'Will Take Less Time Than Beijing To Improve Delhi's Air Quality': Environment Minister Javadekar

On the concerning issue of increasing air pollution levels in the national capital, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday claimed that the country would take less time than the 15 years taken by China's Beijing to curb pollution in New Delhi.

The minister also claimed that India's green cover is significantly increasing. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: On the concerning issue of increasing air pollution levels in the national capital, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday claimed that the country would take less time than the 15 years taken by China's Beijing to curb pollution in New Delhi. Responding to a discussion on "air pollution and climate change", Javadekar said a mass movement is needed to tackle the problem. "It took Beijing 15 years (to fight air pollution). We will take lesser time," he said, referring to the air quality in Delhi. There is a relation between pollution and climate change, the Environment Minister said, adding that 40 per cent of India's total power capacity will come from renewable sources before 2030. The minister also claimed that India's green cover is significantly increasing and said that five times more trees have been planted in the national capital in place of trees cut down for construction of the Delhi Metro. Observing that pollution in Delhi was the topic of discussion in the entire country, he said the "solution of the problem will come only when we recognise the problem." According to report, the air quality in Delhi was in the 'very poor' category on Friday, improving slightly from the 'severe' level a day ago.The overall air quality index (AQI) was 364 at 9.30 am. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also said that round-the-clock monitoring was taking place on measures to control the level of toxic air in the national capital. He also said that a ban has been put on use of furnace oil and emission norms have been enhanced. The government has formed a task force on Delhi's toxic smog and everyday the monitoring was being done by the Prime Minister's Office. "The more trees planted, the more it will help in reducing pollution, he said. "If each one of us pledge to plant seven trees an oxygen bank will automatically be created," the minister added. Both Centre and the state government (led by Arivind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party) have been on loggerheads over the issue of air pollution in Delhi as the two have been blaming each other for spike in air pollution in the national capital. WATCH & READ | No Discussion On Pollution But Monkey Menace Important  AAP has slammed the Centre for not taking "concrete steps" to tackle pollution. Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh had alleged that the BJP is trying to "politicise" a sensitive issue like pollution and the Centre is not taking concrete steps to tackle the issue. Earlier in the day,  BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Friday hit out at the AAP government over the issue of air pollution. "The reason for the rise in air pollution in Delhi is Particulate Matter (PM). Stubble burning happens two weeks in a year and pollution remains less for the rest of the year," Lekhi told news agency ANI. In several places of the national capital, the AQI was in the 'very poor' zone while in some congested areas such as Wazirpur and ITO, the air quality plunged to the 'severe' category. The air quality in the NCR region, particularly Ghaziabad, took a turn for the worse with the AQI at 414, which falls in the 'severe' category.