Both Kejriwal and Khattar have embraced Twitter in an effort to appear a 'messiah' making frantic efforts to clear smog over Delhi and some parts of NCR.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in an effort to bring respite to the people in NCR, who are left to inhale toxic smog wrapped around the area for more than a week now.
Sadly, this meeting in Chandigarh would end up only raising more dust. At best this could be termed a cosmetic exercise which fails to address the root cause of the pollution--vehicular pollution, stubble burning, unplanned industrial development and lack of political will to address the issue by bringing all parties on one platform.
Many believe this is just an attempt by the leaders to appear to be doing something to resolve the issue. This is an inter-state issue that needs the intervention of the Centre. No tangible result would be seen unless holistic approach, involving all the stakeholders, is put in place. But nothing much seems to have been done by the Chief Ministers to get all the concerned parties involved. Centre has clearly not played the active role and allowed the situation to reach this alarming level.
Both Kejriwal and Khattar have embraced Twitter in an effort to appear a 'messiah' making frantic efforts to clear smog over Delhi and some parts of NCR. But they have nothing much to show when it comes to taking real steps before the crisis engulfed everyone. For many years now, smog and air pollution have become a real menace.
Every year, for a few weeks, politicians and concerned authorities would be seen taking emergency measures but nearly all of them ignore the issue completely when things become normal.
Clearly this smog menace can't be debated and resolved by politicians on social media. Neither, this emergency meeting--without any game plan and real will --could find a solution to air pollution and its various manifestations.
Further, this smog issue involves Punjab but Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has refused to come on board.
In a tweet, Kejriwal had hoped to meet Amarind Singh. Kejriwal had tweeted Amarinder Singh saying, "Sir, I am coming to Chandigarh on Wed to meet Haryana CM. Would be grateful if u cud spare some time to meet me. It is in collective interest."
Amarinder Singh dismissed the suggestion saying: I fail to understand why the Delhi Chief Minister is trying to force my hand, knowing well that any such discussion will be meaningless and futile.
Amarinder even accused Kejriwal of trying to divert attention from his government's failure to check pollution in Delhi.
So, all the three leaders-- Kejriwal, Khattar, and Amarinder--are pointing fingers at one another for the mess the smog and pollution have created. The Centre is not part of the discussion and Amarinder Singh has refused to be party to the discussion. No need to state the obvious outcome of the meeting as far as addressing the smog issue is concerned.
Some leaders might gain political capital out of this exercise. Maybe this is the ultimate aim--smog can wait.
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 "Arvind Kejriwal and Khattar DNA")
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