Citizens’ efforts have led to a clean Diwali: Delhi minister Gopal Rai

“The people of Delhi need to be thanked for this, and even though a few people did burst firecrackers, I am optimistic that they will also become more sensible and aware in safeguarding their environment,” Rai said

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday lauded the collective efforts of the people of Delhi and anti-pollution measures taken by the state government, and said that based on Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data analysed since 2018, this year the Capital recorded its best air quality on the day after Diwali.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai flags off mobile anti-smog guns at the Delhi Secretariat. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

“On Monday, the people of Delhi celebrated Diwali with sensibility, and the way they followed the Supreme Court orders is extremely commendable. Every year, the level of pollution rises rapidly a day after Diwali, but this year the pollution level was recorded the lowest in the last five years, and this is all because of our collective efforts,” Rai said, adding that overall, there was a 30% decline in air pollution levels on Tuesday, compared to the day after Diwali in 2021.

“The people of Delhi need to be thanked for this, and even though a few people did burst firecrackers, I am optimistic that they will also become more sensible and aware in safeguarding their environment,” Rai said.

Launching 150 mobile anti-smog guns – at least two for each of Delhi’s 70 constituencies – Rai said their use had a positive impact on Delhi’s air quality last year, with the number of such machines being increased from 10 last year.

An anti-smog gun is a cannon-shaped device designed to reduce air pollution locally by spraying a fine mist-like spray into the air, which can settle dust and other pollutants. To be sure, there is no scientific evidence to prove that these devices control air pollution.

The minister also claimed that the Punjab government had helped reduce instances of stubble burning, saying the northern state saw 1,019 instances of stubble burning on Diwali, while the figure for Diwali in 2021 was 3,032.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back, accusing the AAP government of lying to the people.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said, “The Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi is continuously lying to the public. Stubble burning is continuously happening in Punjab… The smoke emanating from it is slowly suffocating Delhi. People are facing difficulty in breathing due to this. On what basis is the chief minister of Delhi patting his back for reducing pollution? It is very funny.”