New Delhi [India]: As the national capital battles ever-increasing pollution during the festival season, Delhi Environment minister Gopal Rai said on Monday that the government will be kicking off the ‘Diya Jalao’ campaign today evening, as there is a possibility of increased pollution in the city in the next 15 days.
As per environment experts, due to change in weather there is a possibility of a rise in air pollution in the coming 15 days. Looking at this, our focus is on how to control the burning of firecrackers on Diwali. To control pollution, we are starting the ‘Diya Jalao’ campaign to today evening,” he told media.
He further said that the government is making arrangements that vehicles only passing through Delhi do not have to enter the city.
“PM 2.5 is increasing in the air, effects of stubble burning are now increasing now….We are making arrangements that vehicles going to Punjab, Haryana do not enter Delhi…If BJP govts (at the Centre and in Haryana and UP) will only raise questions, then who will work?” he added.
Moreover, Rai has also written to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, urging him to take stringent action against violations of the firecracker ban in the national capital.
“It has been brought to my notice that despite the ban, firecrackers are being openly sold in various markets of Delhi. These firecrackers are being brought through various borders connecting Delhi to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,” read the letter.
With the intent of curbing pollution, Minister Gopal Rai on October 14 had announced production, storage, distribution, and use of firecrackers in the city until January 1.
He further raised the issue of stubble burning, highlighting certain cases in Haryana.
“Few incidents of it (stubble burning) from Narela-Haryana border came to light a week ago, action is being taken. Bio-decomposer is being used for stubble in Delhi,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, several incidents of stubble burning were seen in some parts of Haryana and Punjab despite the Supreme Court’s criticism against both state governments for their failure to take sufficient action against the issue.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded 328, categorised as ‘Very Poor.’