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Business Standard
12 hours ago
- Health
- Business Standard
Delhi unveils 25-point plan to cut pollution, boost clean mobility: Details
Delhi's new air plan targets dust, vehicles, and landfills, with 5,000 e-buses, 7 million trees, cloud seeding, and AI tools to track and fight pollution New Delhi Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday launched a detailed 25-point 'Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025' aimed at tackling the national capital's worsening air quality. The plan focuses on seven major sources of pollution, including dust, vehicles, construction waste, solid waste, industrial emissions, lack of greenery, and poor monitoring. 'Providing clean air to Delhi's citizens is not optional. It is our duty,' said Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat, reported the Hindustan Times. 'This plan balances enforcement, innovation, and public engagement. It is not just a document but a roadmap for a clean and healthy Delhi," she said. Electric push: 5,000 e-buses, 2,299 e-autos A major highlight of the plan is the rollout of more than 5,000 new electric buses and 2,299 e-autos by the end of the year. Charging stations will also be set up at markets, malls, metro stations, airports, and parking lots. To control vehicle emissions, ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras will be used to stop old, polluting vehicles from entering the city. Dust control and green drive To reduce dust pollution, over 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 anti-smog guns will be deployed year-round with GPS and CCTV tracking. Night cleaning will be expanded with 200 mechanical sweepers, 70 electric litter pickers, and 38 tankers. Gupta also announced a major tree plantation campaign under the slogan 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (one tree in the name of your mother), which will see seven million saplings planted across the city. Construction sites under strict watch All construction projects larger than 500 square metres will also need to register with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and follow a 14-point dust control checklist. In addition, C&D (construction and demolition) waste processing capacity will be increased by 1,000 tonnes per day. Government projects must now use 100 per cent recycled construction material. New tech, AI tools for monitoring The government will use AI, GPS tracking, and cloud computing to improve air quality monitoring. Six new ambient air quality stations will be set up, and a real-time source apportionment study will be launched. Cloud seeding pilot with IIT Kanpur In a first, Delhi will also try cloud seeding to trigger artificial rain to reduce dust levels. This pilot project will be conducted with IIT Kanpur, which will also support other scientific initiatives under the plan. Focus on landfills and solid waste Timelines have been set to clear legacy waste from landfills — Okhla by March 2027, Bhalswa by December 2027, and Ghazipur by September 2028. The government has also urged housing societies to enforce household-level waste segregation and use electric heaters instead of biomass during winter.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
CM unveils 25-point blueprint to fight Delhi's bane — pollution
A massive expansion of electric buses, crackdown on polluting vehicles, stricter enforcement at construction sites, cloud seeding pilots, deployment of over 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 anti-smog guns, and six new air monitoring stations — these are among the key steps outlined in Delhi's new air pollution action plan unveiled by chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday. Billed as the 'most scientific and actionable' road map yet for the Capital's battle against bad air, the 25-point Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025 targets seven key sources: dust, vehicle emissions, construction and demolition waste, solid waste, industrial pollution, greening, and real-time monitoring. 'Providing clean air to Delhi's citizens is not optional — it is our duty,' Gupta said, releasing the plan at the Delhi Secretariat flanked by cabinet ministers Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Kapil Mishra. 'This plan balances enforcement, innovation, and public engagement. This plan is not just a document, but a robust road map to protect the health of our citizens in the coming years. It lays the foundation for a clean, green, and healthy Delhi.' The Bharatiya Janata Party had promised halving Delhi's pollution by 2030 in its election manifesto ahead of the 2025 Delhi assembly polls. Key measures include deploying more than 5,000 new electric buses and 2,299 e-autos by year-end, installing ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras to keep end-of-life vehicles out of the city, mandatory anti-smog guns at all large commercial buildings, and launching a tree plantation drive that will see seven million saplings planted under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (A tree for your mother)' campaign. The government will also audit PUC centres every six months, scale up C&D waste processing by 1,000 tonnes per day, and make 100% recycled construction material mandatory for government projects. In a first, the plan integrates advanced tools such as AI, GPS tracking, cloud computing, and automated alerts into Delhi's air quality governance systems. 