Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday urged the Centre to convene a meeting of the environment ministers of all the NCR states to discuss the growing pollution level in the national capital.
In a letter to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, Rai contended that unless sources of the pollution that lie in neighbouring states are not plugged, all the efforts to contain pollution in Delhi would go in vain.
Quoting a report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), he said 69 per cent of total pollution of the national capital originates from adjoining states, hence the need for coordination with them to control the same.
According to the environment minister, pollutants generated from inside Delhi account for only 31 per cent of the city’s total pollution.
He also gave some suggestions to be taken up for discussion at the meeting. They include:
- Only CNG- or electricity-based public transport vehicles should be allowed to enter Delhi from the NCR;
- A total ban on burning crop residue;
- NCR industries should be encouraged to use piped natural gas instead of conventional fuel;
- A complete ban on firecrackers in the entire NCR,
- Diversion of vehicles, not bound for Delhi, to eastern or western peripheral expressways.
Rai apprised the Union minister about the steps taken by the Delhi government to combat air pollution which, he claimed, resulted in a 30 per cent reduction in air pollution.
Meanwhile, Delhiites had a sigh of relief on Tuesday as the overnight rain accompanied by chilly winds gave them the much-wanted respite from the polluted environment with the Air Quality Index (AQI) improving significantly.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the average AQI in the city was recorded at 89, falling under the “Satisfactory” category, after long last.
The data is based on readings from 27 out of the 40 monitoring stations, as per the CPCB.