Every person living in Delhi should use public transport at least one day every month or walk or cycle to one’s destination as one’s way of contribution to the efforts to reduce pollution in the national capital.

This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday at a programme organised by the Delhi government’s Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) in association with the Raahgiri Foundation to spread awareness about the air pollution crisis in the city. The one-day neighborhood ‘Raahgiri’ programme was held on the theme ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Virrudh’ in the Patparganj Vidhan Sabha constituency.

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The event, organised on a road stretch between the BSES Yamuna Power Limited office and Sarvodaya Kanya / Bal Vidyalaya, West Vinod Nagar, Patparganj, where roads and streets were completely free of vehicular traffic. Thousands of school children and people of Patparganj participated in the programme while complying with the Covid-19 norms.

The programme included activities like walking, running, cycling, skating, street games, music band, painting, dance, performing arts, yoga, aerobics and zumba.

Sisodia further said it was the people’s collective duty to reduce pollution by coming forward at an individual and community level. To make Delhi pollution free, every citizen has to take his/her share of responsibility to reduce pollution.

He suggested, “We can make our Delhi free from pollution and healthy by taking small steps like switching off engines at traffic signals and switching over to public transport.”

“There was need to work at three levels to reduce pollution in Delhi. First, it is the responsibility of the government to make rules and regulations for the prevention of pollution, make strict systems to facilitate enforcement, conduct awareness campaigns and take action against those who violate them. The Delhi government is working in these key areas. The government in collaboration with the Pusa Institute has prepared a bio-decomposer and sprayed it free of cost in the agricultural fields in Delhi. This has ensured that stubble is not burnt in Delhi anymore and is instead used as manure. The Delhi Government has also constructed a smog tower and uses smog guns to sprinkle water at various places to reduce air pollution.”

He added, “Second, industry and construction stakeholders should reduce their share of pollution. It should be considered that at a construction site, there is the least amount of dust flying. Further, smog guns should be installed on major construction sites and water should be continuously sprinkled. Industry should also move towards the latest sources of renewable energy to reduce its share of pollution.”

Sisodia continued, “Third, I appeal to the people that the citizens of Delhi need to come together to fight this ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Virrudh’. It is our collective duty to come forward and reduce pollution at an individual and community level.”