No Fuel for Vehicles Without PUCC from Thursday: Delhi Minister

The government will not allow any polluting vehicle to enter Delhi, he added.

"To control vehicular tail pipe emissions, all the dealers of the petrol, diesel and CNG pumps are directed to refuel only those motor vehicles whose owners produce valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC)," he added.

Any vehicles carrying construction materials will not be allowed to enter Delhi when GRAP 4 is in place, he said.

Sirsa clarified that automatic number plate recognition and on-ground checks will be conducted to verify PUCC status and emission category of vehicles, and directed citizens not to argue with enforcement officials at fuel stations and borders when found non-compliant.

Stressing that the current government has focused on data-driven, scientifically designed interventions to bring down pollution levels, he said that in the last 11 months, eight have recorded better air quality compared to the same months last year. Even in November, when Delhi usually faces severe AQI, the average AQI was about 20 points lower than last year, he said.

"This is the impact of targeted, daily enforcement and long-term structural reforms," he said.

The minister said the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and district teams are running an extensive survey of industrial units, including redevelopment and non-conforming areas that have already been surveyed, and that 824 such units are facing action.

Over 2,000 notices have been slapped and around Rs 9.21 crore worth of penalties imposed on violators for flouting pollution norms, in addition to action by other departments.

An extensive crackdown is also underway on diesel generator sets and polluting commercial establishments. Approximately 3,200 diesel generators have been verified for compliance with Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) norms, with non-compliant sets facing closure and penalties. Around 318 banquet halls in Delhi have been instructed to ensure that their diesel generator sets meet prescribed standards, failing which they will be sealed.

Emphasising the government's focus on permanently eliminating legacy waste mountains, Sirsa said the daily processing of waste at Delhi's three landfill sites has been enhanced from about 20,000 metric tonnes to nearly 35,000 metric tonnes per day, in line with the target of completing bio-mining by 2026.

He noted that out of around 202 acres covered by garbage mountains, about 45 acres have already been reclaimed, with plantation forests started on the freed land. A dense forest is being developed on around 7 acres, he said.

The minister said 3,427 electric buses are currently plying in the city and the government plans to add 7,000 more by December 2026, which will drastically cut vehicular emissions.

He also highlighted that over 8.66 lakh vehicles have been issued challans in Delhi for not having valid PUC certificates, which has significantly improved compliance and awareness among vehicle owners.

Sirsa said that a high-level group of scientists, headed by a former environment secretary of the Central government, has been constituted to provide scientific inputs on pollution mitigation measures, and the committee has already held its initial meetings.

A separate committee of the CAQM is also working to refine and upgrade the action plan, he said.

To curb industrial emissions, Online Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) have been installed in 280 industrial units, with a clear mandate that no polluting industry in Delhi should remain outside real-time online monitoring.

"Non-compliant units that fail to install OCEMS by the prescribed deadline will face strict action, including closure," he added.

To curb biomass burning, the government is distributing 3,500 electric heaters free of cost to guards and night-time workers so that they do not resort to burning wood or waste for warmth during winter nights, he said.