Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said eliminating pollution and other harmful effects from the use of firewood and coal, while ensuring that safe and clean fuel reaches every household is her government’s priority.
She said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Ujjwala Scheme has improved the lives of crores of women across the country, which is also an important positive change in their kitchens and family’s health.
This is going to significantly bring down pollution contributed through biomass burning, Gupta added , while she provided gas connections to the needy people under the Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY).
She called this scheme not just a mere benefit, but the beginning of a brighter, healthier life, a significant step for women’s well-being and environmental protection.
According to Gupta, Ujjwala has enabled more than 2.5 lakh families in Delhi to access smoke-free kitchens.
She assured that the Delhi government is working swiftly to eliminate pollution caused by such traditional cooking methods.
Notably, to prevent the burning of wood during winter, security guards and night-shift workers are being provided electric heaters through their RWAs.
The government is also conducting activities and campaigns to encourage ironing workers to shift from coal-based irons to gas- or electricity-powered equipment, with the aim of completely eliminating the associated environmental hazards.
CM said that the Ujjwala initiative will make a significant contribution to reducing indoor air pollution and help Delhi move towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.
During the winters when the pollution levels witness a spike across the national capital, fire wood, coal and bonfires put to use by people, add to the smog with the smoke generated by the conventional cooking as well as warming methods during the cold season.
Despite efforts from the government, there are still incidents of biomass burning taking place, which the government is trying to curb, by providing alternative methods to the people in need.