Under intense presure in the wake of health alarm due to grave pollution situation, the Delhi government today began phasing out diesel vehicles over 15 years old numbering around two lakh, while a ban was imposed on the bursting firecrackers.
The latest directives, issued after a meeting chaired by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, came on a day the three-day-long shutdown of schools began, construction and demolition came to a halt and a power plant closed owing to a toxic smog blanketing the city since Diwali. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and top officials of key agencies attended the deliberations.
A meeting of Environment Ministers of NCR states chaired by Union Environment Minister Anil Dave saw Haryana and Punjab seeking to counter the AAP dispensation's repeated allegation that the week-long smog episode in Delhi was mainly due to farm fires in the neighbouring states.
However, NASA images showed farm fires were raging in the entire region, billowing out smoke laden with pollutants.
Dave also sought to put the onus on Delhi as he underlined that 80 per cent of the emission sources were within the city and only the rest could be attributed to stubble burning.
"Directions have been issued to all Registering Authorities/MLOs to start deregistration of diesel vehicles which are more than 15 years old in a phased manner. This will bring about a reduction of 2 lakhs diesel vehicles on the roads in Delhi," Raj Niwas said in a statement.
In a first, the city government also issued a health advisory, asking people to avoid highly polluted areas and those with lung diseases to not venture outdoor for any activities.
A senior official at the LG office said decisions taken today will be reviewed in the next meeting on November 15.
Apart from that, ban on construction and demolition activities will continue till November 14 and overloaded trucks and vehicles not destined for the city will not be allowed in the national capital.
In July, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the Delhi government to de-register diesel vehicles older than 10 years, which it later said, should begin with the deregistration of vechiles which are over 15 years old in the first phase.
IIT-Kanpur, in a comprehensive report, had identified vehicular pollution as the second largest and most consistently contributing source to respirable pollutants PM 10 and PM 2.5 in winters.
In the meeting with environment ministers of NCR states,
Dave stressed on the need to end the blame game and focus on resolving the problem at hand.
"I always make an attempt to put an end to blame game. Sensationalism and blame game have become a strategy. People get affected by this. They are having trouble breathing. Deal with that first. I want that the states carry out their responsibilities," he said.
The minister said an "Environment Protection Calendar", listing measures to be adopted by all states on a monthly basis, will be prepared in January.
In Chandigarh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the severe air pollution in Delhi cannot be "entirely" blamed on stubble burning, while Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that the state has no role in the pollution in the national capital.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said the blame game over pollution should end and both the Centre and the AAP government act to bring it under control.
"Blaming Punjab/Hry farmers won't solve pollution problem in Delhi.Pl learn from Sheilaji. Rise above blame game Mr Kejriwal & Mr Modi & act now," Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality improved marginally as wind speed picked up, dispersing the pollutants and the thick cover of hazardous haze that shrouded the city for nearly a week.
The visibility also improved as the city witnessed sunshine after several days.
"The air quality has improved due to a little increase in wind speed, although the wind direction continues to be north-northwest. By Wednesday wind speed is likely to increase more and wind direction will also be easterly which is likely to further improve the air quality and turn it very poor from severe," Project Director of pollution monitoring agency SAFAR Gufran Beig told
