Latest news with #AirPollutionMitigationPlan2025
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
City breathed cleaner air in January-May: Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa
NEW DELHI: Delhi has seen a notable improvement in air quality during the first five months of 2025, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping to 214 from 231 in the same period last year, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Wednesday. According to the government, the average PM2.5 concentration for January to May also fell to 95 µg/m³ from 111 µg/m³ in 2024, indicating a positive shift in pollution levels. May 2025, in particular, recorded the cleanest air in over a decade for the month, with average AQI falling into the 'moderate' category, a rare occurrence for the capital during summer. Sirsa attributed the improvement to the Delhi government's 'Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025'. 'Unlike previous governments that drafted policies but failed on execution, our government is delivering results on the ground. The steady decline in pollutant levels is proof that our comprehensive, multi-pronged approach is working,' he said.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Health
- India Gazette
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari meets Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, reviews National Highway projects
New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Wednesday. Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena was also present on the occasion. The Union Minister reviewed the progress of ongoing National Highway projects in Delhi with Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and CM Rekha Gupta. Other MPs and senior officials of the Delhi government were also present at the meeting. On June 3, launching the Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that from November 1, only BS-VI (Bharat Stage 6), CNG, or EV commercial vehicles will be allowed to enter the city. 'From November 1, 2025, any vehicle that comes to Delhi will have to be a BS6, CNG, or EV commercial vehicle,' Gupta said at a press conference. She said that the state government's dream is to chase 'clean, green and healthy Delhi', for which the Environment Ministry of Delhi has drafted an Air Pollution Mitigation Plan for this year. 'Environment Day is very close, and air pollution in Delhi is a matter that is related to all of us. For years, we have been suffering from air pollution. We have a dream - Clean Delhi, Green Delhi, Healthy Delhi. I am very happy that our Environment Department and Minister have drafted a fantastic Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025,' the Delhi CM said. Gupta said that the national capital would witness its first artificial rain 'very soon' with the help of cloud seeding techniques. 'Very soon, Delhi will have its first artificial rain through cloud seeding,' the CM said. She said the Delhi government would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with science organisations to utilise innovative techniques to combat pollution. For cloud seeding and artificial rain, an MoU has been signed with IIT Kanpur as a pilot project. 'To reduce and eliminate pollution, we will sign MoUs with all our science organisations, which will use their latest innovations to help the Delhi government fight against pollution. For example, the Delhi government has signed an MoU with IIT Kanpur, which is based on cloud seeding and artificial rain, which we have approved to start as a pilot project,' Gupta said. The Delhi CM said the government was planning to install 'mist sprayers' in areas often categorised as pollution hotspots to manage dust particles. 'It will be mandatory to install anti-smog guns on all high-rise buildings, especially commercial buildings above 3,000 metres, malls, hotels, etc. and due to this, dust mitigation will be reduced in all of Delhi,' Gupta said. She said that the Delhi government also plans to install Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at all entry points to the metropolitan city, which would allow the identification and stopping of end-of-life vehicles that spread pollution. 'We will install Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at all the entry points of Delhi, which will be able to identify end-of-life vehicles, and as soon as the vehicle comes in the range of these cameras, it will be known that this vehicle is an end-of-life vehicle and is spreading pollution, so they will be traced and stopped immediately. These cameras will also be installed at all petrol pumps, and we will be able to detect end-of-life vehicles... Together, we can deal with the big problem of pollution in Delhi,' the Delhi CM said. (ANI)
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
Only clean fuel buses allowed in Delhi from November 2026, says CAQM
From 1 November 2026, only clean fuel buses running on CNG, electricity, or BS-VI diesel will be permitted to enter Delhi, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced on Wednesday. The move aims to reduce vehicular emissions in the capital, which continues to grapple with hazardous air quality during large parts of the year. Delhi's broader air pollution strategy The CAQM announcement follows Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's unveiling of a 25-point Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025. The plan outlines steps to combat Delhi's worsening air crisis, including the deployment of more than 5,000 electric buses and 2,299 e-autos by the end of the year. It also proposes the installation of ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras to restrict entry of end-of-life vehicles into the city. 'Providing clean air to Delhi's citizens is not optional — it is our duty. This plan balances enforcement, innovation, and public engagement. It is not just a document, but a robust road map to protect the health of our citizens in the coming years,' Gupta said. New rules for buses entering the capital The CAQM directive applies to all buses entering Delhi, including those operating under All India Tourist Permit, contract carriage, institutional, and school bus permits — with the exception of those registered in Delhi, according to the Press Trust of India. Previously, the CAQM had asked neighbouring states — Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir — to transition to clean fuel buses by mid-2024 or early 2025. Many states, however, failed to meet the deadline. The commission has also instructed the Delhi Transport Department and Traffic Police to use ANPR systems at border entry points to enforce compliance and prevent unauthorised vehicle entry. Targeting Delhi's annual pollution crisis The clean fuel mandate and the 25-point mitigation plan are the latest responses to Delhi's chronic air pollution problem, which spikes during winter and is a major public health concern. The city has repeatedly ranked among the most polluted in the world, with thousands of deaths annually linked to poor air quality.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
