A spike in air pollution in India during October and November has become an annual phenomenon. The good news is that the number of ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’ and ‘moderate’ days in Delhi has gone up to 182 in 2019 as compared to 159 in 2018, 152 in 2017 and 108 in 2016, according to data from the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS). In an exclusive interview, Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar talks to Jyotika Sood about government plans to control air pollution and the need for public participation. Edited excerpts:
How long will India take to have clean air?
There is no sunset date as far as pollution is concerned. Rising industry and vehicles may be using cleaner fuels and cleaner technologies that help in reducing pollution. But it’s a continuous situation where you have to work actively, especially when the problem arises. So as the problem rises, you have to address it by rising...
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