Environment Minister holds meet on Winter Action Plan against air pollution

Photo: Delhi's Forest and Environment Minister Gopal Rai (X/@AapKaGopalRai)


Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday held a high-level meeting with the Environment Department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee officials to prepare a winter action plan against air pollution in the national capital.

The minister said the Delhi government has started preparing a winter action plan against pollution, and this year it is based on 14 focus points such as vehicular and dust pollution, hotspots, stubble and garbage burning and others.

Along with this, a joint action plan will be prepared on the focus points by holding a meeting with all the 33 departments concerned on September 5, Rai added.

Giving information about some of the major decisions taken to prepare the winter action plan, the senior AAP leader said that the Kejriwal government has started the process of preparing a winter action plan for Delhiites against the problem of pollution in winter, and Friday’s review meeting with senior officials of Environment Department, DPCC many important suggestions were received, in which mainly 14 focus points have been identified on which the government will work in the coming days.

The 14 focus points include Dust Pollution, Pollution Caused by Vehicles, Stubble burning, open garbage burning, industrial pollution, Green War Room and Green App, Hotspots, Real Time Source Apportionment Study, Increasing Green Area/Tree Plantation, E-Waste Eco Park, Promotion Of Public Participation, Firecrackers, Dialogue with the Central government and neighbouring states and implementation of the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan).

The minister said the work would be done keeping these points in mind and all steps will be taken to mitigate pollution.

Rai said there are several major agencies working inside Delhi which have different roles. A joint meeting with all 33 departments will be held on September 5, and senior officials from the MCD, NDMC, Cantonment Board, DDA, CPWD, PWD, Traffic Police, Transport Department, Environment Department, DPCC and Development Department will attend this meeting.

“The main objective of this meeting is to prepare a joint action plan against pollution in Delhi. In the meeting to be held on September 5, different departments will be assigned specific tasks based on the 14 focus points set under the Winter Action Plan. Along with this, the proper implementation of GRAP in Delhi will also be discussed,” he added.