Use CNG for public transport: Delhi urges Haryana and UP
Delhi has suggested its surrounding states to shift their public transport vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) to CNG and adopt a policy to promote electric vehicles, environment minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday. It has also urged the neighbouring states to ban firecrackers to tackle pollution, he said.
Mr Rai made the suggestions during an online meeting of NCR states convened by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav. M.M. Kutty, the chairman of the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management, also attended the meeting.
“Delhi has suggested that neighbouring states shift their public transport vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) to CNG and adopt an electric vehicle policy,” Mr Rai told a press conference after the meeting.
“Delhi’s public transport fleet has already shifted to CNG, but dieseloperated vehicles from neighbouring states continue to ply on the streets of the national capital which negatively impacts the efforts made by the city government,” he said.
He further said no extension should be given to thermal power plants (TPP) in NCR that are operating without emission control devices.
“These TPPs are to be retrofitted with new technology to control emissions but they operate without it after paying a penalty. The gases they emit are the most harmful,” Mr Rai said.
The minister said he also urged the neighbouring states to spray biodecomposer on paddy straw as an “emergency measure” to prevent stubble burning. If they don’t do it in time, Delhi and the entire North India will have to bear the brunt of stubble burning this year too, he said. “We have also suggested that Haryana and Uttar Pradesh constitute a task force for pollution hotspots in their areas surrounding Delhi for ground visits and focused work,” he said.
“Most of the officials in these states sit in Lucknow and Chandigarh while most of their dust pollution and industrial emissions are concentrated in areas abutting Delhi,” Mr Rai pointed out.
The minister underlined that all industrial units in Delhi are now running on piped natural gas. Other states have also been asked to do so, but the slow pace of work is concerning. Delhi has urged that it be expedited to control industrial pollution, Mr Rai said.
◗ Gopal Rai made the suggestions during an online meeting of NCR states convened by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav. M.M. Kutty, the chairman of the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management, also attended the meeting