In a rare public criticism of the Bengal government, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Calcutta, Simon Wilson, expressed dismay at West Bengal government’s apathy towards air pollution and lack of coordination in implementing environmental programs in the state.
He said that It is difficult to fathom how 30,000 illegal auto-rickshaws run in a metropolitan city when most of those had been ousted from other cities that went in for green fuel like CNG.
He said the polluting vehicles were dumped in Kolkata and when the Calcutta High Court issued the order, the administration was unable to implement it on time.
Gautam Gupta has more on the story.