Delhi pollution: The minister said that anti-pollution measures will continue in the national capital even after the relaxation of GRAP-IV.
The Delhi government on Tuesday said it will continue its ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ policy for vehicles even after GRAP-IV restrictions are lifted.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that anti-pollution measures will continue in the national capital even after the relaxation of GRAP-IV, and vehicles without a valid PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate will not be allowed to operate in the city.
As part of intensified measures to tackle rising air pollution levels in the national capital, the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule came into force in Delhi on December 18.
The minister said that the government will also allocate ₹100 crore for the rejuvenation of water bodies across the city.
Inspections revealed that several PUC certificate offices were not operational, while 12 centres were found to have defective equipment. Sirsa said these centres have been suspended and issued notices.
Delhi air pollution
Delhi’s air quality turned ‘severe’ even as dense fog enveloped the national capital, leading to delays in flight and rail operations. At 3 pm on Tuesday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 415.
Visibility dipped to 50 metres at both Palam and Safdarjung, with over 200 flights delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Several trains were also delayed.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature is expected to remain at 22 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will settle at 9 degrees Celsius.
The weather department has not issued any colour-coded warning for the capital.
Fog to persist over next few days
The IMD said weather conditions will continue to favour fog formation in the mornings. In its latest bulletin, the IMD said the sky is expected to remain partly cloudy over the next 24 hours, turn mainly clear for the following three days, and then become partly cloudy again.
Source: The Hindustan Times
