Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, while speaking on the issue of air pollution, said on Friday that the entire northern region is experiencing the problem besides the national capital, and has sought centre’s intervention to help manage the situation.

Rai stressed on the fact that the issue cannot be resolved only if Delhi becomes active, as the problem was affecting entire north India, further requesting the Central government to intervene.

Expressing hope, Rai said, if similar measures will be taken in all states across north India, the impact will be visible in Delhi.”

The Minister also requested Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to conduct a meeting of the concerned environment ministers
of the northern states in view of the problem, as he spoke to the media on Friday over the issue.

Rai further said he checked the pollution levels across places in the northern states this morning and found that several districts in the adjoining NCR states are reeling under severe and very poor air categories, including UP, Haryana and rajasthan.

In Haryana, 12 districts are facing spiked air pollution, while there are 14 districts in Rajasthan and several districts, especially in Western Uttar Pradesh also battling a similar bad air situation, the minister said.

Rai stressed on the fact that the issue cannot be resolved only if Delhi becomes active, as the problem was affecting entire north India, further requesting the central government to intervene.

Expressing hope, Rai said that if similar measures will be taken in all states across north India, the impact will be visible in Delhi.

He mentioned about the six member special task force formed by the Delhi government on Thursday aimed towards strict implementation of Graded Response Action Plan(GRAP)- IV measures and its monitoring.

The in-charge of the task force is the Special Secretary Environment. He said that the Delhi government is seriously and strictly implementing the GRAP as well as measures under the
winter action plan to curb the pollutants in Delhi in a bid to make the situation better.

Earlier, in the week, Rai had said that the government could consider decisions on the odd- even scheme and artificial rain if the air quality hits the ‘severe plus’ mark in the national capital.

Meanwhile, the Environment Minister had said that wind speed is likely to remain low for the coming day, as a result of which the pollution will likely remain stagnant.