Air pollution in NCR driven by both anthropogenic activities & meteorological factors: Yadav

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (EFCC), Bhupender Yadav Monday chaired a high-level meeting to undertake a detailed review of the action plans of the Delhi Government for tackling air pollution in the NCR cities.

The meeting formed part of the regular annual review mechanism to assess progress and strengthen the implementation of identified measures.

Advertisement

Dignitaries present in the meeting included Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Minister of State for EFCC, Kirti Vardhan Singh and Delhi Environment Minister Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa, besides senior officials from MoEFCC and the Delhi Government.

At the outset, Yadav congratulated the officials of the Delhi Government and related agencies for their sustained efforts in containing air pollution in the National capital.

He recalled that in 2021, the Union Government enacted a dedicated law and constituted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) as a forward-looking step.

The airshed of Delhi NCR was identified to precisely determine pollution sources across the region.

He noted that air pollution in NCR is driven by both anthropogenic activities and meteorological factors and emphasised that long-term policy interventions, rather than quick fixes, are essential.

On vehicular pollution, the Minister highlighted the need for smart traffic management, particularly at 62 identified congestion hotspots, to ensure smoother traffic flow.

He stressed strict action against polluting vehicles, including a special registration drive, installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems at border entry points, and exploration of staggered office timings to reduce peak-hour congestion.

Measures such as incentivisation of electric vehicles, accelerated expansion of charging infrastructure, congestion charges, smart parking management, and a uniform vehicle registration policy for NCR were discussed.

Yadav underscored that behavioural change and public participation are critical for the success of these measures.

Reviewing industrial pollution, it was noted that 227 out of 240 industrial estates in NCR have already shifted to PNG. However, unplanned development and subsequent regularisation of industries outside designated estates remain a concern.

Yadav directed that strict action be taken against illegally operating and non-conforming units, including sealing where required.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued notices to 88 units that have not installed Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS), with closure action to commence from January 23, it was informed.