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In this episode of To The Point, the focus is on the politics over air pollution in Delhi
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00:00Welcome, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhary.
00:18Let's quickly dive into the latest news break that's coming in from Karnataka,
00:22where the Game of Thrones continue to play.
00:25Karnataka, Game of Thrones only escalates.
00:27Chief Minister's wailed response to DK Shiv Kumar.
00:31Siddharamaya says,
00:32Our word not a mere slogan, word not power, unless it better the world.
00:39Well, a cryptic reply after DKS's cryptic social media post.
00:46Now Siddharamaya responds to DKS's cryptic word power post there.
00:54It's going to be getting all the more interesting.
00:55What we also know is that both of them have been summoned to the national capital
00:59by the Congress High Command on the 29th of November.
01:03Apoorva, my colleague, is going to take us through this latest news break that's coming in.
01:07Apoorva, as cryptic as it is, explain what exactly is that Siddharamaya is trying to say.
01:13Well, you know, Priti, it's become a battle between DKS and Siddharamaya and especially now it's gone to the social media front as well.
01:27Earlier on, we'd seen DK Shiv Kumar putting up a cryptic message saying that the word means the world to people.
01:34And it's in a way kind of hinting that the 2.5-year promise that had been made ahead of the Karnataka Congress government being formed here just 2.5 years earlier.
01:46And now, yet again, we're seeing a retort bag of sorts by, you know, the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaya who's going on and saying that, you know,
01:57a word is not power unless it betters the world for people.
02:01In fact, Siddharamaya has also gone ahead.
02:04This is the photo that I can show you, you know, in which it says our word to Karnataka is not a slogan.
02:10It means the world to us.
02:12So, you know, both these leaders, they're playing, you know, rhyme of words there between each other, alliteration that is going on.
02:22All the English grammar that you want, you can see from the words that are coming out from the mouth of these two leaders.
02:27But ultimately, you know, we have to wait and see what the High Command is going to say.
02:32Is there going to be a meeting of sorts that will be arranged by the High Command for both these leaders,
02:38be it, you know, Chief Minister Siddharamaya or Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivkumar,
02:43where they will converge and meet at Delhi there amongst the High Command leaders
02:48and will take a cognitive decision.
02:51What is going to be the outcome that is going to come?
02:53Will D.K. be able to, you know, attain the so-called coveted throne here in Karnataka,
03:00you know, after 2.5 years of his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister?
03:05Or will Siddharamaya wait out until the end of his term, ultimately into his retiring
03:10that he has planned for in 2026 of March or, you know, moreover?
03:15So, it's going to be a play that will be cast out.
03:19But who is going to be the real winners?
03:20That's something that we will have to wait and watch for.
03:23Essentially, remember, it is a power play that is being made by each of these leaders
03:28to have an important factor of cast that is also being played into here as well.
03:34D.K.S. being a tall vocal league leader,
03:37while on the other side you have a strong stalwart,
03:40an OBC leader there, an Adhika leader there from,
03:44you know, in terms of the essence that you see from Siddharamaya.
03:48So, you have a cast that is being played into this,
03:51promises that are, you know, either going to be kept or be broken.
03:55All of this points down to what the high command is going to say
03:59in just 24 to 48 hours from now.
04:02All right, Apoorva, thank you for joining us with that latest coming in.
04:06Not so much in terms of anyone coming out and saying anything,
04:10but the social media game now quite on.
04:13And you can actually understand then the rift that is taking place
04:17between both the powerful factions of the incumbent chief minister
04:21and the incumbent deputy CM.
04:24Where it was only but yesterday that D.K. Shiv Kumar had seemed to suggest
04:27that word is the world to some,
04:29practically suggesting he was given the word
04:32where it came down to two and a half years of power sharing
04:36as chief minister of Karnataka.
04:38Well, today, in a very cryptic response to that,
04:41Siddharamaya has come out and said our word, not a mere slogan.
04:46Very interesting how it's all playing out.
04:48On the face of it, both of them say we are united,
04:50but both of them will be in the national capital on the 29th of November
04:54where a meeting with the high command is scheduled.
04:57Let's quickly cut across to the next bit of news break.
