Arvind Kejriwal announces campaign to Combat Pollution; to launch 'Green Delhi App'

In a bid to reduce pollution levels in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a campaign - "Yudh Pradushan Ke Virudh". This development comes as the air quality in various parts of Delhi has started deteriorating. According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data on Saturday, Rohini and Jahangirpuri areas of Delhi recorded Air Quality Index of 206 and 230, that fall into a 'poor' category.

Kejriwal further announced that a photo-based complaint lodging App will be launched take action against pollution activities notified by citizens.

"A 'Green Delhi App' is being developed which will be launched before the end of this month. It will be a photo-based complaint lodging application to take action against and redress specific pollution activities which are notified by the citizens of Delhi," Kejriwal said.

Furthermore, the CM apprised about us of technology developed by the Pusa Agriculture Institute to deal with the issue of stubble burning. He also said that a new 'anti-dust campaign' and a new policy will be brought, under which any agency that cuts down trees will have to plant 80 per cent of them at a new spot.

"From today, we are starting a campaign against pollution, "Yudh Pradushan Ke Virudh" to reduce pollution levels in the national capital. As part of the campaign, we'll be using a technology developed by Pusa Agriculture Institute, to curb the menace of stubble burning. Also, as a pollution control measure, an anti-dust campaign is being initiated by Delhi Government to settle dust, especially at construction sites," he added.

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Delhi CM's letter to Javadekar 

Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had written to Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Prakash Javadekar over the issue of stubble burning. Apprising the Union Minister of the yearly issue, Kejriwal informed that the Indian Agricultural Research Institue (IARI) scientists have developed a solution to tackle pollution caused by stubble burning. The Delhi CM added that scientists have developed a chemical which when sprayed on stubble will be converted to compost. 

"The scientists are saying that the germs in-ground die due to the burning of stubble. Due to which the land is deprived of its crop-growing abilities. But if the mentioned chemical is used then the stubble can be converted into a compost which can then be used as a fertilizer and the land will be rich of nutrients," Kejriwal wrote in his letter to Javadekar. 

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(with inputs from ANI)