Vehicles without pollution certificate to be denied fuel
Petrol, diesel and CNG dealers had been directed to sell fuel only after verifying valid PUCC
Vehicles without a valid pollution under control certificate (PUCC) will not be allowed to refuel in Delhi from Thursday, while the non-BS VI vehicles registered outside the city will be barred from entering the Capital when stricter pollution curbs are in force, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat, Sirsa said petrol, diesel and CNG dealers had been directed to sell fuel only after verifying a valid PUCC. He also said vehicles registered outside Delhi and below the BS-VI emission category would not be permitted to enter the city during Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III and IV. In addition, vehicles carrying construction material would not be allowed to enter Delhi when GRAP Stage IV restrictions are in place.
Sirsa said enforcement would be carried out through Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems and on-ground checks at fuel stations and entry points, and urged people to cooperate with the enforcement staff.
Citing government data, the minister said the average air quality index (AQI) levels had shown a declining trend over the past 10 months.
Sirsa said action had been taken against industrial pollution, with over 2,000 notices issued and penalties amounting to more than Rs 9.21 crore imposed. Online emission monitoring systems had been installed in 280 industrial units across the city.
He also highlighted steps such as scaling up biomining at landfill sites, expansion of electric buses in Delhi’s public transport system and action against non-compliant diesel generator sets.
Later, responding to questions on air quality, Sirsa apologised to residents for the pollution and said, “No government can completely wipe out pollution in such a short time, but work is being done every day to reduce it.”
