New Delhi: Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari raised the issue of pollution in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday and said that he gets allergies due to it.
“I live here for three days, (and) I get allergies because of this pollution,” he explained.
The minister was speaking at the book launch of veteran journalist and former central information commissioner Uday Mahurkar in Delhi, as reported by India Today.
Gadkari admitted that transportation contributes to nearly 40 per cent of the pollution in Delhi and adjoining regions. “I am the transport minister and 40 per cent of pollution happens because of transport itself,” he said, stressing on the immediate need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and adopt less polluting alternatives.
“What kind of nationalism is this? Fossil fuels are limited, and pollution is increasing. Can’t we reduce fossil fuel usage? Why can’t we promote electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered vehicles, which can lead to zero pollution?” the Transport Minister asked, noting that India spends around Rs 22 lakh crore annually on fossil fuels import,” he said.
The minister also spoke about his eco-friendly flex-fuel vehicle, powered entirely by ethanol, emphasising its ability to cut pollution and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Gadkari’s remarks came at a time when Delhi’s air quality deteriorated significantly on Tuesday, entering the severe category again. The capital was the second-most polluted city in India with a 24-hour AQI of 412. Noida, part of the National Capital Region, was the most polluted city in India on Tuesday with an average AQI of 426. The situation improved marginally with the AQI becoming very poor on Wednesday morning. It has been forecast that the AQI will stay in the very poor category over the next six days.
The minister has been critical of Delhi’s air quality in the past as well. In December last year, he has said that he is reluctant to visit Delhi during the month.
“Every time, while coming to Delhi, I think whether I should go or not. Itna bhayankar pollution hai (The pollution is just terrible),” he had said.
