Delhi has seen 30 pc improvement in air quality: Gopal Rai

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) While air pollution is steadily rising across the country, the national capital has witnessed a 30 per cent improvement in its air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday.

Rai was speaking at the launch of the annual sapling plantation drive from the campus of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here.

During the drive, which usually begins during the monsoon, saplings will be planted across the Delhi to increase the city’s green cover.

“Air pollution in Delhi has reduced by 30 per cent while it has steadily increased in the rest of the country,” the minister said at the launch of the drive.

Rai also launched an online portal to allow Delhi residents to book free saplings.

“The city government is close to delivering on its promise of planting two crore saplings in the national capital in five years,” he said.

“Before the state elections, we promised to plant two crore saplings. We planted 32 lakh in 2020-21, 35 lakh in 2021-2022, 50 lakh in 2022-23 and the target for 2023-24 is 52 lakh,” the minister added.

The plantation drive will culminate on August 20 with a closing event at the Chhatrasal Stadium here.