05:08All right, just the day after Grab 3 curbs revoked in the national capital,
05:12Delhi's air quality once again has plunged to a severe category.
05:16National capital recorded an AQI of 381 today,
05:19severe air quality recorded by 14 AQI stations.
05:24All of this in the wake,
05:25where only yesterday Grab 3 measures were removed, revoked,
05:29but all it has taken is 24 hours again
05:33for the air quality index of the national capital
05:36to plummet to the severe category.
05:38The air is still toxic.
05:55Lungs are still burning.
05:57Yet, the strictest curbs are already gone.
06:02Grab 3 has been lifted in Delhi,
06:04even as pollution continues to hover in the very poor category.
06:09The Commission for Air Quality Management's subcommittee revoked Grab 3,
06:14citing a steady improvement in Delhi's air over the last three days.
06:21C.U.K.M. की طرف से Grab 3 को विड्रॉ कर दिया गया है.
06:25अब मातर ग्रेब 2 की रिस्टिक्शन्स दिल्ली पे रहेंगी.
06:29जो स्कूल्स हाइब्रेट चल रहे थे,
06:32वो रिस्टिक्शन को भी खतम कर दिया गया है.
06:34जो 50% होम का था उस रिस्टिक्शन्स को भी खतम कर दिया गया है.
06:38वो रिस्टिक्शन्स दिल्ली पर लागू हो है.
06:40So, what restrictions are still in place?
06:45Under Grab Stage 1,
06:47dust control at all construction sites is mandatory.
06:51Open burning of any kind remains completely banned.
06:55Eateries and food vendors cannot use coal or firewood
06:58and must shift to clean fuels.
07:01Grab Stage 2 remains active as well.
07:05Non-emergency diesel generator sets are banned.
07:09Daily mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling continue across the city
07:13and the public is strongly advised to use public transport
07:17and limit private vehicle use.
07:19Despite the rollback of stricter curbs,
07:24Delhi's air continues to pose a serious health risk.
07:27A look at the air quality trend shows little real relief.
07:33On November 22nd, AQI was 370.
07:37It rose to 391 on November 23.
07:41On November 24, it stood at 382.
07:44It dipped to 353 on November 25.
07:48Improved briefly to 327 on November 26.
07:51But today, November 27, AQI is back up at 351,
07:56firmly in the very poor zone.
08:00As the capital chokes, the political fight has intensified.
08:05A fresh flashpoint has erupted over Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's
08:10announcement of a hot air balloon tourism project
08:13over the Yamuna flood place,
08:15unveiled even as the city battles hazardous air.
08:19Last year, the LG had sharply criticized the Delhi government
08:23over pollution control.
08:25This year, the balloon project has triggered accusations of mixed messaging.
08:29With winter setting in, and pollution sources,
08:34still active across North India, the relief remains fragile.
08:38With winter setting in, and pollution sources still active across North India,
09:01the relief remains fragile.
09:03Grab 3 may be rolled back for now,
09:05but Delhi's air remains dangerous,
09:08and the political battle over responsibility
09:11is only growing sharper.
09:14Bureau Report, India Today.
09:20All right, let's cut across for our political face-off this evening.
09:23Joining me, Neuma Gupta, BJP spokesperson,
09:26as well as Anmol Pawar, national spokesperson,
09:28Amadmi Party.
09:28Neuma Gupta, on a lighter note,
09:30have you gone up in the hot air balloon?
09:33It's quite a smoggy evening.
09:34No, I haven't.
09:37Are you intending to?
09:39I have no intentions of doing anything like that,
09:42on a lighter note.
09:43So, you do admit that the LG has come up with a harebrained idea on an eve where we are seeing AQI and on the severe index?
09:52No, I'm not seeing anything like that.
09:54I have a fear of heights, and that's why I'm not going.
09:56Having said that...
09:57I'm not a fear of pollution, Neuma.
09:59That's quite...
09:59So, getting on a stronger note,
10:03our government at both the state and center level
10:06have taken serious cognizance of the air pollution issue,
10:10which we all know has been plaguing Delhi for more than 10 years.
10:13Excuse me.
10:14We have said and maintained this,
10:18and we genuinely are doing our best and putting in every single effort we can across all departments,
10:23but we need a little time and patience from you all.
