Delhi AQI - Shashi Tharoor sparked an online debate, and several users suggested moving India's capital from New Delhi to a southern city, such as Chennai or Hyderabad. Indonesia has passed legislation that will allow it to move its capital city from Jakarta in 2022.
Shashi Tharoor , a Congress MP from the national capital of India, asked "Is Delhi still a fit place to be India's capital?" as pollution levels soared on Tuesday. The Thiruvananthapuram Mp's post on X sparked a social media debate, with many users suggesting a move to one of the Southern cities such as Chennai or Hyderabad where the air is cleaner.
A move of this kind is not unprecedented. Indonesia adopted legislation in 2022 to move its capital, Jakarta, from Nusantara, a city notorious for poor air quality. This was due to environmental concerns and climate change. The construction of the new capital, located about 1,000 km away from Jakarta, will not be completed until 2045.
The government of President Joko Widodo has estimated that this will cost $35 billion, or Rs. 2.905 lakh crore. Nusantara is also expected to host up to 1.9 millions people by 2045.
WHY IS lNDONESIA SHIFTING ITS CAPITAL?
Jakarta, a city of about 10,000,000 people, is also plagued with deteriorating air quality. Air quality in Jakarta remains "very unhealthy" from May to August. Hospitals are flooded with acute respiratory infections. In 2023, over a lakh cases of acute respiratory infections were reported each month. In a Jakarta Post article, the report linked high levels of pollution to stunted babies and infant deaths.
Jakarta is consistently among the top 10 polluted cities in the world since May. The President's coughing during public events has also attracted attention.
Jakarta's rapid sinking is the main reason for the decision to move the capital. Jakarta, Indonesia is under threat from rising sea levels as well as land subsidence due to uncontrolled groundwater extraction.
If the current trend continues, one third of Jakarta may be submerged in 2050. Many commercial and residential areas in Jakarta's north, particularly, have been devastated by flooding.
WHAT THE NEW CAPITAL WILL LOOK LIKE?
It will be much easier to create a new capital than it is to build government buildings and houses. The Indonesian government decided to relocate more than 1.5 million civil servants in the beginning, as part of this massive task.
AP quoted Bambang Sutantono, Nusantara's National Capital Authority, as saying that the "forest-city" concept is being used to build the new capital. 65% of its area has been reforested.
Nusantara, meanwhile, will use 100% renewable energy. The government has stressed that a new city will have an easier time adopting green energy.
By 2045, the 100th anniversary of the United States, construction should be complete.
Climate activists have criticized the government for the negative impact on Borneo. Borneo is known for its beaches, rainforest and a variety of wildlife. Experts also warned that residents in rural areas of Jakarta, who lack the means to relocate, would be the most affected.
What did Shashi Tharaor say about the Delhi riots?
In a scathing post on X Tharoor claimed that Delhi was "uninhabitable", from November to the end of January. This is when pollution levels are at their highest due to a combination of vehicle emissions and crop residues burning in neighboring states.
Tharoor tweeted that Delhi was the most polluted place in the world. The AQI index hovered at around 490 on Tuesday.
This city is uninhabitable between November and January, and barely livable for the rest of year. Should it remain the capital of the country? He continued to say.
Tharoor was appointed just days before the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi where MPs will be converged from all over the country.
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