Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday appealed to the people in the national capital to abide by the ban on firecrackers and said that tackling pollution is a collective responsibility. In an exclusive interview with News18, the environment minister also highlighted the steps that have been taken to combat the pollution in view of Diwali.
Gopal Rai talked about the controversy over the AAP minister Raaj Kumar Anand’s supporters allegedly bursting crackers and, on the question, whether Delhittes would be able to buy fuel without a PUC or not. The Delhi minister also spoke on the plans chalked out by the governments in Delhi and Punjab to stop the stubble burning in Punjab, where the AAP recently came in power.
Here are the edited excerpts from the interview:
What is the government doing to combat pollution during the days close to Diwali?
There are many sources of pollution within the national capital, prominent among these are dust pollution, vehicular pollution and biomass burning. To control pollution due to these sources within Delhi, the Chief Minister had announced a fifteen-point winter action plan and the government is working according to that plan.
Additionally, the government is closely implementing the measures under the Graded Response Action Plan. We have initiated the anti-dust campaign, banned bursting of crackers and launching an awareness campaign about the same. We have also started sprinkling the PUSA bio-decomposer to prevent stubble burning in the national capital. From the 28 October onwards, we will launch the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off campaign’.
Delhi government has imposed a fine on manufacture, sale, storage and bursting of crackers. Why has the government made it a punishable offense?
Our priority is to make people aware. Which is why we are launching the awareness campaign from today. Our experience so far, for instance about ‘odd even’, and other such campaigns, has been that these have to be ‘ self owned’. People have to be aware and everyone has to do their bit. Because, we are all contributing to pollution and we are all suffering the consequences of the same.
Our focus is on increasing awareness so that everyone is able to implement and abide by this in the correct way. It cannot be implemented only by relying on enforcement.
But enforcement is also very strict this year. You have held a press conference on this?
No, it happens every year. This is the IPC rule and enforcement is as per the IPC rule. However, the focus will be more on creating awareness.
Reports have come of Raaj Kumar Anand, the new minister in your government is bursting crackers. Your government has banned the bursting of crackers and yet, you have not taken any action against him?
I had sought information on the same. He did not burst crackers. However, this (ban) has to be respected by everyone
Everyone have to breathe, whether you challenge the ban in the Supreme Court or you burst crackers and therefore I would like to appeal to the people of Delhi, to abide by the norms for your own sake. You are not doing this for others, you are doing this for yourself.
Maybe Raaj Kumar Anand did not burst crackers, but his supporters did. There is video evidence on this also?
There will be action on them as per rules.
What is the latest on your announcement that Delhiites would not be able to buy fuel without a PUC?
Associations (of petrol and diesel companies) have a lot of worries regarding this. Respecting their views, this decision has been put on hold. After a discussion with the chief minister, decision on this will be taken.
This is not going to be enforced from 25th onwards?
No, this will not be enforced from the 25th October.
There has been a lot of criticism that despite the AAP winning Punjab with an overwhelming majority, the governments of Delhi and Punjab failed to do anything to prevent stubble burning in Punjab.
Firstly, we have not failed. After our government was formed, it held a discussion with the farmers. The farmers had raised the demand of financial assistance following which the Punjab government thrashed out a plan- 500/- will be given by the government of Punjab, another 500/- will be given by the government of Delhi and, 1500/- to be paid by the central government. The central government rejected the proposal, which, in turn, led to anger amongst the farmers.
In Punjab, we can see the impact of the manner in which the central government demonstrated its lack of sensitivity, the manner in which it scrapped the entire plan. However, in spite of the Punjab government is working on a second plan. We have had discussions with the Punjab agricultural minister to at least ensure that stubble burning this year is less compared to last year.
What is the exact aim and effort of your second plan?
The effort is to provide happy seeder machines to those farmers who do not have them so that maximum farmers use them to remove the crop stubble.
Your government in Delhi has always blamed the neighbouring states for the rise in pollution during winter months in the national capital. This year, you have your own government in Punjab. So where is the political will between the AAP ‘s governments in Delhi and Punjab?
It is because we have political will that we had chalked out a plan. It is because of political will, the Delhi government and Punjab government took the decision to provide Rs 500 each to farmers, it is because we had the political will, we took this decision.
However, I have repeated myself a hundred times and said that the problem of pollution will not be solved if only one state takes initiatives. This concerns an airshed and all state governments and central governments need to work together to solve this. The central government must introspect for the manner in which it got the plan scrapped.
You are holding the central government responsible. You have a government which has an overwhelming majority in Punjab. You can take any step you want.
We did take a step and made a plan, isn’t it? But can we implement that without cooperation? We need the cooperation of all on this.
When pollution levels rise this year, who will you hold responsible?
The factors contributing to rise in pollution levels will be responsible. Now, if pollution levels rise due to stubble burning, then that will be responsible for pollution, if it is due to vehicles, then that will be responsible. Scientific analysis shows the sources responsible for pollution, it is not arbitrary.
Is the government thinking of implementing odd and even?
No, we are focusing on our ‘red light on, gaadi off, campaign from the 28th. Depending on the situation, and after discussing with experts, the chief minister will take a decision accordingly.
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