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Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has recently acknowledged that the transport sector accounts for nearly 40% of air pollution in Delhi, as the national capital continues to face severe air quality conditions.
Gadkari, while speaking at a book launch in Delhi, said the pollution has a direct personal impact on him. “I stay in Delhi for two days and I develop a throat infection. Delhi is troubled by pollution,” he said.
Accepting responsibility as the minister in charge of road transport, he added, “I am the transport minister, and around 40% of pollution happens because of our sector.”
Gadkari also criticised India’s dependence on fossil fuels, saying the country spends nearly ₹22 lakh crore every year on importing them.
Questioning the sustainability of this approach, he said, “What kind of nationalism is this? Fossil fuels are limited and pollution is increasing.”
He called for faster adoption of cleaner alternatives, asking, “Can’t we reduce fossil fuel usage? Why can’t we promote electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered vehicles, which can lead to zero pollution?”
Delhi’s air quality showed some improvement on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) moving to the ‘very poor’ category from ‘severe’ a day earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
The AQI stood at 336 in the morning, compared with 415 on Tuesday. Of the national capital’s 40 monitoring stations, 36 reported ‘very poor’ air quality, with Nehru Nagar recording the highest AQI at 392. Fog and smog reduced visibility in parts of the city during early hours.
In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management invoked all measures under GRAP Stage IV across Delhi-NCR, including emergency dust-control steps.
Gadkari, while speaking at a book launch in Delhi, said the pollution has a direct personal impact on him. “I stay in Delhi for two days and I develop a throat infection. Delhi is troubled by pollution,” he said.
Accepting responsibility as the minister in charge of road transport, he added, “I am the transport minister, and around 40% of pollution happens because of our sector.”
Gadkari also criticised India’s dependence on fossil fuels, saying the country spends nearly ₹22 lakh crore every year on importing them.
Questioning the sustainability of this approach, he said, “What kind of nationalism is this? Fossil fuels are limited and pollution is increasing.”
He called for faster adoption of cleaner alternatives, asking, “Can’t we reduce fossil fuel usage? Why can’t we promote electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered vehicles, which can lead to zero pollution?”
Delhi’s air quality showed some improvement on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) moving to the ‘very poor’ category from ‘severe’ a day earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
The AQI stood at 336 in the morning, compared with 415 on Tuesday. Of the national capital’s 40 monitoring stations, 36 reported ‘very poor’ air quality, with Nehru Nagar recording the highest AQI at 392. Fog and smog reduced visibility in parts of the city during early hours.
In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management invoked all measures under GRAP Stage IV across Delhi-NCR, including emergency dust-control steps.
