Nitin Gadkari slams Delhi’s air quality; supports green fuels

“I only stay in Delhi for two or three days. As soon as I arrive, I book my return tickets. This pollution issue must be taken seriously,” he said.

He further added that the life expectancy of people living in the national capital is likely to be reduced due to uncontrolled pollution. Gadkari stressed that strong steps should be taken to overcome this problem. He explained alternative fuels like ethanol need to be promoted, and the planting of trees on a massive scale is also a need of the time.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in its statement said that NHAI has been developing green corridors along highways. Bamboo plantations, dense trees, and vertical gardens are given priority.

Pollution is a big issue in Delhi and gets worse every year, especially during winter months. Currently, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is ‘satisfactory’ thanks to the monsoon. But from October the situation starts getting worse, and AQI sometimes touches 450 in November and beyond, due to burning and other pollution sources.