'We're also launching a 'Startup Innovation Challenge' to bring in low-cost, high-impact ideas for pollution control,' Gupta said. One of the more ambitious pilot efforts will involve cloud seeding to test the feasibility of artificial rain to control airborne dust. This will be done in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, which will also partner with the government on other scientific interventions. To tackle dust pollution — among the most visible sources of smog in Delhi — the city will see over 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 anti-smog guns in year-round operation, with real-time GPS and CCTV tracking. The government also plans to expand night-time cleaning with 200 mechanical road sweepers, 70 electric litter pickers, and 38 tankers. For the construction sector, Gupta announced that all projects spread over 500 square metres must register with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and follow a 14-point dust control checklist embedded into the building approval process. On vehicular emissions, the plan reiterates the strict enforcement of a Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directive that bans all but BS-VI, CNG, and electric commercial goods vehicles from entering the Capital. Digital alerts will be sent to non-compliant vehicle owners in neighbouring states. The electric mobility push includes charging stations across commercial areas, malls, airports, railway stations, and municipal parking lots — a step officials say is crucial to shifting public transport and last-mile connectivity to cleaner modes. A total of 2,299 electric autos will be stationed at metro hubs, while over 5,000 new electric buses are on the cards, with 2,080 expected to hit the roads by year-end. Landfills, another long-standing air pollutant, are also under the spotlight. Timelines have been issued for remediating legacy waste at Okhla by March 2027, Bhalswa by December 2027, and Ghazipur by September 2028. Residents' associations have been asked to enforce household-level segregation and replace winter biomass burning with electric heating options for support staff. Delhi will also see six new ambient air quality monitoring stations and a real-time source apportionment study. Emphasising public participation, Gupta urged residents to enlist as 'Environment Doots' — the city's first line of vigilance and action. Experts have broadly welcomed the plan but flagged the absence of stronger targets. 'Electric mobility needs a clear commitment to zero-emission vehicles, not vague references to clean vehicles,' said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). 'The focus on bus transport is welcome, but it requires setting ridership goals. And solid waste management needs a 100% diversion target for wet waste.' Roychowdhury also welcomed the plan's emphasis on enforcing approved fuels and tackling fugitive emissions in industrial zones. 'However, household fuels remain an overlooked source. We hope to see stronger systemic and infrastructure-level interventions to drive long-term improvements,' she added.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Uncertain about future, say doctors, staff of Mohalla Clinics; hold sit-in at Delhi Secretariat
At least 580 doctors and staff, who worked at Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) flagship Mohalla Clinics, on Monday held a silent protest outside the Delhi Secretariat and sought clarity on whether they can continue to work at Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandir. The public healthcare centres were rebranded by the BJP after it came to power in February. In an interview with The Indian Express last week, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh, amid prevailing concerns among the staff of the Mohalla Clinics, had said, 'We have staff in the Arogya Mandirs, which are ready for the launch, but we are planning to absorb the existing staff of Mohalla clinics. I have discussed this with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. They will have to reappear in an exam, and those who fulfil the criteria will get the jobs.' On Monday, as the Mohalla clinics remained shut, the doctors and staff held a sit-in outside the Delhi Secretariat till evening, saying they were uncertain about their future. The written orders from officials have contradicted the CM's assurances at her Jan sunwai camps that the staff will be absorbed at Arogya Mandirs, they claimed. Officials concerned could not be reached for a response on the latest demonstration. 'Even the Health Minister said that those who fit the criteria under the National Health Mission will be hired…Some of the staff members have also been asked to sit at home while permanent employees from various hospitals have been transferred to their clinics,' said Jitendra Kumar, president of the Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (AAMC) union. Some doctors and staff members were called inside the Delhi Secretariat, where they met Health Minister's OSD Vaibhav Rikhari, and they submitted a memorandum, he added. The doctors said that they had cleared the examination of the Delhi government, after which they were selected for the Mohalla Clinics, where they have been working for the last eight years. They said that all the staff at Mohalla clinics should be transferred to Ayushman Arogya Mandir without any service disruption. 'Following the Assembly elections earlier this year, the staff have not been given salaries. Recently, an MOU (memorandum of understanding) of conditional extension of a maximum of one year or earlier was provided,' read the memorandum submitted by the doctors. They said minutes of the meeting, dated April 17, signed by the Health Minister and the Special Secretary, are cause for concern. 'Our problems are linked to the process of shifting from Delhi State Health Mission (DSHM) to National Rural Health Mission, fear of new eligibility criteria, and no clear-cut document for the smooth shifting of 100% of doctors and staff. The government, on one end, keeps its staff happy by paying them regular increments and promotions and dearness allowance… but on the other end, inhuman treatment is meted out to contractual professional staff of AAMC. After working for over eight years in AAMC, without any increment, we are on the verge of termination of our services at one stroke. Our OPD, linked to remuneration, is jeopardised by poor supply of drugs,' it further added.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Scores of Mohalla Clinic staffers stage protest outside Secretariat