On pollution, new ideas and old battles
Just ahead of World Environment Day, Delhi's new government threw down the gauntlet against toxic air with its most ambitious plan yet — a 25-point road map promising electric buses, cloud seeding, AI-driven monitoring, and a crackdown on construction dust and vehicular emissions. CM Rekha Gupta called the Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025 the 'most scientific and actionable' strategy to combat the Capital's toxic air, targeting everything from vehicular smoke to smouldering landfills. The plan is heavy on innovation: It mentions pilot projects on cloud seeding, GPS-tracked smog guns, AI-linked air monitors, and a start-up challenge for pollution control. To be sure, some of these remain scientifically unproven or logistically complex. Cloud seeding, for instance, is still in experimental stages, and smog guns, though dramatic, have shown limited effectiveness in large-scale mitigation of pollution. But the real test lies not in ambition, but execution. Poor implementation has hobbled every pollution plan before this one. Mandating construction sites to curb dust or ordering households to segregate waste are not new ideas. Unless residents, bureaucrats, and civic agencies move in step, these will remain paper laws. Take firecrackers. Outlawed year after year, they are still freely available, not just during Diwali, but also the extended wedding season. Many of these action points were also part of previous plans but were stymied by bureaucratic hurdles, often motivated by political bickering between city and central authorities. This time, the government may have fewer excuses, given that the BJP, which runs the Union government, now controls not only the Delhi government, but also the MCD. For good measure, it is also in power in each of the National Capital Region (NCR) states. That's good because the bigger challenge lies across Delhi's borders. When Punjab (not part of the NCR, and also not a state where the BJP is in power) and Haryana's fields go up in smoke after their harvests, so do Delhi's pollution efforts. The Supreme Court has shown the way — what's needed now is not more vision, but coordination. The BJP has a rare chance — never has the same party been in power in all NCR states. Ultimately, this plan demands more than just policy — it needs a cultural shift. Delhi's future hinges on citizens viewing clean air as a shared responsibility and not the exclusive responsibility of the government. If this administration can marry public cooperation with states' resolve — on reviving the Yamuna, protecting the Aravallis, and executing the pollution plan — it could script an environmental turnaround for the ages.
News18
2 days ago
- Health
- News18
Delhi's Anti-Pollution Plan: 'Only BS6, CNG Or EV Commercial Vehicles Can Enter From Nov 1'
Last Updated: Delhi Air Pollution News: The plan, titled 'Shuddh Hawa Sabka Adhikar – Pradushan Par Zordar Prahar', includes a raft of measures to tackle various pollution sources Delhi Air Pollution: Chief minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025 on Tuesday to address Delhi's persistent air pollution crisis. The plan, titled 'Shuddh Hawa Sabka Adhikar – Pradushan Par Zordar Prahar" (Clean Air is Everyone's Right – A Strong Attack on Pollution), aims to significantly improve the capital's air quality through sweeping measures. A key aspect of the plan is the regulation of vehicular entry, with only BS-VI (Bharat Stage 6) compliant, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), or electric commercial vehicles being allowed to enter the national capital from November 1, 2025. This new policy marks a substantial shift in Delhi's transportation strategy, targeting a major source of pollution. To enforce this, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will be installed at all entry points to the city and at petrol stations. These cameras will identify and deter end-of-life vehicles, which contribute significantly to emissions, by sending SMS alerts to owners and displaying warnings on billboards. The plan also includes a raft of measures to tackle various pollution sources: Dust Control: The government will deploy 200 mechanical road sweepers, 70 electric litter pickers, 38 water tankers, and 20 dump vehicles. Over 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 anti-smog guns will be in operation year-round, including nighttime operations to minimise traffic disruption. Anti-smog guns will be mandatory in all high-rise commercial buildings over 3,000 square metres, such as malls and hotels. Mist sprayers will be installed at 13 identified pollution hotspots. Construction Site Compliance: Construction projects over 500 square metres must register on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) portal and display their registration details on-site. An AI-based system will automatically issue notices and penalties for dust violations. Public Transport Modernisation: The plan includes deploying 2,299 e-autos at metro stations and adding 2,080 electric buses to the public transport fleet by year-end. The expansion of EV charging infrastructure across commercial hubs and public spaces is also underway. Waste Management: The goal is to achieve net-zero waste to landfills by 2028, focusing on clearing the Okhla, Bhalaswa, and Ghazipur landfill sites. Strict enforcement of waste segregation at source will be implemented. CM Gupta emphasised that the 'Shuddh Hawa Sabka Adhikar – Pradushan Par Zordar Prahar" plan is a historic step toward a 'Clean Delhi, Green Delhi, Healthy Delhi", demonstrating the government's commitment to providing clean air for its citizens. (With agency inputs)