10:26Does that mean, to begin with, the hot air balloon rights will be suspended?
10:33I cannot speak on that behalf,
10:35but I can tell you the steps we are taking,
10:37which are more concrete-based,
10:39and I'd rather talk about those things which are related to the debate as of now.
10:43This is related to the debate, Neuma.
10:45This is a hot air balloon tourism project,
10:48which is inviting Delhiites to come and take a...
10:51Okay, make your point.
10:54Having said that,
10:56the Union Minister of Environment,
10:59Bhupinder Yadirji,
11:00in fact, he chaired a very interesting review meeting yesterday,
11:03whereby now all NCR states were instructed to undertake a comprehensive mapping
11:08of all the green spaces,
11:10such as the forest, water body catchment areas,
11:13revenue lands, nursery.
11:14Based on this,
11:15the states will now prepare a micro-plan for the next few years
11:19to identify areas to take up plantations.
11:21So the steps which we are taking up are scientifically planned.
11:24The tech-enabled and convergence-based district-wide strategy
11:29is because to ensure strengthening of NCR's green efforts.
11:33Apart from that, on a daily basis,
11:35the war footing has been going on since the time we've come into power.
11:38We've increased Delhi's capacity for legacy waste processing.
11:42I'm not saying all these steps have given us all the results which are there,
11:45but we are carrying 10 years of luggage which requires some amount of time
11:49to remove every pollutant possible in the, you know, relatable city.
11:54All right, so you're saying it's 10 years of luggage,
11:57but having said that,
11:58what you speak of is a long-term plan.
12:00I would reckon for short-term plan, number one,
12:03you know, what seems at least, you know, on the face of it,
12:07not a great idea that Delhiites be invited to take hot air balloon rides
12:12where the AQI is in severe category, that be suspended.
12:15Grab 3, which was revoked yesterday,
12:17many are scratching their heads on why in the world was Grab 3 revoked,
12:22because as I speak, we are back in the severe category.
12:25I'll come back to that, but, you know,
12:28the Ahmadinejee party spokesperson is also with us,
12:31Anmol Pawar.
12:32Your party constantly does say that, Mr. Pawar,
12:36suddenly the LG is now taking hot air balloon rides
12:39while when you were in government, he was going after you,
12:42which was right.
12:43But away from all of that, Anmol Pawar,
12:45the BJP is very clear, they have too much baggage.
12:48You put zero, you know, protocol in place
12:51where it came down to tackling pollution.
12:53You came up with your own hair, brain screams,
12:56like where it came down to traffic,
12:58which is odd in even days.
13:00It takes time, and they're trying to battle with it.
13:05Good evening, Preeti Ji.
13:06Preeti Ji, the right to breathe clean air,
13:08right to healthy environment, and right to life,
13:09it's not a luxury, it's a fundamental right
13:11and shrine in Article 21 of the constitution of our country.
13:15And today, that same right...
13:16Anmol, did you not read this when you were in power in Delhi?
13:19It's coming in a tad 10 years too late, no?
13:24Preeti Ji, when we were in power in Delhi,
13:27we took all measures to ensure that Delhi becomes cleaner and greener,
13:31and that's why the pollution level reduced by more than 40%.
13:33But here's the reality.
13:35Look at the reality.
13:36It's a WHO report which shows that
13:3813 out of the most polluted 20 cities in the world are in India.
13:43There's another WHO report which says that
13:4583 out of the most polluted 100 cities in Asia, they are in India.
13:50And the same BJP-led poor-engine government,
13:53they have, which cannot even guarantee the basic dignity of breathing safely,
13:57and has failed the people in the most fundamental manner.
14:00Rather than taking any action,
14:02they are busy manipulating and fudging AQI data.
14:04We saw that how India Today report,
14:07one of the reporters showed us that how water was being sprinkled
14:11by the MCD tankers near the pollution monitoring station.
14:14And today, this rising pollution,
14:16it has crossed all limits of human endurance.
14:19What we are witnessing today is a full-blown national health emergency.
14:23Delhi has become a gas chamber,
14:25and air is so poisonous that it feels like punishment.
14:28And look at their intent.
