Delhi Govt to prepare summer action plan, Environment Minister to hold meeting on April 11

New Delhi [India], April 5 : Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has convened a meeting of all concerned departments on April 11 at the Delhi Secretariat to prepare the summer action plan along the lines of the winter action plan.

"Environment Minister has stated that a new Summer Action Plan will be developed in the same manner as the Winter Action Plan, in order to protect Delhi people from pollution throughout the summer. To reduce Delhi's pollution, a short-term and long-term action plan will be created and put into practice. On April 11th, a meeting with all involved departments has been scheduled at the Delhi Secretariat. Officers from all the concerned departments, including Environment, DPCC, NDMC, NHAI, DDA, MCD, Delhi Jal Board, Development Department, Transport Department, PWD, Education Department, Forest & Wildlife Department, I&FC, DSIIDC, DTC, DMRC, CPWD, Fire Service, DUSIB, Revenue will be present in the meeting," the press release said.

Environment Minister mentioned that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is working on a plan to lower pollution levels in Delhi.

"Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that one of the biggest challenges in Delhi is persistent pollution. The Delhi Government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been working tirelessly to lower Delhi's pollution levels since it was formed. The pollution level inside Delhi is continuously declining due to all those actions," the press release said.

He further stated that due to the implementation of the Winter action plan pollution levels have dropped in the capital.

"Environment Minister mentioned that due to the government's implementation of the Winter Action Plan, Delhi has seen a consistent decrease in PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations throughout the winter. According to the Economic Survey 2022-23, in the good, satisfactory, and moderate categories, Delhi's AQI increased from 109 to 160 days between 2016 and 2021, while the low and extremely poor category's AQI decreased from 217 to 196 days. In addition, between 2016 and 2022, the number of days falling into the severe category declined as well; from 26 in 2016, it was only 6 in 2022," it said.

"Minister concluded by stating that after consulting with all the departments, a roadmap for implementing the summer action plan will be prepared. The government will announce the summer action plan based on the recommendations of all the departments, which the government will focus on year-round in an effort to reduce pollution," it added.