The BJP government in Delhi has announced a ban on petrol for vehicles older than 15 years to combat air pollution. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that gadgets will be installed at petrol pumps to identify these vehicles, with enforcement focusing on heavy vehicles entering Delhi. Additionally, anti-smog guns will be mandated for all high-rise buildings and commercial complexes. An annual plantation drive will engage university students, and new forests will be developed on vacant land to further reduce pollution. Sirsa emphasized that local factors contribute significantly to Delhi’s pollution and stressed the need for solutions from within the state.
New Delhi:
In a significant move to tackle pollution immediately after assuming power in Delhi, the BJP government has decreed that vehicles older than 15 years will not be allowed to purchase petrol at filling stations.
During a press briefing on Saturday, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who took office on Monday, announced that a specialized team will be established to identify such vehicles.
“We are implementing devices at petrol stations that will detect vehicles over 15 years old, and those vehicles will not receive fuel,” Mr. Sirsa stated following a meeting with officials focused on strategies to address air pollution in Delhi.
Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have a policy in place prohibiting diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from operating on the roads. A directive issued in 2021 determined that such vehicles would be confiscated and sent to a scrapyard if found on the roads after January 1, 2022.
Mr. Sirsa indicated that the initial emphasis of the government will be on heavy-duty vehicles entering Delhi, with teams assigned to ensure compliance with established regulations.
Anti-Smog Guns
The minister noted that several large entities in Delhi contribute to pollution and that they will be mandated to install new anti-pollution “gadgets.” Furthermore, all high-rise structures, hotels, and commercial buildings in the city will be required to have anti-smog guns installed.
In outlining additional initiatives, Mr. Sirsa mentioned that an annual plantation drive will be launched, with university students encouraged to participate.
“We will create new forests in unused land across Delhi to help mitigate pollution. We are also planning to initiate cloud seeding efforts,” he remarked.
In response to former AAP government assertions regarding external factors like stubble burning in adjacent states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh intensifying Delhi’s pollution, Mr. Sirsa stated, “Our objective is singular: those who cause pollution must also provide solutions. It is only when we reduce pollution in our own state that we can advise others. Internal factors account for over 50 percent of the pollution in the capital.”
Despite some slight improvements in recent years, Delhi continues to be recognized as one of the most polluted cities globally, reporting 157 days where the air quality index (AQI) was rated as poor or worse.