Teamwork with stakeholders key to solving Delhi's pollution woes: Gopal Rai

The problem of pollution in Delhi can only be solved through teamwork, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday as he urged the Centre to give permission for artificial rain during winter, when air quality levels in the city plummet.

Addressing a press conference, Rai said though the Delhi government has taken several steps to address the problem, pollution levels in and around the national capital spike in November.

"An emergency situation arises in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Kejriwal government is working to reduce the pollution levels. Ever since our government came to power, the pollution levels have declined," he said.

But November witnesses a spike in pollution levels, he said.

"Last year, IIT-Kanpur submitted a proposal that artificial rain or a cloud seeding experiment could be done in Delhi. They said that financial management and security permissions were needed. Last year, there was very little time so permissions could not come through.

"We held