Delhi's Environmental Efforts Hampered by Delays in Fund Utilization

Delhi has not yet used 75 per cent of the funds released under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, with a recent CPCB inspection pointing to gaps in the city's anti-pollution work.

In response, the Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said tenders for pollution-control measures were already in place and as soon as the work orders are passed, the funds will be utilised.

The RTI filed by environmental activist Amit Gupta revealed that a May 6 inspection by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) found slow fund use, poor follow-up on earlier recommendations and incomplete work at pollution hotspots.

Meanwhile, the Delhi environment minister said tenders for pollution-control measures were already in place and the funds will be utilised as soon as the work orders are passed. The inspection officer noted that the pending fund utilisation target was the key issue.

Sirsa added that the Delhi government had also provided additional funds for pollution mitigation measures. ''In fact, we have also taken an extra Rs 300 crore from the Delhi government for pollution mitigation as we needed more. This year, we shall utilise all the funds allocated for pollution control,'' the minister said.

(With inputs from agencies.)