Green Haryana is our govt’s priority

Reiterating his government’s commitment to creating a greener Haryana with pioneering initiatives to make life easier for the common man, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in an interview with Geetanjali Gayatri has asserted that the regularisation of unauthorised colonies was aimed at creating a more “inclusive state” and a comprehensive development plan.

Working to curb pollution

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We plan to convert ‘hot spots’ of air pollution into ‘green spots’. These include plantation, road-topping, regulation of industrial emissions and control of vehicular pollution. — Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister

Congratulating The Tribune on the launch of its pullout, Haryana Tribune, Khattar said the paper’s initiative would give a voice to the people it belongs to. “Dedicated to addressing civic issues within our great state of Haryana, this pullout is a testament to the commitment of fostering informed citizenship and promoting an active dialogue on matters that profoundly impact daily lives. The pullout will serve as a comprehensive resource, delving into crucial civic topics and community-driven initiatives,” he said.

The electric city bus service was recently launched in Panipat and Yamunanagar districts in the first phase to facilitate commuting and reduce vehicular traffic as well as pollution levels. How many such buses will be made available across Haryana and in which cities?

Haryana had taken the lead in introducing the city bus service in Gurugram and Faridabad. We have now launched the AC electric city bus service in Panipat and Yamunanagar, which will be extended to seven more cities — Panchkula, Ambala, Karnal, Sonipat, Rewari, Rohtak and Hisar — by June 30 this year. Gradually, this service will be extended beyond these 11 cities to all the cities of the state.

In Gurugram and Faridabad, we will be purchasing 200 electric AC buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme.

The government is working on the ‘Going green’ concept and has taken many vital steps in this respect. What is the concept and its advantages?

Ensuring quality air is our prime responsibility. With this end in view, as many as 29 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations have been established in the state. Of these, 21 are located in the NCR spanning 14 districts. We plan to convert ‘hot spots’ of air pollution into ‘green spots’ through various measures. These include plantation, road-topping, regulation of industrial emissions, control of vehicular pollution and management of C&D waste and solid waste.

A large number of unauthorised colonies have been regularised in the recent past. How many residents will benefit from this move and what other steps are being planned for their betterment?

Our government has moved decisively in the matter. Since 2014, a total of 2,101 irregular colonies have been regularised by our government. While conferring ‘legal status’ to these colonies, the initiative will also bring comprehensive infrastructure development. In the current round, we regularised 264 colonies in 17 districts with an investment of Rs 1,400 crore.

A plan to bring all cities under CCTV cameras has been chalked out. How will it be helpful for the district authorities in providing good governance and maintaining law and order?

CCTV cameras are proposed to be installed at vantage points in all the cities of the state. This will help the district administration manage traffic better, identify accident-prone areas, step up surveillance and maintain law and order. No gainsaying the fact that CCTV cameras work as a deterrent for the anti-social elements.

How will property IDs bring about transparency and resolution of issues pertaining to the ownership of land?

We conducted a survey in all 88 urban local bodies of the state. On the basis of the findings, about 47 lakh property IDs have been created. This has helped resolve long-pending land ownership issues. Clearly defined and computerised title deeds admit no fraud, enable people to till land in the rural areas, and help create a sense of satisfaction among them.      

How many Smart City projects are going on in Faridabad and Karnal districts for their overall development? What is the government focusing on?

Under the national project ‘Smart City Mission’, 45 projects costing Rs 930.04 crore have been approved and are in progress in Faridabad, while 107 projects costing Rs 930 crore are being carried out in Karnal. A ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ has been formed for Faridabad and Karnal cities. An amount of Rs 784 crore has been released for Faridabad and Rs 686 crore for Karnal.

Sanitation has been the priority of the state government. Various agencies are involved in the exercise. Where do you see Haryana in the coming years?

On the sanitation front, Haryana has made rapid strides. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, 66,462 individual, 4,086 community and 6,872 public toilets have been constructed in different cities of the state. A total of 17 urban local bodies have been certified as open defecation free (ODF). Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, a total of 7, 75, 810 individual toilets and 5, 961 community sanitation complexes have been constructed in the villages. Notably, Haryana was declared ODF in October 2017.

The government introduced direct elections to mayors in municipal corporations of Haryana. How has this improved the working of the civic bodies?

The decision to introduce direct election to mayors of civic body flows from our avowed policy of decentralisation. We firmly believe that real democracy means powers resting in the hands of people. They should have a say in matters that concern their lives and have powers to decide where and how the money should be spent. With this end in view, we have transferred powers to all local bodies, including municipal councils.

Traffic signals are being installed, roads are being widened and overbridges are being built to decongest the cities. What are the other initiatives of the government to improve the life of the common man?

We have taken concrete steps to take care of the marginalised sections of society. As many as 1,153 permanent/ temporary night/ porta cabins/ pre-fabricated shelters have been set up to house 3,263 urban homeless people per day in various cities. Local bodies have been divided into 13 clusters to ensure integrated solid waste management.