Newly-appointed Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai to chair high-level meeting today to chalk out action plan to tackle air pollution

New Delhi: Newly-appointed Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has convened a high-level meeting of officers on 20 February to chalk out an action plan to tackle air pollution in the National Capital. Rai, who was given the charge of the crucial environment department in the new AAP government, said the reduction in pollution levels will be among the top priority of the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation. An official said that top officers of the environment department have been asked to give a presentation of their plan on how to reduce pollution levels, especially in winter months, in the city. “The new environment minister has called a meeting of top department officers on Thursday to chalk out the plan to deal with city’s pollution,” the official said. Rai, who was given the charge of environment department by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, has a challenging task at hand as Delhi’s pollution level hovers around “severe” category, especially in winter. The environment is among key departments the Aam Aadmi Party will be focusing in the next five years. In its ‘guarantee card’ released in the run-up to the recent Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party had promised to reduce pollution levels in Delhi by three times.