Delhi’s Environment Minister Convenes Emergency Meeting as Air Pollution Worsens

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Gopal Rai

New Delhi: On Thursday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai instructed officials to take immediate measures at 13 pollution hotspots across the city, focusing particularly on Anand Vihar due to rising pollution levels.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader has also scheduled an emergency meeting at the Delhi Secretariat tomorrow to launch a special campaign targeting these areas, according to a statement from the minister’s office.

With winter approaching and growing concerns over deteriorating air quality, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi held a high-level meeting on Wednesday with key officials to address the escalating pollution crisis.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai, alongside other AAP leaders, participated in the meeting.

Officials assessed the pollution levels and planned immediate steps to address the issue during the discussion.

The Delhi CM directed that all essential actions be taken to curb pollution this winter and called on the people of Delhi to support the government’s efforts in reducing pollution.

On Wednesday, Gopal Rai announced the implementation of Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR to combat rising air pollution.

This action followed the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 200 in the national capital.

He outlined the current measures in place: “Roads must be mechanically swept and water sprinkling should occur, with anti-smog guns deployed at major intersections. Waste burning is strictly prohibited. Traffic jams need to be managed, and diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are banned.”

To address rising pollution in Delhi during winter, the Environment Minister announced an intensified anti-dust campaign across the city.

“During the winter in Delhi, still air, the absence of rain, and lower temperatures contribute to higher pollution levels,” he noted.

Since the campaign’s launch on October 7, surprise inspections have revealed that numerous construction sites are failing to follow regulations, causing dust pollution.

The minister raised concerns about the recent deterioration in air quality. “According to the weather department’s forecast, temperatures are expected to decrease significantly soon. As temperatures drop, pollution particles in the atmosphere will settle closer to the ground,” Rai explained.

He underscored the importance of targeting pollution sources to combat this issue, such as dust, vehicle emissions, and biomass burning.

“There is definitely one strategy: we need to focus on minimizing these sources. In this regard, the government is putting 11 measures into action, and in critical situations, we will also consider emergency measures,” Rai mentioned.

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