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Delhi needs 65% cut in pollution levels: Expert

NEW DELHI:Pollution in the Capital reduced by 25 per cent in the past 10 years but to meet clean standards, it needs to be cut down by 65 per cent more, an environment expert said on Wednesday.

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New Delhi, October 16 

Pollution in the Capital reduced by 25 per cent in the past 10 years but to meet clean standards, it needs to be cut down by 65 per cent more, an environment expert said on Wednesday.

Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at the think-tank Centre for Science and Environment, said a slew of measures — such as shutting down coal power plants, shifting to BS-IV standards and creation of peripheral roads to avoid entry of polluting trucks in Delhi — reduced pollution in the last decade.

“But the next question is, after 25 per cent deduction what? Even after reducing pollution by 25 per cent, Delhi has to reduce pollution by yet another 65 per cent to meet the cleaner standards,” she said at a discussion on problems of Delhi during an event titled ‘Dilli ki Soch’.

“Pollution is down by 25 per cent in over 10 years but how did it happen is important to understand. Since 2009-10, three coal/power plants have been shut which is equal to 1,245 GW of coal power generation. At the same time, BS-IV vehicles were scaled up, and there has been change in use of fuel in the city. 

There has been an increase in vehicle and industrial sector by 40 to 42 per cent in the last 10 years, Chowdhury said. “We need big clean energy and technology transition in industrial and vehicular sector,” she said.

The discussion was also attended by Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, who said the BJP government at the Centre had been making efforts to bring down pollution.

While discussing problems of garbage disposal and other sanitation issues raised by the United Residents Joint Action of Delhi (URJA), Tiwari alleged the Delhi Government had blocked funds meant for MCDs. — PTI

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