Gopal  Rai seeks emergency meet over pollution with adjoining States

Delhi Env. Min. Gopal Rai urges Union Min. Bhupender Yadav to convene joint meeting of all NCR States to control air pollution. Rai claims 69% of Delhi's pollution from external sources. Delhi BJP Pres. Virendra Sachdeva accuses AAP of failing to stop stubble burning, calls Delhi govt's actions "gimmick" & "criminal negligence".

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday urged the Centre to convene an emergency meeting with his counterparts in the States which are part of the National Capital Region (NCR) to control the rising air pollution.

Delhi and its neighbouring States see a spike in air pollution during winter, mainly due to meteorological factors and pollution from stubble burning.

In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Mr. Rai contended that 69% of Delhi’s pollution comes from sources in NCR States. “The Delhi government is taking various steps under the winter action plan to reduce pollution. But unless the factors responsible for pollution are stopped in the NCR States, all these steps taken will not be effective,” he added.

The Minister wrote that stubble burning should be stopped in the entire NCR and that the neighbouring States should implement a complete ban on firecrackers like the one in Delhi, among other measures.

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Virendra Sachdeva termed Mr. Rai’s letter a “gimmick” to divert attention from the Delhi government’s “failure” in dealing with local factors that cause pollution, like dust and drains directly flowing into the Yamuna.

Mr. Sachdeva said he was shocked to see that the Environment Minister was seeking the Centre’s intervention when the winter pollution conditions have already set in.

“AAP has failed in making its sister government in Punjab stop stubble burning, which is a major cause of Delhi’s pollution in October and November in Delhi,” he added.