Minister seeks positive suggestions from BJP, Cong to tackle pollution

Delhi's Environment minister, Gopal Rai, has reached out to the presidents of Delhi's BJP and Congress parties with a request for constructive suggestions to enhance the Winter Action Plan aimed at reducing air pollution in the city.

In a letter to the party leaders, Rai highlighted the collaborative efforts needed to address Delhi's pollution challenges and invited them to contribute ideas for the upcoming plan.

In his communication, Rai emphasised that the Winter Action Plan will focus on three primary areas, actions by the Delhi government, cooperation with neighbouring states, and collaboration with the Central government. He stressed that reducing pollution requires a collective effort, not opposition. "Pollution can be reduced only with everyone's cooperation, not by opposition," Rai stated.

The Environment minister's letter provided an overview of the current pollution scenario in Delhi, referencing a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). According to the report, only 31 per cent of the pollution in Delhi is attributed to local sources, while the remainder originates from neighbouring states in the National Capital Region (NCR). Rai underscored this point to highlight the importance of a coordinated approach across jurisdictions.