New Delhi (NVI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today launched a new campaign to tackle pollution in the national capital- ‘Red light on, gaadi off’, and appealed to people to turn off their vehicles while waiting on a traffic signal.
“One crore vehicles are registered in Delhi today, even if just 10 lakh people start switching off their vehicles on red light, then experts have told me that the PM10 levels will reduce by 1.5 tonnes a year, and PM2.5 will reduce by 0.4 tonnes,” Kejriwal said in a virtual press briefing.
While waiting on a traffic signal, we must switch our vehicles off. Launching another initiative to tackle air pollution in Delhi | LIVE https://t.co/CCNIdHgbHJ
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 15, 2020
The Delhi CM further added that when we do idling (waiting at a traffic signal with the engine on), then the fuel consumed in a minute is more than when we are driving. “In 10 seconds of idling, more fuel is consumed as compared to when you switch off the vehicle and then turn it on,” Kejriwal said, adding that if people start switching off their vehicles at red lights, then they will save their fuel as well as contribute less to the pollution.
“On average, a vehicle daily spends 15 to 20 mins on a red light while going to the office and coming back. In these 15-20 minutes, a vehicle consumes around 200 ml of oil and if you start turning off your vehicles, then you can save around 7,000 rupees in a year,” he said.
Kejriwal also highlighted that vehicular pollution is especially harmful in winters when the smoke and dust settles below as compared to summers when it goes up. “So when we do idling at red lights in winters, the pollution settles near the ground and affects us,” he said.
While saying that Delhi has been able to reduce 25 per cent pollution in last five years, Kejriwal appealed to Delhiites to join the campaign.
-ARK
