Govt announces 7-point plan to combat pollution
Kejriwal said that long-term measures were already underway.
New Delhi: The Delhi government on Friday announced a seven-point action plan to check growing pollution in the national capital. The action plan includes distribution of free masks, mechanised sweeping of roads, and procurement of 1,000 electric buses.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the N-95 masks will be distributed free of cost by October. “We are already in the process of acquiring them and the masks would be distributed free of cost before the smoke from stubble burning starts reaching Delhi,” said Mr Kejriwal.
The CM said that another component of the action plan centres around Diwali, encouraging people not to burst firecrackers this time around and to obey the Supreme Court order on firecrackers.
To encourage a cracker-free Diwali, the Delhi government will be holding laser shows a day before Diwali where people can come and take part free of cost.
The government has also identified 12 pollution hotspots in the national capital, which will require separate action plans to bring down the pollution in those areas.
The CM said that awareness will also be created among schoolchildren and they will be roped in to motivate their parents to help in efforts to curb pollution.
In addition, a “Delhi Tree Challenge” campaign will be started by the government in which saplings will be home-delivered to people.
He said: “We will soon provide people with a number where they can SMS or call and we will deliver free saplings at their doorstep. This is a long term campaign.”
Mr Kejriwal said that long-term measures were already underway.