News Brief
Book My Return Tickets Before I Even Arrive: Nitin Gadkari Flags Delhi’s Pollution Crisis
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. (File Photo)
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday (8 July) expressed deep concern about the pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR, admitting that after every visit to the national capital, he "starts thinking about leaving", Hindustan Times reported.
He stressed the need to accelerate anti-pollution measures such as alternative fuels and large-scale plantation drives in the national capital.
"I stay in Delhi for two or three days only, and when I arrive, I start thinking about when I will leave. I book my return tickets first. You should take this issue seriously," the Road Transport and Highways Minister was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
His remarks came during a plantation drive, 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0', at Faridabad-Noida International Airport Road in Gautam Buddha Nagar.
The Union Minister also sounded the alarm over the decreasing life expectancy of residents in Delhi, attributing this to the rising pollution levels.
Gadkari highlighted the importance of promoting alternative fuels, such as ethanol, and initiating large-scale plantation drives as vital strategies to combat pollution.
He assured that the government was actively pursuing both initiatives.
"We are also prioritising water conservation by adopting measures like rainwater harvesting on our highways," he added.
In a statement, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stated that it was working on developing green corridors by planting bamboo, dense foliage, and installing vertical gardens along highways.
Pollution levels in the national capital rise every year, with a significant spike during the winter months.
Though the Air Quality Index (AQI) has been in the 'satisfactory' category recently due to the monsoons, it often surges to over 450 in the months following November due to smog and worsening pollution.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies the Air Quality Index (AQI) as follows: 0-50 is “Good,” 51-100 is “Satisfactory,” 101-200 is “Moderate,” 201-300 is “Poor,” 301-400 is “Very Poor,” and above 400 is “Severe.”
