Tackling pollution: MoS environment urges public participation, avoiding politics

With Delhi's air quality touching the 'severe plus' level today, Union Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma called for public participation in tackling the situation and said politics should be avoided over the issue.

He said government efforts alone cannot address the problem of unprecedented air pollution.

"Public participation and involvement of implementing agencies (are necessary). It is a situation where everyone has to participate."

He also said that politics and blame game over the issue need to be set aside in the national interest.

"Blame game and politics in it should be shunned...in the national interest and humanity," he added.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought a meeting with his counterparts in Punjab and Haryana to discuss ways to bring down pollution level, even as he charged that the two states have "failed" to provide farmers economically viable solutions to stop stubble-burning that causes poor air quality in the national capital.

The Supreme Court mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) announced 'severe plus' or emergency conditions in Delhi, leading authorities to order immediate ban on civil construction and demolition activities and entry of trucks except those carrying essential commodities.