The move comes amid deteriorating air quality in Delhi, especially during winter months, when levels of particulate matter—PM10 and PM2.5—often rise far beyond permissible limits.
Dawar Hameed Butt, co-director of the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative told ThePrint that it's late for smog diplomacy at this point, since crop burning subsides by the second week of November.
In 2019, the Government of Gujarat launched the Emission Trading Scheme that allows industries to ‘buy and sell’ permits for emitting particulate matter.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had mentioned the possibility of the return of the odd-even car rationing measure if the AQI crosses the 450-mark.
The national capital recorded 231 Air Quality index on Saturday and the Graded Response Action Plan for air pollution in Delhi-NCR region kicked in on Friday.
Due to bursting of crackers on Diwali, Delhi recorded its poorest air quality in five years. The winds are expected to flush out pollutants further over the next two days, experts said.
The Air Quality Life Index prepared by the Energy Policy Institute says India’s average PM concentration in 2019 was the highest in the world and 7 times the WHO’s guideline.
A smog tower installed near the Shivaji Stadium Metro station by the Delhi govt has been touted by it as the first in India. But there are already such towers in India.
Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.
The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.
Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.
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