Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday distributed heaters to night-shift workers at the Delhi Secretariat in a bid to discourage them from lighting bonfires to keep warm, stating that such incidents also contribute to rising aqi in winters.
In a press conference, he also highlighted that the national capital's air quality has yet to reach the ‘severe' category this season, marking an improvement over previous years. “The Delhi government is working to improve air quality by addressing pollution sources associated with colder weather, such as open biomass burning for warmth.”
He noted that Delhi's air quality has not yet reached the severe category this season due to several factors, including the long-term Winter Action Plan, a decrease in stubble-burning cases compared to previous years and favourable temperature and wind conditions.
“November 1st is usually when temperatures drop and smog from firecrackers and stubble burning becomes prevalent. But this year, we haven't seen a severe air quality day yet, and we aim to keep it that way,” Rai said.
He added that the government is also expanding on its initiative to encourage Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs) to provide heaters to society guards to reduce instances of bonfires. Heaters will be provided to all night-shift guards in government offices, Rai said, adding that private institutions and construction sites across Delhi have been asked to do the same.
Slamming Rai over not being serious about the pollution issue, Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that the AAP minister is not serious about controlling pollution and only wishes to stay in the news by talking about pollution daily.
“Till now, Minister Gopal Rai has not explained what steps he has taken in coordination with the Punjab government to prevent stubble burning in Punjab — one of the two major causes of winter pollution in Delhi. Nor has he provided any substantial solutions for controlling dust from broken roads in Delhi,” he said, adding that in the name of public awareness, held a deceptive event where he claimed that Rai distributed heaters to the Secretariat guards who already have departmental heaters available.
Kapoor claimed, “Minister Gopal Rai only distributed these heaters for photo opportunities. Wood bio-burning, which needs to be prevented, is done by the helpless poor people on the streets who do not have access to electricity connections to run heaters.”
