Air, Yamuna woes are legacy issues: CM Rekha Gupta
New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has described air pollution and the contamination of the Yamuna River as “legacy problems” inherited from years of inadequate planning, asserting that her government is implementing a comprehensive and long-term strategy to tackle both challenges. In an interview with ANI, Gupta said temporary measures alone cannot resolve environmental concerns and emphasised the need for a multi-pronged approach.
“Pollution is a legacy problem resulting from the negligence of previous governments. If we look at pollution only from the perspective that the air should be clean, we will not get results. You have to work on dust, air and water together, with a holistic vision,” she said.
Responding to criticism that initiatives such as GRAP, the Odd-Even scheme, artificial rain and smog guns have not produced lasting improvements, the Chief Minister said these interventions were never intended as permanent solutions. She also criticised earlier administrations for depending on short-term relief. “Vehicular emission is said to be a major cause of pollution, but public transport was never taken to the extent it should have been,” Gupta said.
Outlining her government’s transport roadmap, she stated that Delhi is moving towards a zero-emission public transport system. “When we came, we planned that public transport should be 100 per cent electric and on clean fuel. Today, there are around 3,600 buses in Delhi. We added 1,700 buses after coming to power, and by December 2026, this will reach 7,700. Our requirement is 11,000 buses, which we will complete by 2028,” she said.
Gupta added that Metro expansion, last-mile connectivity through EV autos, e-bikes and cycles, and stricter action against polluting vehicles form part of a “360-degree movement” to combat pollution.
She also highlighted reforms in road construction practices to curb dust pollution, saying coordinated work between departments is being enforced to prevent repeated digging of roads. Linking landfill sites to deteriorating air quality, the Chief Minister said daily waste generation of nearly 11,000 metric tonnes had previously gone largely unprocessed. “Earlier, it was never processed, and that is why mountains of garbage were formed,” she said, adding that legacy waste at Okhla and Bhalswa is expected to be cleared by 2026.
On the Yamuna’s condition, Gupta blamed untreated sewage and industrial discharge. “Drains were falling straight into Yamuna ji. Sewage treatment plants were not upgraded. These conditions were spoiled over years,” she said.
Highlighting corrective steps, she noted that 37 sewage treatment plants have been upgraded and extensive de-silting is underway. “The steps we have taken are time-bound, and their results will be visible with time,” she said, urging public participation. “The government will do its bit, the public will also have to do its bit. Together, we will be able to get better air and cleaner water for Delhi.”
