Gopal Rai seeks time to prepare plan to fight air pollution in Delhi

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday wrote to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, seeking time to discuss and prepare a joint action plan to fight air pollution in the national capital in winter.

The Delhi government is committed to providing clean air to people and is working on short-term and long-term measures. These measures are being implemented through action plans for summers and winters, he said.

Rai said the Delhi government's efforts have led to an increase in the number of "satisfactory" (AQ1 51 to 100) and "moderate" (AQI 101 to 200) air quality days.

He said like the last two years, the Delhi government has prepared a winter action plan to fight air pollution.

"We request you to give us time to prepare a plan to save Delhi from the possible danger of air pollution in the coming months," he wrote in the letter to Yadav, who is the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Last year also, Rai wrote several letters to Yadav, calling for emergency meetings to discuss the air pollution issue but did not receive any reply.

Delhi's winter action plan focuses on stubble management, dust pollution, vehicular emission, open burning of garbage, industrial pollution, green war room and green Delhi application, pollution hotspots, real-time apportionment study, smog tower, e-waste parks, plantation, eco-farming, public participation, firecrackers and joint action with neighbouring states.

The city government has also re-imposed a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers, including on Diwali, till January 1, a practice it has been following for the last two years.