DCM stresses for a stringent law to control pollution
Bengaluru, July 31: Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar said that though the city was not in the list of ten most air polluted cities, there was a need to bring in a stringent law to control the air pollution in the city.
Speaking at a symposium organized by the C-40 City Global Air Quality Forum and BBMP here on Tuesday, the DCM said that the scenario of the entire world has changed drastically in the last 30 years. After globalization, the country has witnessed a lot of development. Along with development, the country also witnessed air and environmental pollution. The pollution level should not cross beyond 60 units in the country. But it was 292 in New Delhi, 272 in Faridabad, 262 in Varanasi. Those cities have been facing the problem due to highest air pollution. But the happy news is that Bengaluru was not in the list of top 10 polluted cities. The city is below 60-70 units. But the concern it was not in the list of safest places, he said.
Cities like Mandya, Mangaluru and Bhadravati were placed in the list of cities which have below 60 units. But the Bengaluru city has developed a lot in the last ten years. The population has increased from 23 per cent to 36 per cent. As the basic infrastructure was also increased considerably, the pollution level was also increased, he said.
“When I was the student, there were trees around Bengaluru city. There was a clean environment. The temperature was just 27 degree Celsius. The normal temperature in the city was just 23 degree Celsius. Because of this reason, people from other places migrate to Bengaluru and settle here. But the city has changed a lot in the last ten years. The population is 1.3 crore and 72 lakh vehicles are plying in the city. In a hurry to provide basic facilities, the city is being polluted and it should be controlled with effective implementation of a stringent law. Otherwise, the city will have to face worse days ahead”, he warned.
There was a need to bring in a suitable law to control the pollution. Awareness should be created among people and students. The government has planned various programmes to ease traffic congestion. This would also control the pollution. So, it was the responsibility of every individual to create peaceful and pollution-free city for the next generation, he said.
Mayor Sampath Kumar, deputy mayor Padmavathi, Education Department Principal Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and others were present.
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Test of democracy is king tolerates dissent, introspects: Nitin Gadkari
Pune, Sep 21: Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said the biggest test of democracy is that the ruler tolerates even the strongest opinion against him, and it leads to introspection.
Writers and intellectuals should express themselves fearlessly, the senior BJP leader said at a book release function held at MIT World Peace University here on Friday.
"The biggest test of democracy is that the king tolerates the strongest opinion against him and introspects over it," he said.
In India, there is no problem of difference of opinion but "there is a problem of lack of opinion," the Road Transport and Highways Minister said.
"We are neither rightist, nor leftist. We are opportunists. It is expected from writers and intellectuals that they express their opinions without any fear," he added.
Gadkari also said that as long as untouchability and notions of social inferiority and superiority persist, the work of nation-building can not be said to be complete.
