Angela Merkel comments on Delhi pollution, says good reason to replace diesel buses

Merkel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the 5th Inter Governmental Consultations between the two countries on Friday and signed several pacts for cooperation in trade, investment, regional security, climate change, defence, artificial intelligence etc.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel , whose two day visit to capital Delhi coincided with one of the worst spells of pollution in the National Capital region, said the Delhi pollution presented a very good argument for replacing public buses run on diesel with those powered by electricity.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed a business meeting in New Delhi on November 2, 2019. (ANI / Twitter)

Merkel pledged to spend one billion euros--about ₹8,000 crore at current exchange rate—in the next five years on green urban mobility in India, as part of German-Indian partnership projects.

“We will also earmark Euros 200 Million to reform bus sector in Tamil Nadu. Whoever has looked at pollution in Delhi yesterday would find very good arguments to replacing diesel buses with electric buses,” Merkel said on Saturday.

The National Capital Region (NCR) experienced its most polluted day in nearly two years on Friday when the average Air Quality Index touched 484 around 4 pm. The air quality improved minimally on Saturday morning and came out of the ‘emergency’ zone, but pollution levels are still in the ‘severe’ category and the city continues to be shrouded in smoke and haze.

Angela Merkel will visit the Dwarka Sector 21 Metro Station on Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before flying back to Germany the same day.

The solar panels at the metro station have been funded by the German government.

Merkel said on Friday that her country would like to collaborate with India in infrastructure projects, waste management and water supply.

Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and more than 1,700 German companies operate in the country.