New Delhi: Launching the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign in all the 70 constituencies today, Delhi Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said that everyone, including MPs, MLAs, agencies and the citizens of Delhi should participate in the campaign and contribute on their behalf, leaving their political affiliations aside, to combat the problem of air-pollution in Delhi.
He said that a single vehicle contributes to 15-20% pollution while idling at traffic signals, the aim is to reduce that 15-20% pollution by switching vehicle ignitions off. He also announced that from November 2, the Delhi government will be taking this campaign forward in all the 272 wards in the city, so that more and more people can participate in the campaign.
In the coming days, the Delhi Assembly Speaker and other Delhi Cabinet Ministers as well as MLAs will be participating in the campaign to encourage more and more citizens of Delhi to play their part by turning their vehicles off to reduce pollution in Delhi.
Briefing the media, Shri Gopal Rai said, "The 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign is starting today in all the 70 constituencies in Delhi. The government is spreading awareness at all the traffic signals in Delhi since 9AM in the morning. Starting November 2, we will be taking this campaign forward in all the 272 wards in Delhi, so that more and more people participate in the campaign. The Delhi government believed that active participation from the people is required to combat the problem of air-pollution in Delhi."
"The impact of the campaign and other measures will be ascertained by the scientists. But according to them, a single vehicle spends at least 15-20 minutes on an average at the traffic signals, and contributes to 15-20% vehicular pollution while idling at the traffic signals. If they switch their ignitions off, the pollution can be reduced by 15-20%," he added.
On the question of whether the government is considering issuing any advisory on pollution for the people of Delhi in the coming days, Shri Gopal Rai said, "The governments and all agencies such as the Supreme Court, EPCA, DPCC and all agencies are monitoring the situation of pollution in Delhi. We will take action wherever needed," he added.
Shri Gopal Rai said that the Delhi government has not received a positive response from the BJP MLAs and MPs until now, regarding the participation in the campaign. "It is the responsibility of all the governments and the citizens of Delhi to ensure their contribution in reducing the pollution of Delhi. The problem of pollution is bigger than politics and party affiliations, and it is not of the AAP alone. I want to appeal to everybody to participate in this campaign, keeping the party affiliations aside," added Shri Gopal Rai.
