Dikshit said the number of vehicles in Delhi have doubled due to the increase in per capita income which has increased the air pollution levels.

With Diwali round the corner, Dikshit also said the widespread use of firecrackers increases air and noise pollution by almost 10 times from the normal level. This leads to asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks, deafness due to noise pollution, she said, adding that the Environment department has been conducting an anti-firecrackers campaigns with theme “Say No to Crackers” for the past eight years.

Eco-clubs in schools, colleges, RWAs, MTAs, NGOs, corporate, hospitals etc are some of the participating agencies of the anti-firecracker campaign. The Chief Minister said the monitored results of the past few years indicate reduction of air and noise pollution levels during Diwali. This indicates substantial change in preventing bursting of firecrackers by a large section of people particularly, the Eco-club students. Fifty-six hospitals with 100 bed or more have been declared “silence zones”.

Forty nukkad nataks are being performed during this Diwali for spreading awareness among the people. Rallies have been conducted by various eco-clubs of schools for monitoring of air and noise pollution on pre and during Diwali nights at 40 locations by Delhi Pollution Control Committee, said environment officials.

Dikshit also informed that the Environment department will chalk out a plan to put signages on all busy intersections with the message of switching off vehicles at the red light signal to decrease air pollution.