Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called a high-level meeting on Monday on the increasing pollution in the national capital. This is an important meeting after CAQM implemented GRAP 4 in Delhi-NCR. In this meeting, several decisions were taken on everything from odd-even to work from home in Delhi to tackle increasing air pollution in the UT. Delhi Environment Minister and officials of all concerned departments attended this meeting.
The odd-even will be imposes from November 13 to 20.
At the same time, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party said only Delhi and Punjab governments are taking steps regarding pollution and Haryana is not serious about this.
AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said in a press conference that Arvind Kejriwal is the only leader who takes short-term and long-term measures regarding pollution.
Kakkar claimed that there has been a 31 per cent decline in pollution in Delhi and the Center also accepted this. CAQM reports that there has been a 52-67 per cent reduction in stubble burning in Punjab, she added saying the stubble burning in Punjab is about 500 km away from here and the stubble burning in Haryana is 100 km away.
She asked what steps has been taken by the Haryana government regarding stubble burning. There is news that the Haryana government is considering purchasing 100 EV buses.
“Till now the buses are running on polluted fuel. Haryana’s industries, which are mostly in NCR, are also running on polluted fuel. People are using generators even in their homes. Haryana is getting full support from the Center yet this is the situation,” the AAP leader said.
Kakkar further said that while the green cover in Delhi is the highest in the country at 23 percent, it is only 3.6 percent in Haryana. This is when Haryana is getting full funds from the Centre, which Delhi and Punjab do not get.
Air quality still ‘severe’ with AQI at 436
Delhi-NCR air pollution remained as a concern for the authority as a toxic haze blankets was seen on Monday morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) 436 at 8 am.