Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday flagged Delhi’s worsening air pollution, saying the capital’s air quality was so poor that he fell ill after staying there briefly.
Speaking at the launch of the book My Idea of Nation First – Redefining Unalloyed Nationalism, Gadkari remarked, “I stay in Delhi for 2 days and get an infection, it is so polluted,” while underlining that the transport sector is a major contributor to the crisis.
Highlighting India’s dependence on fossil fuels, he said the country spends nearly Rs 20 lakh crore annually on imports. **“Even today, we are spending Rs 20 lakh crore. What kind of nationalism is this?… importing pollution. Can we not create an alternative India?”** he asked. Gadkari added that farmers were now emerging as energy providers, recalling earlier discussions where it was envisioned that they would supply fuel, including aviation fuel.
Referring to clean mobility, the minister said electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles were now economically viable. “If you compare the cost, on average, this car runs at the equivalent of Rs 25 per litre of petrol. Pollution is zero. Hydrogen is there, we can make it,” he said.
He also noted falling battery costs, stating lithium-ion prices had dropped from $150 to $55 per kilowatt hour, and cited new innovations such as sodium-based and aluminium fuel technologies.
