Amid deteriorating air quality, the Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday wrote a letter to Transport Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, urging a halt to the entry of diesel buses from their respective states into the national capital.

In his letters addressed to the ministers of these three states, he wrote, “I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the increasing air pollution levels in Delhi with the onset of the current winter season.” He claimed that one major component of this air pollution is vehicular emissions largely attributed to the significant number of diesel buses entering the city from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

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Rai said that the impact of diesel emissions on air quality is well established, and the large influx of such buses significantly contribute to the degradation of air quality in Delhi, posing serious health risks to the residents. Stating that diesel buses emit a considerable amount of harmful pollutants responsible for respiratory diseases and other health issues, the Minister said, “Delhi is already grappling with poor air quality, and this additional burden from interstate traffic is aggravating the situation.”

“In light of this, I kindly request to consider restricting the entry of diesel buses entering Delhi or implementing stricter regulations to control their emission norms. Together we can work out implementing more effective solutions like transition to CNG or Electric Buses for interstate transport along with strictly enforcing vehicle pollution norms,” he wrote.

Earlier, the Minister reiterated that strict action will be taken against any construction site that fails to follow dust control measures, including fines, and in cases of severe violations, the site may be shut down. Rai also appealed to Delhiites to report any irregularities in construction or demolition activities through the Green Delhi App.