Delhi's 'Winter Action Plan' to combat pollution to be ready by Sept 30: Min Gopal Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said that the National Capital's 'Winter Action Plan' to combat pollution will be ready by September 30. This latest development comes after Gopal Rai chaired a high-level meeting of the Delhi pollution control committee. During the meeting environment and forest department of the National Capital said that this plan will focus on 10 points, including stubble burning, pollution hotspots, working of smog tower nd vehicular and dust pollution. 

Stating that a review meeting will be held with all departments concerned, including the municipal corporations on September 14, the Delhi Environment Minister said that municipal corporations, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Traffic Police, National Highways Authority of India and Central Public Works Department on September 14 will give suggestions during the meeting to prepare the plan. 

Gopal Rai said, "As part of the plan, a team of officers will be set up to have talks with neighbouring states to jointly fight pollution, the Delhi environment minister said.  Iwill call upon the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management next week to talk about stubble burning and related issues, such as using Pusa bio-decomposer -- a microbial solution for fermenting stubble into manure."

Delhi seeks Joint Action Plan with its neighbouring States: Minister Gopal Rai

Earlier on Tuesday, Gopal Rai had sought the creation of a joint action plan by Delhi and its neighbouring states to combat high levels of air pollution in the winter season. He had also called upon Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to implement the measures the National Capital had taken last year to prevent worsening of air quality. 

"Last year, we launched the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign to minimise vehicular pollution... set up a 'Green War Room' to monitor and coordinate anti-pollution efforts. We also conducted an anti-dust campaign which can be replicated in NCR areas of other states," he had added. Gopal Rai had also metioned that last year, Delhi had experimented with Pusa bio decomposer, which is a microbial solution, used for fermenting stubble into manure. It had yielded good results, he added. 

Image: PTI, ANI