Red light on, Gaadi off: Delhi L-G returns file on AAP’s anti-pollution campaign

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New Delhi, October 29

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has sent the file pertaining to the “Red light on, gaadi off” campaign to the Chief Minister, advising him to reconsider the proposal in light of his observations.

Meanwhile, hundreds of AAP protesters gathered outside the LG’s residence demanding approval for the campaign.

“Red light on, gaadi off” campaign was initiated by the Delhi Government to tackle vehicular pollution in the city. It was not approved by the LG, following which the AAP came out openly against him.

The campaign will urge individuals to turn off the vehicle’s ignition at traffic junctions as they wait for the signal to turn green.

Terming the use of Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) at extremely polluted traffic intersections and sites as inhuman and exploitative, the LG, as per sources, stated “the basic premise of the campaign which seeks to risk the health of few individuals on the assumption of protecting the health of many is faulty and does not appear to have any parallel in any other civilised metropolitan city”.

According to sources, the L-G said that any effective and sustainable solution would involve technological interventions and not ad-hoc steps year after year. In the long run, technological solutions need to be found for enforcement of such measures, rather than deploying humans and putting them at risk.

Underlining the legal tenability of the proposal, the L-G has also instructed the government to examine it in consultation with the Law Department and Revenue Department.

Meanwhile, AAP workers gathered outside the L-G’s residence on Saturday demanding approval for the withheld project. AAP MLA Dilip Pandey claimed that the L-G would have to pass the file of the ‘Red light on, gaadi off’ campaign or else lakhs of people would protest against him.

“What enmity does the country’s most publicity hungry man, the Delhi LG, have with the lives and health of Delhiites? He does nothing but media stunts. The Delhi Government is making lot of efforts to improve the condition of the capital. One of them is the ‘Red light on, gaadi off’ campaign.” he said.