Delhi’s battle against hazardous air pollution in winter has hit a hurdle with Delhi Pollution Control Committee chairperson Ashwini Kumar aborting a real-time study that was initiated in 2021 to identify sources of pollution, environment minister Gopal Rai alleged on Wednesday.
Rai has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, recommending Kumar’s suspension and initiating disciplinary action against him.
Rai and PWD minister Atishi held a joint press conference on Wednesday to underline that the ongoing study to determine sources of pollution in the national capital had come to a halt after Kumar, in his capacity as DPCC chairperson, stopped dues of IIT Kanpur.
An MoU between DPCC and IIT-Kanpur was signed in October 2021 to carry out a study after a proposal in July 2021 was approved by the Delhi Cabinet.
Rai said, “For the study of real-time source apportionment, the Delhi government had signed an MoU with IIT Kanpur. There have been reports in the media that there is no data available from the study. The study is off. Now, when we need the data most in winter, this study has been stopped. The cabinet took a decision to conduct the study, however, DPCC chairman Ashwini Kumar, taking a suo moto decision, stopped the study without any discussion with the concerned minister or the cabinet. He overturned the cabinet’s decision”.
Rai further said, “The cabinet had approved a budget of over Rs 12 crore for the machinery and other equipment. A sum of Rs 10 lakh was released to IIT Kanpur. The rest of the payment was supposed to be made after the completion of the study”.
Questioning the appointment of Ashwini Kumar as DPCC chairperson instead of the environment secretary, as was the practice, Rai said, “Kumar was made the DPCC chairman contrary to the practice until then of the environment secretary being made the DPCC Chairman. In February, after his appointment as chairman of DPCC, Kumar wrote on the file that the cost of the study was too high, the modality of the study was problematic. This was followed with multiple meetings with scientists of IIT Kanpur. And finally, on October 18, he wrote on the file that the remaining dues of IIT Kanpur will not be paid. Ashwini Kumar aborted what was perhaps the first study of its kind on real-time source apportionment”.
Atishi also told media that Ashwini Kumar did not take permission from anyone before aborting the study. “He did not even bring it to the notice of the environment minister. He took this decision on his own that we will not pay without being an expert on environment or pollution, chemical or mathematical modelling. The Delhi government came to know from IIT Kanpur that their money has been withheld and they have stopped the study. When Gopal ji called for the file, we came to learn of it.”
Rai questioned both Ashiwni Kumar’s authority in taking a unilateral decision as well as the timing of his decision. He said the DPCC chairman did not even inform him of the decision to stop the dues of IIT Kanpur and that he learnt about it only after getting hold of the file.
Recommending the suspension of the officer, Rai told reporters, “Looking at this irresponsible, anti-people and unlawful decision of Ashwini Kumar, we have sent a note to the chief minister that in these circumstances he should be suspended and disciplinary action should be initiated against him. Secondly, IIT Kanpur may be paid its dues of Rs 2 crore so that the study can be re-started. Additionally, we have also asked for the review of this study by the scientific community after the winter season based on which the future decision may be taken”.
Atishi pointed out whether Ashwini Kumar, who is an electrical engineer, is qualified enough to assess a study by IIT Kanpur, to raise questions on its mathematical modelling and then decide if it is incorrect?
She argued that in November 2022, the super site for the study was ready and data had started flowing, which helped the Delhi government to formulate its policies. To this date, the machinery and equipment worth Rs 10 crore is “lying waste, unused because Ashwini Kumar decided not to release the remainder dues of Rs 2 crore”.
Atishi stressed this was not the first instance that a cabinet decision had been revoked unilaterally by a bureaucrat. “Ever since the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act has come, Delhi government officers are repeatedly stalling the pro-people decisions of the government. This matter will go to the National Capital Civil Services Authority and after which a recommendation will go to the Lieutenant-Governor as he is the final decision-maker”.
Justifying the need for such a study, both Rai and Atishi said the Delhi government had taken the decision as there were contrasting views on the sources of pollution, with some suggesting dust was the main culprit, while others pointed to vehicles and biomass burning. Some reports even suggested stubble burning.
It has been observed that different parts of the city, including Anand Vihar, Wazirpur, South Delhi, Narela and Bawana, have disparate AQI levels, underlining varied sources of pollution at play.
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