'Steps to curb pollution won't be effective till NCR states check sources'

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday demanded that the Centre impose a complete ban on firecrackers and allow movement of only CNG and electric vehicles in the entire National Capital Region in a bid to curb air pollution.

Rai, in a letter to Bhupender Yadav, his counterpart at the Centre, said the Delhi government has taken numerous steps to curb air pollution during the winter season. "But these steps will not be effective until Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh deal with the sources of pollution in the NCR region."

A report by independent environment think tank Centre for Science and Environment shows that 31 per cent of Delhi's pollution comes from sources within the national capital while 69 per cent is from sources in NCR states, he said.

Rai demanded that the Centre convene an emergency meeting to discuss solutions to factors contributing to air pollution in the national capital.

The states in the National Capital Region (NCR) should impose a complete ban on firecrackers and stubble burning in the entire region and allow only CNG and electric vehicles, the Delhi minister said.

"Many industrial units in NCR states are still running on polluting fuels. They should be immediately converted to piped natural gas. The heavily polluting brick kilns running in NCR states should be asked to adopt zig-zag technology to check pollution," he said.

"Electricity should be ensured for all housing societies in NCR states to reduce dependence on diesel generators. The state governments concerned should be asked to divert non-destined vehicles from their origin point on the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways," Rai wrote in the letter.