Delhi’s ‘Diya Jalao’ Campaign: Minister Gopal Rai’s Plan to Combat Pollution
As pollution levels rise in Delhi during the festival season, Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced the launch of the ‘Diya Jalao’ campaign. This initiative aims to reduce firecracker usage during Diwali to control pollution, which is expected to increase in the next 15 days due to weather changes.
Minister Rai emphasized the need to prevent vehicles passing through Delhi from entering the city to reduce pollution. He criticized the central and state governments for not taking enough action and urged Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to enforce the firecracker ban strictly.
Despite the ban, firecrackers are reportedly being sold in Delhi, brought in from neighboring states Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Rai highlighted the ongoing issue of stubble burning, particularly in Haryana, and mentioned the use of bio-decomposers in Delhi to manage it.
Recent incidents of stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab have been noted, despite the Supreme Court’s criticism of the state governments. The Air Quality Index in Delhi is currently at 328, categorized as ‘Very Poor.’
Doubts Revealed
Diya Jalao -: Diya Jalao means ‘light a lamp’ in Hindi. It is a campaign to encourage people to light traditional lamps instead of using firecrackers during Diwali to reduce pollution.
Gopal Rai -: Gopal Rai is a politician in India. He is the Environment Minister of Delhi, responsible for managing and protecting the environment in the city.
Pollution -: Pollution is when harmful substances are added to the environment, making it dirty and unsafe. In Delhi, pollution often increases during Diwali due to firecrackers.
Firecracker ban -: A firecracker ban means that people are not allowed to use firecrackers. This is done to reduce pollution and keep the air clean, especially during festivals like Diwali.
Stubble burning -: Stubble burning is when farmers set fire to the leftover parts of crops after harvesting. This practice causes a lot of smoke and pollution, affecting air quality in nearby areas like Delhi.
Haryana -: Haryana is a state in northern India, close to Delhi. It is one of the places where stubble burning happens, contributing to pollution in Delhi.
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and can criticize or stop practices that harm people or the environment.
Air Quality Index -: The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a number that shows how clean or polluted the air is. A ‘Very Poor’ level of 328 means the air is very unhealthy to breathe.