Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday wrote to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, urging him to call a meeting of Environment Ministers of States in the NCR in view of the “serious situation” caused by pollution. Mr. Rai said the Government is doing everything in its capacity to curb the pollution level, but joint efforts are needed to have a greater impact.
The city’s air quality on Friday improved to the “very poor” category from the “severe” level a day earlier. The AQI at 4 p.m., which is an average reading of 37 stations, was 346.
The forecast shows that the AQI is likely to remain in the “very poor” category on December 4 and 5, with the winds likely to be relatively stronger thereafter with a possibility of rain on December 6, which is favourable for dispersion/removal of pollutants.
Mr. Rai said that Delhi’s internal pollution is largely under control due to several measures but there is an urgent need for the Centre’s and other State Governments’ involvement to control the remaining 69% of pollution, which is external, contributing to Delhi’s poor air quality.
“A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment on the basis of data presented by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology says that Delhi’s internal pollution accounts for 31% of the total pollution in the city, while 69% is sourced from outside the city, of the NCR region. Hence, despite all our efforts to check the internal pollution, the overall pollution level is still evident,” Mr. Rai said.
The Minister said that in his letter to the Union Minister for Environment, he also requested him to create a joint action plan with the Environment Departments and Ministers of various States so that the level of pollution can be reduced.
