As part of its planning for action plan to deal with the pollution ahead of the winter, when air quality deteriorates due to a combination of calm winds, low temperatures, fog, and stubble burning, the Delhi government will consult with 24 organisations and environmental experts on Tuesday.
Ban on firecrackers
Gopal Rai, the environment minister, declared on Monday that the ban on the usage, sale, production, and setting off of firecrackers during Diwali will remain in effect and that ideas from experts will be incorporated into the plan. Due to the illegal use of firecrackers during Diwali, pollution levels typically increase.
“The Delhi government has begun drafting the winter pollution action plan…,” stated Rai. He noted that the meetings on Tuesday will feature 24 groups, including the United Nations Environment Programme and the Indian Institutes of Technology in Delhi and Kanpur.
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According to Rai, since 2014, PM 10 levels in Delhi have decreased by 42%, and PM 2.5 levels have decreased by 46%. A meeting of all interested parties will be held on September 14 and Rai noted that numerous organisations with various functions are now at work.
Strategy to combat Delhi’s pollution
“This meeting’s main objective is to develop a coordinated action strategy to combat Delhi’s pollution. Specific tasks will be assigned to agencies during the meeting set for September 14 based on the important issues outlined in the winter action plan, according to Rai. He stated that the administration wants to reduce pollution by involving citizens.
According to Rais, the action plan will be centered on focus points including burning trash and stubble, air pollution from vehicles, hotspots, interaction with bordering states and the Union government, a green war room, and green apps.
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Every year in the months leading up to and during the majority of the winter, Delhi experiences a public health emergency. The farm fires in Punjab and Haryana, where farmers set fire to miles of paddy fields after harvest to clear them of residue, are what started the issue.
The crises are made worse by meteorological factors like a lack of winds, which would normally clear local pollution and Diwali holiday fireworks. Conditions arise due to a confluence of factors that necessitate the closure of schools, suspension of construction projects, restrictions on business, etc.
