumar put the lives of two crore residents of Delhi at risk," he lamented.
The minister said Mr Kumar also did not inform him or the Cabinet about his decision and that his actions were in gross violation of the Transaction of Business Rules.
In a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Mr Rai demanded that Mr Kumar be suspended for his "insensitive and irresponsible behaviour".
According to Mr Rai, Mr Kumar was convinced that the source of Delhi's pollution has to be internal factors and cannot be majorly attributed to outside factors such as biomass (stubble) burning.
"He does not put forth any scientific basis for his conclusions. As the IIT-Kanpur report does not align with his idea of what causes pollution in Delhi, he is willing to sabotage the entire project with no care or concern for the people of Delhi and no respect for scientific research," Mr Rai wrote in the letter.
"Kumar has been seeking validation of the scientific models employed by Kanpur. Despite multiple meetings with IIT-Kanpur and their responses explaining their validation model, he keeps rejecting the scientific work done by one of the most prestigious institutes of our country," he added.
Mr Rai urged the chief minister that the remaining payment be immediately released to IIT-Kanpur and said the Delhi government will ask prominent scientists to review the pollution source apportionment study results after winter.
The Delhi environment minister alleged that Mr Kumar is a "habitual delinquent" when it comes to routine government business and there have been serious complaints against him from other departments where he holds positions of power.
It is a very important matter that needs to be investigated at the earliest. By halting a study of this magnitude and importance which is crucial for bringing Delhi's air quality to ambient levels, Mr Kumar has endangered the life, health and public safety of the residents of Delhi, Mr Rai alleged.
He said that a government servant is duty-bound to protect the life and health of the citizens. "It is far beyond shocking that his acts and omissions are further complicating the health status of the residents of Delhi and are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the study does not reach its conclusion and implementation." Mr Kumar's act is squarely culpable under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code, Mr Rai claimed in the letter.
Real-time source apportionment studies help identify factors responsible for an increase in air pollution at any spot, such as vehicles, dust, biomass burning, and emissions from industries so that preventive measures can be taken accordingly.
At the press conference, Services Minister Atishi said the source apportionment study was a major milestone and that it was impractical to prepare a mitigation plan without knowing which sources contribute how much to Delhi's pollution.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)