14:30I'll show you their intent.
14:31Here's one of the reports which shows that
14:34they have only spent 1%,
14:381% of the budget which was allocated to environment.
14:43Out of 8.58 crores,
14:451% to environment ministry has been used.
14:49That is their intent.
14:50They made a pollution, winter pollution action plan,
14:53out of which they forget to include 13 hotspots,
14:5713 hotspots which included Anand Bihar,
15:00one of the most polluted space.
15:02Here's the Honorable Supreme Court,
15:04which recognized the fact that pollution is a pan-India problem.
15:07Okay.
15:07There are states, 22 states are being ruled by BJP.
15:10Mr. Pawar, you know, you've gone on for a while,
15:13and it's a spirited argument,
15:14only if you had made it during your own term,
15:17because not much has quite changed.
15:19It's only a change in government, sir.
15:20No, no, and you speak of how much the Delhi government,
15:26till now, they've only been in power for about less than a year,
15:29they've spent on environment.
15:31Do you really want me to go through your track record, sir,
15:34on how much the Aam Badmi Party had spent on environment in your term?
15:38I'd like you to give me that figure,
15:40because the figure I give you could be rather embarrassing.
15:42But I'll come back to you.
15:43I want to bring in Neoma back into this conversation.
15:46The point, Neoma Gupta, is very clear.
15:48You revoke Grab 3, which was, nobody understands why,
15:53because today we are back into the severe category.
15:55Number 2, till now, is there an understanding
15:59that this is not a Delhi problem?
16:01You went after the Delhi government,
16:03which was headed by the Aam Badmi Party,
16:05holding the Aam Badmi Party solely responsible
16:07for the AQI index in Delhi.
16:09This is not a Delhi problem.
16:11This is a problem, pan-India,
16:13especially where Delhi is concerned,
16:15across NCR,
16:16where states which are run by you,
16:18Uttar Pradesh, Haryana,
16:19contribute to what is taking place in Delhi
16:23in terms of converting it into a gas chamber.
16:25Okay.
16:26So I'll go step by one.
16:28So you said why was Grab 3 revoked, right?
16:30So this is because,
16:32according to the CAQM,
16:35Delhi's AQI was improving in the last three days,
16:38and it was recently at a 3.27.
16:41The further the forecast by the IMD and the IITM predicted...
16:44Ma'am, today as we speak,
16:45we brought back into the right before.
16:47We are back into the severe category.
16:49If you allow me to speak,
16:50I'll tell you why it was revoked.
16:52Okay.
16:53So the forecast by the IMD and the IITM
16:57predicted that the AQI to remain in the very poor category
17:00in the same coming days
17:02and not deteriorate to severe.
17:04Since stage 3 is for severe of AQI,
17:06it was hence revoked,
17:07and GAP 1 and 2 remained enforced as per protocol,
17:11and the same process was followed
17:12in the previous years when deviations like this happened.
17:16Now that this air quality has become severe,
17:19steps will be taken accordingly.
17:20Secondly, when it comes to Delhi pollution,
17:24we are concurrently,
17:25as I told you,
17:26the union minister sat down,
17:28reviewed and understood the fact
17:30that green plantation has to be improved,
17:32panned all around Delhi itself
17:35and within Delhi.
17:36Concurrently,
17:37our state government
17:38is not only doubling,
17:40but I would say tripling down
17:41on the efforts to reduce pollution.
17:43I'll give you small steps in Delhi.
17:45Like, you know,
17:45you have to increase Delhi's capacity
17:47for legacy waste processing,
17:49which never happened in the past.
17:50Additionally,
17:51like you have to do waste to energy capacity
17:53of like 7,000 tons,
17:54which have been added.
17:55Further,
17:56about 240 of the industrial areas in NCR,
18:00the PNG infrastructure,
18:01which is now available in 224,
18:03I think about 96% of the industries
18:05have shifted to approved fuels.
18:07The CAQM has also constituted
18:09like a dedicated cell
18:12to track real-time source emission
18:14from industries in this area.
18:16We are properly utilizing central funds
18:18under the NCAP.
18:20In fact,
18:20just yesterday,
18:2114 mechanical road sweepers,
18:23these are expected to...
