In the wake of the unprecedented rise in air pollution levels the national capital is currently witnessing, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai wrote to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav for strict implementation of the ban on the entry of vehicles non-compliant to BS-VI norms

Earlier, the Delhi government had announced a ban on the entry of vehicles, especially diesel buses, which don’t comply with BS-VI norms, from plying in the National Capital Region (NCR).

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In his letter, Rai requested the Union minister to convene an emergency meeting of the five states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi in view of the vehicular pollution that enormously contributes to the air pollution in Delhi.

The Delhi minister complained to the Centre that the adjoining states are found wanting in the implementation of the orders of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). “As per the statutory direction issued by CAQM on 19.10.2023 regarding the migration of public transport services especially buses in NCR to cleaner modes, all bus services between any city/town in the State of Haryana / Rajasthan/UP and Delhi has to be operated only through EV/CNG/BS-VI Diesel we.f. 01.11.2023, and enforcement is been done by Delhi at the borders, but all other vehicles running not on cleaner modes entering Delhi from neighbouring states are left outside the enforcement net,” letter the read.

Recounting his visit to Anand Vihar, the hotspot of air pollution in the national capital at 11.30 pm on Friday, he said he was surprised to see BS III and BS IV diesel buses from the neighbouring states still plying on Delhi roads. “I request you to effectively ban the entry of vehicles non-compliant to BS- VI into Delhi from neighbouring states and also to ban such vehicles in NCR, so that air pollution from vehicles can be controlled,” he wrote in the letter.

”Considering the coincidence of Diwali and more parali (stubble) burning incidences expected in neighbouring states in coming weeks, the ambient air quality of the city is expected to deteriorate further very badly,” Rai further said in his letter.

While admitting that the city’s air quality was still under the ‘severe’ category, the minister said there was a slight improvement in the situation on Saturday. “Today there has been an improvement in the level of pollution as compared to yesterday… The situation is still serious,” he said to a news agency.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s average air quality was measured at 412 on Saturday evening at 4 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On Friday, the city’s average AQI index had shot to 470, as per the pollution control agency.

With the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage-III, the plying of BS-3 petrol and BS-4 cars was banned till further orders.

The government has urged people to make maximum use of public transport during the heightened pollution situation, and extra trips were added to the bus and metro rail services in the city to expand the public transport system.