Delhi pollution: Authorities asked to list 15-year-old vehicles

New Delhi: In efforts to improve air quality in the national capital, Delhi government has asked transport authorities to prepare a comprehensive realistic data on private vehicles which are 15 or more years old. At a meeting held to discuss measures to control air pollution, Delhi Chief Secretary KK Sharma asked Transport Department officials to launch a website to get information on vehicles 15 years and older from private owners and update the database at the earliest.

According to government statistics, there are about 28 lakh vehicles which are more than 15 years old. But this list, based on registration data, does not include vehicles which may have been disposed off, sold, transferred or shifted out of Delhi.

Sharma also directed secretaries and head of various concerned departments to submit compliance report of National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and also work on an action plan in time bound manner to improve the air quality of Delhi.

NGT had recently pulled up Delhi Government for its lackadaisical approach in implementing the panel's directions to curb vehicular pollution in the national capital. The meeting was attended by the heads of all the departments of Delhi government and representatives of Delhi Police, Traffic Police and civic bodies. Special Commissioner (Traffic) said his department had impounded about 1,100 vehicles more than 15 years old after the NGT order.

In a suggestion to the Traffic Police, Sharma asked them to ensure uninterrupted vehicle movement at optimum speed and reduce halts at traffic junctions to lower pollution. The Traffic Police requested civic agencies to list out parking capacity at various locations in their respective jurisdiction.

Following suggestions, Chief Secretary asked municipal corporations to identify and demarcate parking areas and no parking zones. It was further suggested that parking bay with boxes need to be clearly marked in consultation with Traffic Police.

Corporations in consultation with road owing agencies should ensure that parking is regularised in all areas especially market areas by extending marking of parking bays to more areas. Representative of North Delhi Municipal Corporation informed that North Corporation has developed six multilevel parking in its area. Due to non availability of contractor, the multilevel parking at Kamla Nagar is lying unutilised. Directions were given to utilise surface parking and enforce surface parking plan.

During the meeting municipal corporations, horticulture department, Delhi police and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) were asked to take necessary action to keep a check on burning of leaves, garbage, plastic etc.

Secretary (Environment) Sanjiv Kumar informed that DPCC and two other agencies are monitoring ambient air quality in Delhi at 20 stations. Efforts have been made in the past to improve ambient air quality in Delhi by taking number of measures.

However, a senior government official said that increase in population with a consecutive increase in vehicular population, construction activities in NCR, meteorological conditions including horizontal/vertical wind direction/speed has led to a situation which needs to be tackled at the earliest.