Govt announces measures to combat air pollution in Delhi

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat to address the city’s worsening air quality.

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The meeting, attended by officials from the Environment Department, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and other key agencies, focused on implementing stricter pollution control measures, increasing green cover and enforcing environmental policies with renewed urgency.

“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have intensified our fight against air pollution,” said CM Gupta.

“We are committed to turning Delhi into a cleaner, greener Capital through coordinated, technology-backed action,” she said.

The CM announced a series of stringent measures following the meeting. The Delhi Government will deploy 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 mobile anti-smog guns across the city throughout the year (excluding the monsoon season) to tackle dust pollution. All high-rise buildings will be required to install rooftop sprinkler systems, while water sprinkling will be mandatory at construction sites.

To curb vehicular pollution, 495 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at petrol stations and will soon be extended to all border entry points. These cameras will track end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), with real-time alerts sent via SMS to owners, warning them of their vehicle’s restriction status. Variable signboards at border locations will display the number of ELVs attempting to enter Delhi.

In a push for enforcement, pollution under control (PUC) centres across Delhi will face audits, with heavy penalties for issuing false certificates. “We will not allow negligence at any level,” said CM Gupta.

The government also mandated that all Construction and Demolition (C&D) sites larger than 500 sq m must register on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) web portal to ensure compliance with dust control regulations. Sites between 200-500 sq m must follow dust mitigation norms, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) overseeing enforcement.

To promote sustainable transport and empower women, CM Gupta announced the deployment of 2,300 e-rickshaws for last-mile connectivity at metro stations. Of these, 700 will be operated by women.

In a major scientific development, the Delhi Government, in collaboration with the IIT-Kanpur, is preparing for a trial of artificial rain to control air pollution. An MoU will soon be signed to initiate the process.

“The fight against pollution demands not just policies, but results. Our government is committed to permanent, results-driven change,” the Chief Minister stated.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the Environment Action Plan 2025-26 lays out targeted interventions such as mandatory anti-smog guns on high-rises and a phased strategy to eliminate the city’s garbage mounds. The government will also launch an AI-powered version 2.0 of the DPCC portal, enabling automatic online challans against violators. Vehicles involved in dust control will be GPS-enabled for real-time monitoring.

“This is a comprehensive and technology-driven action plan. Every citizen will benefit from the cleaner, healthier Delhi we are building,” said Sirsa.