New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI): In view of the rising pollution levels in the national capital, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Friday announced that the government will float a tender in the first phase to install air purifiers in 10,000 classrooms across government schools.
Addressing the media, Sood said the initiative aims to ensure a healthier environment for students. “Along with smart classes, children will now get ‘pure air’. In the coming phases, air purifiers will be installed in every classroom of Delhi government schools in a phased manner,” he said.
Emphasising the government’s commitment, the minister said the administration would not compromise on children’s health.
“We do not want to play with our children’s health, nor will we allow anyone else to do so,” he added.
Sood said pollution in Delhi is not a problem limited to one season or a few months. “This is not a seasonal or a 10-month issue. Delhi does not have its own weather. When there is snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, cold increases here, and when there is a dust storm in Rajasthan, Delhi also gets affected,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the previous government, Sood alleged that opposition leaders turn into “experts” on different issues only to criticise the government.
Referring to allegations about AQI monitoring stations, he said a report shows that in 2017 and 2018, 20 new AQI monitoring stations were installed, of which around 30 per cent were located in green belts. “They wanted cleaner air, not accurate data,” he alleged.
Targeting former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sood said opposition leaders were now questioning why the odd-even scheme had not been implemented. “Arvind Kejriwal brought a so-called ‘scientific’ odd-even scheme, but even the courts had pulled it up,” he said.
He further criticised initiatives such as the ‘engine off at red lights’ campaign by previous government, claiming that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had stated there was no scientific validation for it. “For AAP, Delhi’s pollution was and remains a PR activity,” Sood alleged.
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