Delhi: No fuel from October 25 without pollution check certificate
The Delhi Government, led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has taken significant steps to reduce vehicle pollution in the national capital. According to Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, if a vehicle does not have a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, petrol and diesel can't be availed from October 25. He stated that a formal notification regarding this will be published soon.
Why does this story matter?
Delhi is the world's most polluted city, and the situation worsens during Diwali owing to the usage of firecrackers and stubble burning. The Delhi-NCR area gets blanketed with hazardous smoke, leading to various health hazards and making it impossible for people to venture out. Every year, after the court's scolding, governments talk about taking action, but no lasting solution has been discovered so far.
What exactly did the minister say?
"Vehicular emission is one of the key contributors to rising pollution in Delhi. It's imperative to reduce it so it has been decided that from October 25 petrol, diesel will not be provided at petrol pumps without PUC certificate of the vehicle," Rai said in a press conference. The decision was taken following an official meeting of the Environment, Transport, and Traffic Departments.
Violators, including government departments, will face hefty fines
The minister said that government departments must follow the instruction as well. According to the Motor Vehicles Act, car owners without the PUC certificate might get a Rs 10,000 fine, six months in jail, or both. In Delhi, nearly 17 lakh vehicles, including 13 lakh two-wheelers and three lakh cars, were operating without a valid PUC certificate as of July 2022.
Pollution control war room will be launched on October 3
The minister also stated that on October 3, a 24x7 war room will be established to combat pollution and seriously implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). GRAP is a system that has procedures in place to deal with air pollution based on its severity. This was applied throughout the city on October 1st. It went into effect in January of this year.
CM Kejriwal's 15-point plan to fight pollution
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a 15-point strategy to reduce pollution. These actions include using bio-decomposer technology to prevent farmers from burning stubble, launching an anti-dust campaign on October 6, prohibiting open garbage burning, establishing an e-waste park for electronic waste disposal, and implementing GRAP. A blanket prohibition on firecrackers will also stay in effect.
