To check air pollution in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR), Manohar Lal Khattar-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi headed by Arvind Kejriwal have reached a consensus.

After an hour-long meeting chaired by the two Chief Ministers (CMs) at Haryana CM residence here, the duo told the media persons that all the necessary steps would be taken by both governments in future to check the quality of air worsening in Delhi and NCR.

For smooth coordination between the two states on the issue, the Haryana government has also deputed Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies Department, Anand Mohan Sharan as nodal officer.

Haryana CM Khattar said that issues pertaining to residue burning and vehicular pollution were discussed in the joint meeting in which Environment Ministers and senior officials from both of the state also participated.

He said that both of the state have agreed upon the need for action on many measures aimed at preventing re-occurrence of heavy smog in the winter of 2018.

Khattar said, “Air pollution is a common concern for Delhi and northern states. Healthy discussion took place at nearly 8-9 points including pollution due to stubble burning and traffic. Emphasis was laid upon banning old diesel vehicles and introducing vehicles running on CNG. Diversion of traffic to avoid traffic pollution in Delhi was also discussed in the meeting.”

“Both, Haryana and Delhi look forward to covering other sources of air and water pollution in future discussions. We also resolve to put in sustained efforts in pursuance of the jointly identified action points in the coming days, weeks and months”, he said.

Arvind Kejriwal said, “The state could have own territorial jurisdictions but the air and water have no jurisdictions. Air pollution in Delhi and NCR is a common concern. During the meeting, both of the governments have agreed to take every step needed to check the said menace.”

A senior Haryana official told that during the meeting Delhi Environment Secretary Keshav Chandra also revealed that apart from stubble burning, one of key reason identified behind the severe air pollution last month in the national capital was dust storm in the Middle East.

The official also told The Statesman, that during the joint meeting, Haryana government also raised the issue pertaining to polluted Yamuna River water with the Delhi government.

From Haryana, the River Yamuna water enters in Delhi and thereafter it re-enters in Haryana’s Faridabad and Palwal districts with a worst quality. For this, the Delhi government said that it was mulling over setting up of micro-sewage treatment plants (STPs) for the solution of the said problem, the official added.

Notably, Kejriwal had written letters to the chief Ministers of Haryana and Punjab seeking meeting with them to discuss measures to bring down the air pollution. Though, Khattar okayed Kejriwal’s proposal for meeting but Punjab CM Captain Amarinder refused to meet saying that Kejriwal was trying to politicise the issue.

Earlier, on Kejriwal’s arrival at airport in Chandigarh, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress workers from Punjab showed him black flags.The protesters also raised slogans against Kejriwal demanding the resignation of AAP MLA and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Sukhpal Singh Khaira.According to the protestors, Khaira was summoned by a court in a drug case and Kejriwal was not demanding the resignation of Khaira despite the AAP supremo had alled Punjab’s youth as drug addicts.