‘When I arrive in Delhi, I start thinking when I will leave': Pollution levels in Delhi reducing life expectancy of people, says Gadkari
'Main Delhi mein do ya teen din rehta hun… jab aata hun toh sochta hun kab waha se jana hai… Mein pehle ticket jane ka nikalta hun… Aap iss ko gambheerta se lo ki Delhi mein jo pradushan hai uss ke karan aam aadmi ka jeewan kam hota ja raha hai… (I stay in Delhi for two or three days only, and when I arrive, I start thinking about when I will leave. I book my return tickets first. You should take this issue seriously. The pollution in Delhi has led to a decrease in the life expectancy of common people),' he said while taking part in a plantation drive, 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0', at Faridabad-Noida International Airport Road in Gautam Buddha Nagar.
Highlighting the alarming levels of pollution in Delhi, Gadkari said: 'The oxygen level here is very high today, and once the airport (Noida International Airport) is built and more vehicles enter this area, the environment could further deteriorate.'
'Safeguarding (the environment) is our responsibility. We are making aviation fuel and I have taken a vow that when the first flight takes off from here, I will be supplying aviation fuel,' he added.
'When I first became minister, India was ranked 13th or 14th globally in the automobile sector. Today, we have overtaken Japan and hold the third position in the world and the automobile sector contributes Rs 22 lakh crore to the economy,' Gadkari said. He added that while this growth has provided employment to over 4.5 crore youths and generated substantial GST revenue, it also poses a serious environmental challenge.
Acknowledging that at 40 per cent, the transport sector is the largest contributor to pollution in the country, he said: 'We are number one in pollution too. Hence, our department is committed to mitigating it through plantation and transplantation efforts.'
The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative — a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) campaign — aims to promote environmental consciousness by encouraging tree plantations in honour of one's mother. 'Just as we respect our mothers, we must show the same reverence to Mother Earth. This programme has both cultural and moral significance,' Gadkari said.
Speaking about NHAI's efforts to expand green cover, he said: 'NHAI has taken several initiatives for green highways. We have also built a 20-km stretch of crash barrier using bamboo. Now, we do not need permission to fell bamboo… and by planting bamboo, NHAI will earn several crores.'
He further said that about 80 lakh tonnes of waste from four Delhi landfills are used for highway construction. 'We have reduced the height of the Ghazipur landfill by 7 m,' he claimed.
Gadkari mentioned how Artificial Intelligence was leveraged for the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. He noted that all plants under the campaign will be e-tagged to ensure the long-term care of the trees. 'This will help us to ensure the proper development of a sapling. The world is changing rapidly. If we do not act now, we risk losing the natural life that exists in places like this (Noida). It is our job to protect it,' he added.
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