Spare 5 minutes for Mother Earth: Minister Ashish Sood urges people of Delhi to save power on Earth Day

In a video message, the Delhi Education Minister said the initiative aimed to spread a powerful message in support of the environment and serve as a collective message of environmental consciousness.

"We are celebrating World Earth Day today. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, today in Delhi, a strong voice is being raised for our Earth," Ashish Sood said.

"Come, today at 8:00 pm to 8:05 pm, let us spare 5 minutes for our earth and let us all--every house, family, every shop, every office--switch off all electricity. This meaningful effort of ours will go a long way and will send a big message for the environment and Mother Earth," he added.

World Earth Day, celebrated globally on April 22, aims to raise awareness and drive action toward pressing environmental issues, including climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The day is marked by various events worldwide, with governments, organisations, and citizens participating in tree planting, clean-up drives, awareness campaigns, and pledges to reduce their carbon footprints.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta shared a message highlighting the government's commitment to sustainable urban transport.

"On this Earth Day, we are taking a transformative step towards a greener future with the launch of 330 new electric buses under the DEVI initiative--Dedicated Electric Vehicle Integration," Delhi CM Gupta posted on social media.

The post added, "This is our sincere effort to make Delhi's journey cleaner, safer, and more sustainable for generations to come. Join us today as we celebrate this historic milestone. Your support matters- together, let's drive Delhi towards a greener and healthier tomorrow!

However, the Delhi government postponed the official launch of the electric buses under the DEVI (Dedicated Electric Vehicle Integration) scheme in view of the national mourning declared by the Government of India following the demise of Pope Francis.

The entire country has also declared a three-day mourning as a mark of respect, according to an official notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The mourning will be observed across the country on April 22 and 23, and again on the day of the Pope's funeral.

Pope Francis (88) passed away at his residence, Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican on April 21.

The Home Ministry stated: "Three-Day State Mourning as a mark of respect on the passing away of His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See."