New Delhi Jan 27 PTI The Delhi government spent Rs 1046 crore on advertisements related to the Red Light On Gaadi Off campaign to reduce vehicular pollution over the last two years according to data obtained through an RTI applicationUnder the campaign launched on October 16 2020 drivers are encouraged to switch off their vehicles while waiting for the traffic light to turn greenThe Delhi government spent Rs 1046 crore on advertisements related to the campaign in the year 2020-21 according to the reply to an RTI application filed by social activist Amit GuptaThe city governments advertising agency Shabdarth said it did not incur any expenses on ads pertaining to the drive in the year 2021-22It added that the government has spent Rs 1306 crore on pollution-related advertisements in the financial year2021-22 so farAs part of the Red Light On Gaadi Off campaign the environment department deploys civil defence volunteers at major traffic junctions in the city who ensure the commuters kill the engine while waiting at traffic signals and also hand out pamphlets carrying information on vehicular pollution The department deployed around 2500 civil defence volunteers in two shifts of 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm at 100 traffic junctions in the latest leg of the campaign from October 18 to December 18 last yearThe government pays Rs 700 a day to every volunteeraccording to officialsData from the Petroleum Conservation Research Association PCRA shows that if people switch off engines at traffic signals pollution can be cut down by 13-20 per cent As per government estimates the transport sector accounts for 28 per cent of the PM25 emissions in Delhi Vehicular contribution also makes up 80 per cent of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide in Delhis airA total of 133 crore vehicles are registered in Delhi currently The count of vehicles in thenational capital more than doubled to 643 per thousand population in 2019-20 from 317 in 2005-06PTI GVS SRY

Noida Dec 20 PTI A group of farmers here launched an indefinite hunger strike on Monday as part of their protest against the Noida Authority over a host of demands including hiked compensation for their land acquired in the pastRajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party AAP leader Sanjay Singh reached the protest site during the day and assured them of raising their issue in ParliamentThe Samajwadi Party SP also extended support to the protesting farmers who have been staging demonstrations for the last four monthsBharatiya Kisan Parishad BKP leader Sukhwir Pehelwan alias Sukhwir Khalifa said that for the last few months residents of 81 villages of Noida have been knocking on the doors of the Noida Authority with their demands but nothing has happened so farAs a result 10 people including myself have started this indefinite hunger strike today Our fight will continue till our demands are met Pehelwan told PTIThe protestors include residents of Sadarpur Bahlolpur Gejha Barola Sorkha and Sarfabad among other villages in NoidaThey said the ongoing protest is to demand increased compensation for their land acquired by the Noida Authority over the past several years and a plot of 10 per cent size of their land among othersMeanwhile Sanjay Singh along with party supporters and local functionaries reached the protest site during the day and extended support to them AAP spokesperson Sanjeev Nigam saidSingh who is also AAPs in-charge of Uttar Pradesh assured the farmers and villagers of Noida that he will raise their issue in Parliament Nigam saidBKPs Sukhwir Pehelwan said the protestors got a phone call from former chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav who has assured them of his partys supportThere was no official response from the Noida Authority over the issue PTI KIS IJT