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Will tackle pollution problem in 15 years: Javadekar
New Delhi
New Delhi
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar emphasised in the Lok Sabha on Friday that the NDA government would resolve the toxic air pollution problem in Delhi in less than 15 years—the time Beijing took to curb a similar problem.
“Beijing took 15 years to solve the pollution problem, we will take less time compared to them and for which we will do a united effort,” Javadekar said during his reply to the debate on air pollution and climate change in the Lok Sabha. He said “India will lead in climate change and get free from air pollution very soon.”
The minister called upon lawmakers to pledge to plant seven trees as on an average, each person needs oxygen produced by seven trees for his entire life. He said carbon emission had been reduced by 22% and would be further cut to 35% in the near future. The minister informed the House that the government was “working on a national clean air programme and spending money in city-specific schemes”.
Observing that pollution was not a political issue because everybody breathes the same air, he said the Centre’s work in this direction had forced 2,800 industries to shift to PNG and around 3,000 brick kilns on ‘zig zag’ technology.
On the Delhi government’s allegation that stubble burning was a major reason of pollution in Delhi-NCR, the minister said the states should deal with those issues.
BS-6 petrol and diesel will be available from April next year, the minister said, adding all industries had been directed to produce vehicles complying with BS-6 technology which will decrease vehicle pollution up to 80%.
In the last four years, Javadekar said, around 13,000 square metres of green cover had been increased. Green cover of only two countries, including India, was increasing in the world, he said.
The minister said all industries had been directed to adopt new technologies. “We have put 3,500 maximum pollution-producing industries on a 24X7 monitoring machine. We keep checking the place where water of these industries is discharged.”
“So far, we have reduced the intensity of emission by 22% and our target is 35% very soon.”
Mentioning that the solution comes when the base of the problem is recognised, he said the Air Quality Index (AQI) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 for this very purpose. “The AQI survey is done on 730 locations in 344 cities across India.”
Stressing the need to develop a mentality of planning trees, awareness in public and a movement to adopt measures that reduce pollution, the minister said a national knowledge network is present in the country in which scientists sit together and inspect new technologies to deal with pollution.
In Cop-14 summit on land degradable issue, organised here in Delhi last month, he said the PM had announced India would take steps to make 26 million hectares (2.60 crore) barren land green in the next 10 years. “We are moving on our own path, now the world has to move.”
“India’s version will be clear in the Cop-25 summit in Spain next month. India will say it has been following what promises were made during Paris summit and every country will have to do that.”
Stating that pollution was higher in plain areas, he said four reasons were behind the toxic air — industry, vehicle, dust and biomass burning.
(with inputs from IANS)
