Kejriwal launches “Red Light On, Gadi Off ” campaign to curb air pollution - The India Saga

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Kejriwal launches “Red Light On, Gadi Off ” campaign to curb air pollution

In the face of rising pollution in the national capital, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched “Red Light On,…

Kejriwal launches “Red Light On, Gadi Off ” campaign to curb air pollution

In the face of rising pollution in the national capital, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched ÂRed Light On, Gaadi Off campaign to curb vehicular pollution. The campaign seeks to encourage motorists to switch off vehicles while waiting on traffic signals. 

The Delhi Chief Minister said: ÂIt has been seen that we often do not switch off our vehicle engines while waiting at traffic signals. That is called idling. The ÂRed Light On, Gaadi Off campaign will aim to bring a behavioural change in that regard. It will help reduce air pollution.”

Around 10 million vehicles are registered in Delhi, said Kejriwal, adding the even if one million of them actively follow the campaign, experts suggest that it can reduce PM10 emissions by 1.5 tonnes a year and PM2.5 emissions by 0.4 tonnes a year.

The air quality of Delhi NCR region is fast deteriorating with the onset of Winter months. With stubble burning in northern states, vehicular emissions and carbon emissions are seen adding to the pollution burden of the national capital.

The campaign will also seek to tackle the menace of stubble burning under which the farmers in Delhi region are being provided with a decomposer solution that would decompose the stubble without emitting the harmful emissions in the atmosphere. 

While requesting people to join the campaign, Kejriwal said, ÂCovid-19 has led to distress among people. LetÂs ensure that pollution doesnÂt make things worse for us.Â

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, ÂFor this campaign to work in terms of behavioural change, it is very important to make sure traffic signals have timers and that the timers are functional. Several survey estimates have shown that reduced idling can lead to energy saving and less toxic exposure to particulate matters, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide.ÂContact us – www.indiasaga.com.

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