MoS for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey addresses “Dialogue Towards Clean Air “

Continuing the insightful discussions towards amelioration of air quality in the entire National Capital Region(NCR), the second day of “Dialogue towards Clean Air” organizedby Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) in association with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), involved presentations along withvaluable inputs and ideas towards an effective framework of policies and field level actions for a long lasting solution for the air pollutionissue in the Delhi-NCR. Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri. Ashwini Kumar Choubeygraced the event and discussed upon steps that all citizens should take to ensure a clean and pollution-free environment. The two-day interactive session involved stakeholders from Central Government, State Governments, Pollution Control Boards, Municipal Bodies, NGOs, Private Sector, Academia and Industry Associations.Constructive discussions involving stakeholders from different fields along with resourceful insights gave a significant push in successful implementation of an interactive two-day dialogue.

The theme of the first session of Day-2 was “Abating Vehicular and Industrial Pollution in NCR”.  Discussions revolved around shift to cleaner fuels like PNG in the industries and transport sector; the road map for PNG network, infrastructure and supply in the entire NCR; E-mobility as a potential solution for addressing vehicular pollution; ways to reduce emissions from the vehicles in the transport sector; and regulation of emission from large scale use of DG sets.

The next session centred around sustainable agricultural stubble management,prevention and control of crop residue burning along with strategies, methodologies and schemes for both in-situ and ex-situ management of crop. The last session of Day-2 of “Dialogue towards Clean Air” comprised of ingenious discussions on Greening and Plantation Measures for Abatement of Air Pollution, including the urban forestry initiatives by MoEFCC like the Nagar Van Scheme, etc.  The Government of Haryana also presented their account of greening initiatives to curb air pollution in the State.

All the Technical Sessions, presentations and discussions were very stimulating and enriching. Stakeholders from different fields interacted about issues impacting the air quality in the entire NCR and presented beforeinsightful inputs. The Commission and MoEF&CC ensured continued support and cooperation to all the stakeholders in a joint fight against the air pollution menace in the NCR.

Towards the end of the dialogue, Shri. Choubey thanked all the stakeholders for their valuable contribution in making this two-day interactive dialogue a success and praised the efforts of the Commission towards holding such a thoughtful Dialogue towards Clean Air.All the points made in this dialogue will help the Commission and MoEF&CC towards formation of more strategic plans of action in improving the air quality of NCR.

Speaking on the issue of stubble burning, Shri. Choubey appealed to all the farmers to not go for SHORT-CUT, as short-cut always cuts short. If we all move ahead together in making our environment clean then it will serve as a great service to our mother nature. If we don’t care for our mother nature then it will not care for us as well.It is every citizen’s responsibility to work for the betterment of air surrounding them. We as citizens of India hold the sole responsibility of looking after our mother nature, he added.

The Commission has so far issued 61 directions and 7 advisories, besides executive orders to various agencies concerned in the NCR including State Governments, GNCTD, State Government of Punjab and various bodies of the Central and State Governments in the region, laying down responsibilities and concrete steps to abate pollution and ameliorate air quality in the region. Whether it is about vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, stubble burning, roadside dust generation, solid waste management, vehicular pollution, use of DG sets, etc. the Commission is taking up every issue with utmost concern and it has pulled out all the stops to issue necessary Directions and Advisories to tackle it effectively.

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