Pollution Debate: Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma Blames AAP’s “11 Years Of Inaction”

Delhi: As air pollution continues to dominate public debate in Delhi-NCR, Delhi minister Parvesh Verma launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during discussions on the issue in Parliament. Verma said the pollution crisis is the result of long-term neglect and accused the previous AAP government of failing to carry out even basic civic and environmental responsibilities over the past 11 years.

Speaking on the sidelines of the parliamentary discussion, Verma listed a series of measures that, according to him, any serious government should have completed years ago. These include clearing massive garbage dumps, repairing broken footpaths, strengthening e-waste management, cleaning the Yamuna river and ensuring regular road cleaning. He argued that had even half of these tasks been completed earlier, the current government would have been left with far less to address.

The Delhi minister claimed that the present government, which has been in office for the last nine months, has taken visible action on the ground. He said that since February 20, 2025, the Chief Minister and ministers have been actively monitoring conditions across the city and overseeing pollution-control drives firsthand. According to Verma, several programmes launched by the current administration have already shown results.

Verma stressed that air pollution is not a problem that emerged suddenly in one year, but one that has worsened gradually over many years. He accused former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of misleading the people of Delhi by promising solutions without delivering concrete action. Calling the situation unfortunate, Verma said the city is paying the price for what he described as years of missed opportunities and poor governance.