New Delhi [India], September 28 : The Delhi government has made a multi-point winter action plan that includes 14-point guidelines to curb air pollution in the national capital during winter, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Saturday.
Rai told ANI that there are three major factors contributing to an increase in pollution during winters; dust pollution, vehicle pollution and biomass burning.
"To control the pollution in Delhi during winter, a multi-point winter action plan has been made by the Delhi government. There are three major factors in the pollution that occurs in winter, first is dust pollution, second is vehicle pollution, and the third is biomass burning- the fire and smoke from different places," the Delhi Minister said.
"Focusing on these, today we have presented before the people of Delhi the action plan that the government has made to control the pollution in Delhi. 14-point guidelines have been made which mainly include putting up high walls around construction sites, using green nets, setting up anti-smog guns there, washing vehicles that come and go, sprinkling water on dusty areas, covering debris," he added.
Further, speaking on the issue of stubble burning in Punjab, the Delhi Environment Minister said that the plan for Punjab cannot be prepared in Delhi and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government is working on its own plan to reduce the stubble burning issue in the state.
"Punjab's plan cannot be made in Delhi. Delhi's plan is made for Delhi, so we are spraying Bio-decomposer for the stubble produced in Delhi. The Punjab government is making its own plan to reduce stubble in Punjab. In the last two years, a lot of positive results have come there. Incidents of stubble burning have reduced by more than 50 per cent and we hope that this time too Punjab will work more on it. It is not just about Punjab. Be it Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, there is a need to work more actively for this in all places," Gopal Rai said.
He also emphasized that the central government needs to be active in this so that everyone together can be successful in reducing this pollution.
"Every time before the pollution in winter, the central government used to hold a joint meeting of environment ministers. This time it has not been called yet, it is our request that the minister-level meeting be called soon so that everyone can be aware of the preparations going on," Rai added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Gopal Rai said in a press conference that this year's winter action plan's theme is 'Milkar chalein aur pradushan se ladein.'
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Gurbachan Singh Chhaba on Friday suggested the government should come up with a permanent solution to the stubble-burning issue and said that no farmer wants to burn stubble but they are helpless.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Dr Adarsh Pal Vig said that from September 15-25, 93 incidents of stubble burning have been reported in the state, adding that in the last two years, there has been a drastic reduction in stubble burning incidents.
The Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) said that the collective effort of farmers, industry, the energy department, the agriculture department, and the public are working together towards it.
Punjab Minister Balbir Singh said that the state government has enough equipment to fight against the stubble burning and urged the farmers to come and meet them if they have any issues.
"Stubble burning first affects the person burning it, his family members, and people of his village because all of these people are inhaling it directly...It can cause problems like coughing, chronic bronchitis, and eyes burning. It also affects pregnant women and children. Ecology is also affected, and birds and animals die. Invisible and friendly bacteria are killed...This is a collective responsibility. We have enough equipment, and a lot of NGOs are collaborating with us...I request the farmers to come and meet us if they have any issues," Singh said.