Who says Delhi is liveable?

Who says Delhi is liveable?

Second Opinion: Sanjog Maheshwari Delhi is the most liveable city in India", proclaimed a recent survey. The findings are a reason for both elation and surprise. Elation, because any Delhiite would be proud to find his city's name at the top. It's surprising because the survey has called the city most liveable, irrespective of the fact that here people get killed with striking regularity for no fault of theirs. A case in point is the accidental death of hundreds of people under the murderous Blueline buses.

The uncontrolled sale of synthetic milk and milk products, adulterated food, spurious drugs, carbide-injected vegetables and fruits are other inalienable parts of a Delhiite's life. Interestingly, all this adulterated stuff and other basic necessities of life come at exorbitant prices.

Though the pollution level in the city has fallen after the introduction of CNG buses and measures taken by the Supreme Court, the remaining pollutants are enough to cause allergy to even non-asthmatic citizens. Besides the concentration of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, etc, Delhi's atmosphere is also filled with pesticides. A UNEP study has found heavy concentration of non-biodegradable endo-sulphans in its atmosphere. These are extensively used in pesticides sprayed by cash-rich farmers in the agricultural belt around Delhi. Their high concentration may cause cancer.

As for water pollution, Yamuna -- catering about 70 per cent of the drinking water requirements of the city -- has been turned into a big drain. All Delhiites know that hundreds of sewage canals empty into the river.

One can learn to cope up with pollution, but heinous crimes like rape, molestation, murder, loot, robbery and petty crimes like chain snatching, eve-teasing, which are being committed with impunity, add to the insecurity of the people. As if that were not enough, Delhi's infrastructure is under tremendous strain, thanks to haphazard growth, ever-increasing population and the influx of hordes of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

It is said that there are three types of lies: Black lie, white lie and statistics. Researchers and the authors of the report declaring Delhi as the most 'liveable' city in the country seem to have relied too much on statistics