Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain on Tuesday said that air pollution in national Capital is not entirely a result of a local phenomenon
“Stubble burning in neighbouring States like Western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana are equally responsible for the rise in air pollution,” Jain said. He further said that Government has requested all the neighbouring States to keep it in check.
“This is not Delhi’s local phenomenon as pollution is rising at both ends of 100 kms,” he reacted.
“The States and the Centre need to take effective measures to curb pollution and stop this burning of agricultural residues,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jain also said if pollution increased to an alarming level in the national capital, they would definitely reintroduce the odd-even scheme.
National Air Quality Index also has shown high levels of particulate matter. SAFAR, a unit of Ministry of Earth Science showed mass concentration of PM 2.5 was 102.1 µg/m3 and PM 10 was 210.1µg/m3.
Real time Ambient meters of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also measured mass concentration of five times higher than the prescribed limits of primary pollutant which is 100 µg/m3.
Delhi Environmentalist has said that besides to write neighboring state on burning of agricultural waste, the civic agencies and DPCC should ban on the small scale industries that are running in the heart of capital.
Real time air meters of US embassy also marked capital’s air quality “Unhealthy”.