Trinamool Councillor grills Kolkata Mayor's council member over city's air pollution crisis

In the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's monthly session, a tense exchange unfolded between Trinamool Congress Councillor Bishwaroop De and Swapan Samaddar, the Mayor-in-Council member responsible for the Environment Department. De raised a question regarding Kolkata's air quality, specifically questioning the city's ranking in the global air pollution index. He directly asked whether the municipal corporation was failing to adequately address the growing issue of air pollution in the city, which has become a significant public concern in recent years.

Samaddar, who was tasked with responding, focused on detailing the department’s broader environmental initiatives, such as the protection of wetlands and other conservation efforts. However, he did not directly address the specific concern about air pollution, instead shifting to topics such as meetings and discussions related to environmental policies. This approach did not sit well with De, who pressed for a clear and direct answer regarding the municipal corporation’s efforts to tackle air pollution.

The situation escalated when De climbed onto his desk, emphasizing that he was representing the concerns of the people. He reiterated that the issue of air pollution was urgent and needed immediate attention, insisting that the municipal authorities clarify what steps had been taken to address the issue. De continued to challenge Samaddar, questioning why Kolkata was ranked poorly in global air pollution indices and why there seemed to be no significant improvements in air quality despite numerous assurances from the municipal corporation.

Amid this exchange, Mayor Firhad Hakim intervened to manage the situation. Hakim attempted to deflect the conversation by offering his own responses, but De remained steadfast, continuing to press for answers on why Kolkata’s air pollution levels had not improved. De's insistence underscored the growing public frustration with the lack of visible results from the municipal government’s environmental policies, especially in light of Kolkata's deteriorating air quality.