“Pollution levels may increase due to stubble burning in neighbouring states”: Delhi Minister Gopal Rai

New Delhi [India], October 23 (ANI): Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday expressed concerns over the rising pollution in the national capital. He said that the winds are moving in the northwest direction which could increase the pollution levels in the national capital territory (NCT) due to stubble burning in neighbouring states.

Rai said that he is going to write a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav for the third time to request for a meeting so that the air pollution can be controlled.

“As per the information given by the Meteorological department, the winds are now moving in the northwest direction. The effect of stubble burning from Haryana and Punjab will be more visible in Delhi. We have put all our departments on alert mode given the increase in pollution levels. I am going to write a letter to the Union Environment Minister for the third time urging him to call a meeting. The research conducted by IIT Kanpur regarding artificial rain should be taken forward to resolve the pollution crisis. All the formalities should be fulfilled. Yesterday, I had also written to Transport Ministers of neighbouring states to not send diesel vehicles in Delhi till the weather is unfavourable,” Gopal Rai said.

Rai said that he had written to the Union Environment Minister one and a half month ago as well, asking him to call the meeting so that relevant measures could be implemented in Delhi also. “If we do not conduct the meeting now, we will not be able to experiment (with the artificial rain) this time also,” he informed.

“We are seeing BS-3, and BS-4 vehicles entering Delhi. Many legal and illegal vehicles are coming in. The neighbouring governments will have to do something about it. In Delhi, the gap in the frequency of buses is 15 minutes. We have asked to reduce it,” he said.

Speaking on stubble burning in Punjab, Rai said that there were 3,559 incidences of stubble burning in the state in 2022. However, the incidents recorded for stubble burning this time are 1,400.

“It is in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana that the stubble burning incidents have increased. Punjab has been able to limit stubble burning incidents. I request Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to monitor and reduce such incidents,” said Rai while taking a dig at BJP for trying to run a campaign to increase pollution.

Reacting to the statement given by the Lieutenant Governor over the increasing pollution in Delhi, the Delhi environment minister said that the BJP has a mission to increase pollution and blame Kejriwal. He also said that BJP should not do politics by playing with the lives of people.

“BJP has a mission to increase pollution and blame Kejriwal. They should avoid doing this. One should not indulge in politics by playing with people’s lives. Like our Punjab government, the BJP government can also stop incidents of stubble burning. Pollution won’t be controlled like this,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Gopal Rai wrote a letter to the transport ministers of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, requesting them to halt the entry of diesel buses from these states into the national capital.

“I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the increasing air pollution levels in Delhi with the onset of the current winter season. One major component of this air pollution is vehicular emissions largely attributed to the significant number of diesel buses entering the city from Uttar Pradesh. The impact of diesel emissions on air quality is well established, and the large influx of such buses significantly contributes to the degradation of air quality in Delhi, posing serious health risks to the residents,” Gopal Rai stated in the letter.

He further said that Diesel buses emit a considerable amount of harmful pollutants responsible for respiratory diseases and other health issues.