Delhi Environment Minister Urges Residents To Refrain Using Personal Vehicles

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in the severe category and has deteriorated from 415 at 4 pm on Saturday to 460 at 7 am on Sunday. Now, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has urged residents of Delhi to reduce the use of private vehicles and instead use public transportation. Moreover, Delhi's environment minister, Gopal Rai, has urged the central government to only allow CNG, electric and BS VI-compliant vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region to curb vehicular pollution. 

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While several factors such as the weather pattern, construction work and stubble burning have contributed to the toxic air quality in Delhi, vehicular emissions are also considered to contribute to the decreasing air quality.

Delhi's AQI deteriorated from 415 at 4 pm on Saturday to 460 at 7 am on Sunday

Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai said, "Looking at the rise in the level of pollution in the last two days, construction has been banned in Delhi from yesterday. Today there has been an improvement in the level of pollution as compared to yesterday. The situation is still serious. I am writing a letter to the Central Government saying that the Union Environment Minister should call an emergency meeting of the Environment Ministers of all five states immediately. Because the orders of CAQM are not being implemented in the states. Rules are being made, and CAQM is giving directions, but in the whole NCR, rules are being violated. This is the problem of the whole of North India. "

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Moreover, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has put out an advisory stating that from November 1, only electric, CNG and BS-VI-compliant diesel buses should operate between Delhi and cities in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan within the NCR region.