Pollution crisis in Delhi: Gopal Rai calls for emergency meeting of the Center, says it is ‘the PM’s moral duty to intervene’

On By Pranco

Amid the worsening pollution levels in the national capital, Environment Minister Gopal Rai has urged the Center to hold an emergency meeting to address the ongoing crisis. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Rai said it was a moral duty of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the situation. He also slammed the Center for not responding to the Delhi government’s repeated calls to allow artificial rain as a possible remedy.

Rai stated that Delhi is currently facing restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV, aimed at reducing pollution by limiting vehicular and industrial vehicle emissions. Restrictions are already in place for passenger cars and trucks entering the city. Despite these efforts, air quality remains poor. Therefore, Rai stated that the Delhi government is exploring other options such as artificial rain, which can lead to precipitation of pollutants in the air and improve visibility.

“This is an audience health a state of emergency, not just for Delhi, but for millions of people in the north India,” said Rai. He appealed to the central government to take immediate action and find a solution in consultation with the Delhi government. He urged Prime Minister Modi to intervene directly to get the permission required for cloud seeding.

The Delhi government has reportedly been working with experts from IIT Kanpur to assess the feasibility of artificial rain, but progress has been hampered by delays in obtaining clearances from several central agencies such as DGCA, MHA and the Ministry of Defense. Despite several letters written to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in the past few months, on August 30, then October 10 and October 23, it regrets that no response has been received.

“While we are willing to work together, the central government should take the lead in convening a meeting with relevant experts and agencies to expedite the process,” Rai said, underscoring the urgency of the situation. “The health of people in Delhi and North India cannot be ignored.”

As pollution levels remain high, restrictions under GRAP-IV will continue, and Rai said there will be no relaxation unless there is an improvement in air quality.

With inputs from PTI.