IAS Ashwini Kumar has halted the real-time study on pollution of IIT Kanpur

New Delhi:The Delhi government has begun a study with IIT Kanpur to identify the source of pollution in real time. However, on Wednesday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai claimed that this study had been stopped by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Chairman Ashwini Kumar. According to Gopal Rai, the study was initiated under cabinet decision, but an IAS officer named Ashwini Kumar took the decision to stop it without consulting the minister or discussing it in the cabinet.

Gopal Rai gave this information in the joint press conference with Atishi.He stated that this was the first time in the country that such scientific research was being conducted, which Ashwini Kumar had stopped. At the time when we should have the data in our hands, they stopped the payment at IIT Kanpur and stopped the study.

On the other hand, Minister Atishi has also expressed strong displeasure over the ban on the ongoing real-time study on Delhi pollution by Ashwini Kumar, a senior bureaucrat working in the AAP government.She claims Ashwani Kumar did not consult with anyone in the government before making this decision. We were not even informed about this.Atishi further stated that the Delhi government was informed by IIT Kanpur that their payment had been stopped. Many authorities did not attend a recent meeting on pollution. The officials believe that whether they obey the elected government or not, nothing will happen to them. We have also brought this matter before the court. This is the first time an officer has overruled a cabinet decision.

Atishi added that the Delhi government has been working for eight years to reduce pollution, with reports showing continuous reductions. However, there is a lack of official data on pollution causes. To address this, a real-time study was conducted. So far, several significant results have emerged from the research. The same study found that fires lighted by security guards are a major source of pollution during the winter. The biggest reason in Anand Vihar is vehicles, while in Wazirpur it is industry.

Atishi further said that the setup for the study was ready in November 2022. The study has also started when pollution is increasing in Delhi and people are troubled by pollution and are going to the hospital. Ashwani Kumar stopped these studies at the last moment. He told the concerned agency that he would not pay Rs 2 crore. Due to his decision, equipment worth Rs 10 crore became useless.

At last, she stated that this matter will be reviewed by the National Capital Civil Service Authority, which will then recommend it to the Lieutenant Governor, who will make the final decision. I am sure that they too are concerned about the health of two crore people in Delhi and are concerned about the increasing pollution. When LG sees that an officer has put the health of two crore people in Delhi at risk, he will definitely suspend Ashwani Kumar ji and also take disciplinary action against him.