"Bhayankar Pollution": Nitin Gadkari Admits He's Reluctant To Visit Delhi

Irked by increased pollution levels in Delhi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is an MP from Nagpur, on Tuesday confessed that he does not feel like visiting the national capital as he often catches infection here.

Addressing an event here, Gadkari said the city of Delhi is such that "I do not like to live here. I get infection due to pollution here".

"Har baar Delhi me aata hua, aisa lagta hain ki (Delhi) jaana chahiye ki nahi. Itna bhayankar pollution hai (Every time, while coming to Delhi, I think whether I should go or not because pollution levels are so high," he said.

Gadkari suggested that the best way to reduce pollution is to bring down the consumption of fossil fuels.

Delhi residents woke up to slightly improved air quality on Tuesday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 274 in the morning, marking the third consecutive day of relief.

The beginning of December has been relatively easier for Delhiites to breathe compared to November, which saw toxic air persisting on most days of the month.

Gadkari noted that India imports fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore, which is challenging from the point of view of economy, environment and ecology.

"We can reduce import of fossil fuels by encouraging alternative fuels," he said. Gadkari, who is known for his frank views, said the biggest problem faced by India are poverty, hunger and unemployment, so in the times to come, the government has to ensure to achieve economic as well as social equality.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)