Lucknow, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : Central Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday to review the progress of measures aimed at improving air quality in the Delhi-NCR region. The meeting, held in Lucknow, focused on strategies to significantly reduce air pollution levels ahead of the winter season.
Yadav emphasized the urgent need to implement pollution control measures rapidly. He stated that utilizing the time before winter is crucial for effective action. “To achieve a clear improvement in Delhi-NCR’s air quality, timely completion of tasks, effective coordination, and strict adherence to regulations are essential,” he noted.
The Minister reviewed measures to control road dust, stressing the importance of fully paving roads and enhancing greenery with local shrubs and grass during the monsoon. He also highlighted the need for identifying and repairing potholes, constructing sidewalks, increasing roadside greenery, and ensuring thorough street cleaning.
Yadav called for immediate action to address any shortcomings in deploying Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSM). He suggested that all MRSMs be geo-tagged to improve real-time monitoring and accountability of street cleaning operations.
CM Yogi Adityanath welcomed the government’s initiatives to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR. He instructed state officials to act promptly on the various measures discussed during the meeting and thanked the central minister for organizing the review session and providing valuable guidance.
An official statement indicated that senior state officials, including State Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh, and UP’s Environment and Forest Minister Arun Kumar, were present at the meeting.
Yadav previously stressed the importance of public participation and institutional coordination, stating that effective management of air pollution can only be achieved when “the entire government” and “the whole society” work together. He reiterated the need for strict implementation of government advisories to curb air pollution.
During the review of electric mobility, Yadav highlighted the need for accelerating the deployment of electric buses and EV charging stations in Uttar Pradesh’s NCR municipal corporation areas due to deficiencies in the current fleet. He commended the Uttar Pradesh government for the rapidly growing tree cover across the state.
Yadav also addressed the issue of end-of-life vehicles, urging officials to expedite the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for sending eligible EOL vehicles outside the NCR and promoting the scientific scrapping of old and unfit vehicles.
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