Votes will follow if politicians give up their theatrics

The pollution level in India’s capital, Lutyens Delhi has reached its peak and people are finding it difficult to breath properly. There is no question of breathing pure air. People living in congested colonies and small houses are falling sick and suffering from lung problems. The entire city, which was three decades back considered to be a beautiful city, has turned brown with smog and has forced the government to close schools and offices.

In some parts of the city, a live air quality ranking by IQAir puts pollution levels at more than 30 times the maximum level deemed healthy. According to official figures Delhi’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) was 484, classified as “severe plus”, the highest so far this year.

The Central Pollution Control Board defines an AQI reading of 0-50 as “good”. This catastrophic situation has even led to loss of work for the construction workers as all works have been stopped and a ban on entry of heavy vehicles has been put. The air is so toxic that experts are repeatedly warning that this was resulting in a reduction of life expectancy by an average of seven years.

But the politicians are not concerned. AAP will blame BJP and BJP will blame AAP and Congress party and all three will indulge in accusing each other and make it an election issue. They never think of rising above political lines, sitting across the table along with chief ministers of neighboring states like UP, Haryana and Punjab and to find solution to the problem. This problem cannot be solved unless all these states and Centre work in unison. The political parties are forgetting that it is they who are responsible for choking Delhi and making the national capital dangerously polluted city in the country.

What is equally a cause of concern is that leaders of political parties in other states including the southern states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are not even talking about it and are not thinking on how to prevent these states from turning into another Delhi.

The Air quality index in Telangana more so in Hyderabad is also not so good. It certainly sounds like alarm bells as official figures show that they are above the normal limits and unhealthy. The opposition is in tearing hurry to pull down the ruling party, the ruling party is busy challenging the opposition saying come let’s see who decimates whom. But no one focusses attention on how to improve the quality of life of people. Bureaucracy too, which should be the eyes and ears of the political executive will never highlight such issues. There are no futuristic plans to make life and the country better.

Take for example the Musi rejuvenation issue in Hyderabad. Musi pollution is as bad if not worse as river Yamuna in Delhi. But BRS and BJP leaders are only concerned about their vote bank and the people who have constructed houses there. They are falling sick. They are suffering a lot because of pollution and worst living conditions. Their only concern about moving from that place is the investments they have made from their hard-earned money. Instead of all political parties convincing them and ensuring that they get adequate compensation and life with better infrastructure facilities, they turn it into a political and emotional issue. The future generations of Hyderabad are in danger of facing Delhi like situation. It is high time the politicians give up their theatrics and care for the future generations. Votes will follow.