Mohalla Clinic staffers on Monday staged a protest outside the Delhi Secretariat amid growing concerns over job security. The protesting doctors, nurses, and multi-tasking workers demanded that they be absorbed into the upcoming Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs). This decision came after the Comptroller and Auditor General report, tabled in the Assembly by the BJP, revealed shortcomings in the functioning of the clinics. According to officials, there are 553 Mohalla Clinics in the Capital, of which 70 are proposed to be upgraded into AAMs. The transformation would also lead to the shutting of over 250 clinics, said Health Minister Pankaj Singh. The protest, which began at 9 a.m. and continued till 12 noon, witnessed the staff seeking clarity on their future. Five doctors then entered the Secretariat to meet Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the Health Minister. However, when they were not available, the doctors submitted the memorandum to the health department officials. 'Our two months' salaries have been stopped so that we can be pressured. We are being made to sign no-dues forms,' read the memorandum roughly translated from Hindi. The doctors, in a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, highlighted that they were recruited through a government-led, extensive selection process. All the staff should be transferred to AAMs without any 'disruption in services', the memorandum stated, reiterating the CM's earlier assurance, made on May 16, that 'no one will be laid off'. Echoing CM's statement, Mr. Singh, last week, said that 'those who are eligible and work hard, will not be rendered jobless'. However, in a meeting on April 17, the Health Department announced that it would hire new staff, sparking concerns about job security among the Mohalla Clinic staff. While the department mentioned that existing doctors and paramedics may continue for up to a year or until new appointments are made, Monday's protestors said, 'no assurance was given'. Taking on the government's new eligibility criteria based on age limit, a 68-year-old practising doctor said, 'Under the earlier criteria, experienced doctors were given a chance to continue working after retirement. Under the new criteria that the government plans, there will be an age limit, rendering many of us jobless.' The doctor, who was among the five others who spoke to officials on Monday said, 'Officials acknowledged the memorandum but did not give us any assurance. Most clinics have been shut today, and we did not want to deprive patients, but we had no option.' A nurse, who has worked in a clinic for six years said, 'Firstly, there are not enough jobs. If we have been given a contract, based on our qualifications, we should be retained.' 'Moreover, the job is important to me because it is a day job and I have a one-year-old infant at home. If I have to move to a hospital, it will be very difficult for me to do night duty,' she said, adding that her monthly salary is approximately ₹25,000 per month.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Significant progress' made towards Mahila Samridhi Yojana: Delhi CM
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government has made 'significant progress' on its plan to provide ₹2,500 in monthly financial aid to women under the Mahila Samridhi Yojana, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Friday. Speaking to HT at the Secretariat, on the sidelines of the press conference. Guptasaid her government is preparing a comprehensive, 'fool-proof' policy to ensure poor women receive sustained support. While reiterating that the scheme will target economically disadvantaged women, Gupta did not disclose the specific eligibility criteria. 'We have held meetings and are working on a detailed framework,' she said. 'The BJP had promised during the elections that poor women would receive ₹2,500 every month, and we are committed to delivering that.' The Mahila Samridhi Yojana was one of the BJP's marquee promises during the 2025 Delhi assembly elections, pitched as a key welfare initiative to empower women and provide them with financial stability. The pledge resonated strongly in the party's campaign, helping the BJP secure crucial support across working-class neighbourhoods and informal settlements in Delhi. On March 8, the Delhi cabinet approved ₹5,100 crore as the annual outlay for the scheme. Though funds have been earmarked, the rollout is still pending as the policy is being finalised. Gupta said the scheme would be launched 'soon' and would reach 'every eligible woman' in the Capital. Gupta, who completed 100 days in office on Friday, released a report card at the Delhi Secretariat detailing her administration's early achievements. Of the 22-page booklet, two pages are dedicated to the women's aid scheme, featuring a large image of the chief minister interacting warmly with a group of women. At the press conference marking the occasion, Gupta addressed questions on the scheme's status. 'These 100 days were not enough to implement a scheme of this magnitude,' she said. 'It's not a one-time payout—it's a recurring monthly support programme. We want to ensure that not a single eligible sister is excluded.' To that end, the Delhi government has constituted a group of ministers to finalise eligibility parameters. The ministers, however, did not share further details about their deliberations or the criteria under consideration. Govt rolls out hi-tech mobile forensic labs Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta and Home minister Ashish Sood on Friday flagged off a state-of-the-art Mobile Forensic Science Lab Van from the Delhi Secretariat with the aim to strengthen, sharpen, and enhance the efficiency of the city's criminal justice system. CM said the vans will bring both transparency and speed to the judicial processes in the city. 'Our government is consistently working to provide fast, transparent, and reliable services to the public through the use of technology. With these vans, expert teams will be able to reach crime scenes promptly and collect scientific evidence in cases such as murder, theft, fraud, and cybercrime,' CM said. Home minister Ashish Sood said the vans will reach the crime scene quickly and help in accurate investigation of digital evidence. 'This is an effective initiative towards making Delhi a smart and safe capital,' said Sood.
