Delhi Environment Minister Meets Citizens to Address Worsening Air Pollution Crisis

Delhi's Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa welcomed concerned citizens to a significant meeting at the Delhi Secretariat on Wednesday, marking the first official dialogue with anti-pollution protesters after weeks of street demonstrations.

The minister specifically invited residents who have been actively working on pollution issues, stating: "We invited residents who actively work to keep the city clean and improve the air. We heard their suggestions and tried to understand what practical steps can be taken."

During the discussion, Sirsa openly acknowledged existing gaps in the government's approach, admitting that "proper enforcement and coordination are still lacking" and that many environmental regulations remain unimplemented on the ground. He requested citizen assistance in monitoring violations, particularly focusing on construction dust and open burning incidents.

Environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari, a key participant in the citizen-led movement comprising mothers and students, expressed appreciation for the minister's outreach. "We appreciate that the minister reached out to mothers, citizens and students... and acknowledged that the same polluted air affecting us is affecting his own and everyone who is breathing," she told media representatives.

Kandhari emphasized that the protesters are ordinary citizens rather than professional activists: "We are different from civil society organisations. As ordinary citizens, we live the ground realities every day and can be a source of strength and insight for policymaking and enforcement." She also noted the historical pattern of "decades of meetings and roundtables yielding little or no results," while expressing willingness to engage "for the sake of all our children."

The citizen representatives highlighted several persistent issues including unchecked open burning, widespread bylaw violations, and poor coordination between government agencies. Their suggestions included strengthening citizen participation mechanisms, enhancing grievance reporting through the Sameer and Green Delhi applications, expanding volunteer networks, promoting carpooling, and launching sustained public awareness campaigns.

Government officials responded that many of these concerns "are being examined for solutions" and committed to incorporating citizen-driven reporting and third-party monitoring into their action plans. They also detailed current mitigation measures, including increased deployment of Mechanical Road Sweepers, more litter pickers and Anti-Smog Guns, daily water spraying, and mechanical street cleaning in high-dust zones.

The minister further mentioned ongoing enforcement against construction and demolition waste violations and continued efforts to prevent biomass and open waste burning, which officials identified as a significant contributor to winter pollution. Plans to procure additional sweepers and anti-smog equipment were also discussed.

While specific timelines and detailed implementation plans weren't provided, protesters considered the meeting a positive initial step. As one attendee remarked afterward: "The government finally called us inside. Now we'll see if they actually step outside and fix what's happening on the ground."