Delhi government, ahead of the winter season, has sought the Centre's support for collaboration with neighbouring states to address cross-border sources of pollution in the national capital.

 In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Tuesday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai sought time for meeting him to discuss the issue for a common strategy to combat air pollution.  He requested the Centre to take stronger action by facilitating collaboration between Delhi and its neighbouring states to address cross-border sources of pollution.

 "I believe that with the central government's support, we can build on the foundation laid by the Delhi government and work towards a long-term solution to this crisis. I trust that you will take the necessary steps to ensure a cleaner and healthier future for all," Rai said.

 Rai said that the air pollution crisis that Delhi faces every year, especially during the winter season, has a severe impact on the health and well-being of millions of residents, particularly the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

The minister highlighted various measures taken by the Kejriwal government to mitigate the crisis.

"We regularly undertake several initiatives to combat this issue, such as implementing the odd-even vehicle scheme, promoting electric vehicles, and enhancing the frequency of public transport and we have also enforced a ban on firecrackers, large-scale plantations drives and switching the industrial units to clean PNG fuel," Rai said.

The air quality in Delhi, however, especially between November and December remains hazardous, largely due to factors beyond the control of the state government, pointed out the minister.