18:23Nirmagutta,
18:24the charge is very clear
18:25that you are fudging AQI data.
18:27You are doing what it takes
18:30to mask what the actual figures are
18:33where Delhi is concerned.
18:34This has also been proven, ma'am.
18:36So,
18:36all the allegations
18:38they're making about fudging data,
18:39etc.,
18:40are...
18:41How can you say that
18:42everything which we are saying
18:43is fundamentally wrong?
18:44Please understand.
18:46While all the data is coming to us,
18:48we are constantly taking constructive steps.
18:50I mean,
18:51if you are saying...
18:52The centre,
18:53like for example,
18:53as I was mentioning,
18:55they've cleared four additional sweepers
18:57under the Urban Development Fund,
18:59which will take like a total fleet size to 70,
19:03closure directions to like 15, 56 non-compliant units.
19:06I'm running out of time.
19:08This is a long debate
19:09and we must have it actually
19:10by the end of this week.
19:10But what I'm trying to say,
19:11steps are being taken...
19:12I want to bring in...
19:13I want to bring in
19:14the Amadmi Party spokesperson
19:15for 30 seconds.
19:16Go ahead, sir.
19:17Final...
19:17Yeah.
19:17Preeti ji,
19:19they said that they need time
19:20to reduce pollution.
19:21They have governments in 22 states.
19:22They are ruling at the centre
19:23for the last 12 years.
19:24What have they done
19:25to reduce pollution?
19:26Absolutely nothing.
19:27And they...
19:28Earlier,
19:29they used to blame
19:29Arvind K. Jivalji
19:30now that we are not in Delhi.
19:32Now they are pinning the blame
19:33on farmers of Punjab,
19:35whom they used to call
19:36Khalistani,
19:37Atankwadi,
19:37and Andolan Jivi.
19:38And they got a slap on their face
19:40when the CAQM chief
19:41published this report
19:43which said that
19:44stay it on the cusp
19:45of stubble-burning revolution.
19:47And when their own
19:47minister in the
19:48Parliament House
19:49in Rajya Sabah
19:49stated that
19:50Punjab records
19:5185% drop
19:53in stubble-burning,
19:54this was a statement
19:55given by
19:55Kirti Vardhan Singh,
19:56their own minister.
19:57And now
19:58they have submitted
19:59an epidemic
20:00before the Honorable
20:01Supreme Court
20:01which states
20:02that only 1%
20:03of the stubble-burning
20:04contributes to Delhi's pollution,
20:05but they are not
20:06working on
20:07the factors
20:09which are
20:10the main reasons
20:11for pollution in Delhi,
20:13that is vehicular pollution,
20:14dust pollution,
20:15which their own
20:15lieutenant governor said.
20:17Okay.
20:18You know,
20:18I've run...
20:19Children's...
20:20Children's...
20:20I should be allowed...
20:21Senior gas for air...
20:22Okay, you've got 20 seconds.
20:24Neuma Gopta,
20:2420 seconds,
20:25one second.
20:25I just want to say
20:25people of Delhi
20:26have understood
20:27that they are seeing
20:28improvements
20:28and instead of being
20:29provoked by the opposition
20:30who after decades
20:31of failure
20:32want to convince people
20:33that they should expect
20:34a Christmas miracle,
20:35it does not work like that.
20:37That's exactly
20:37what Arvind Kejriwal said,
20:39that is what exactly
20:41Arvind Kejriwal had said,
20:42that if you expect
20:43a miracle,
20:43it doesn't work like that
20:44during his term.
20:45But yes,
20:45I would think
20:46Delhiites today
20:47do expect a miracle
20:48and not an invitation
20:49to ride through
20:50the pollution
20:51to look at the
20:52Yamuna floodplains
20:53in a hot air balloon.
20:54And we're going to
20:55leave it at that
20:55because ultimately
20:56cold natural
20:57are the Delhi citizens.
20:58Thank you,
20:59both of you,
20:59for joining us.
21:00We're going to have
21:00a larger,
21:01a more fruitful debate
21:03on Delhi pollution
21:05and not just Delhi.
21:07Bombay today
21:07is in a severe category
21:09where pollution is concerned.
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