Gopal seeks fair ideas from BJP, Congress to tackle pollution

New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday wrote to the Congress and BJP’s city unit presidents, seeking “positive suggestions” that can be incorporated in the Winter Action Plan to reduce pollution levels in the national capital.

In the letter to BJP’s Virendra Sachdeva and Congress’ Devender Yadav, the minister cited the various initiatives taken by the AAP government to solve Delhi’s pollution problem. He cited a report of the Centre for Science and Environment which states that only 31 per cent of the pollution that the people of Delhi face is contributed by the residents while the rest comes from states in the NCR area.

“Pollution can be reduced only with everyone’s cooperation, not through opposition. Arvind Kejriwal’s government in Delhi has taken many big steps to reduce pollution, their effect is also visible,” Rai said in the letter.

He said the Delhi government is preparing a Winter Action Plan in collaboration with all departments concerned. “The winter action plan will be mainly based on three points. First, the steps to be taken by the Delhi Government; second, getting cooperation from the neighbouring states and third, working together with the Central government so that pollution can be effectively reduced in Delhi even in winter.”

“We request you that if you have any positive suggestions on the three points which will help in reducing pollution in Delhi, please send those to us soon so that we can include them in the action plan. We aim to reduce the pollution of Delhi,” read Rai’s letter.