NEW DELHI: Delhi govt has identified 10 focus areas that necessitate discussions with the central govt and neighbouring states to safeguard the capital from being engulfed by pollution during the winter months. The state govt has already initiated efforts in this direction.
Preventing stubble burning, a significant contributor to air pollution in the region, is one of the critical issues. Others include the conversion of public transport to clean fuel to minimise vehicular emissions and improve air quality, ensuring compliance with Bharat Stage (BS) emissions norms, addressing air pollution control at brick kilns and reducing emissions from thermal power plants in the vicinity of Delhi.
Delhi govt will also emphasise discouraging the entry of non-destined trucks into the city and preventing waste dumping at landfills in the capital. Additionally, it will seek the cooperation of neighbouring states to ensure a ban on firecrackers whenever the courts impose such a ban.
A govt official said that the entry of all buses, except for CNG, BS-VI diesel and electric ones, would be regulated in the capital if restrictions under the final stage of the Centre's air pollution control plan were invoked. "Buses from other states save for CNG/electric or BS-VI ones, including tourist buses, contract carriage buses, state transport buses or those holding other permits, will be restricted from driving into Delhi as and when GRAP IV is invoked," he said.
Another official said that govt was preparing a databank of pollution levels caused by these factors and would raise them at various platforms, including the Commission for Air Quality Management and conferences of ministers from neighbouring states.
Regarding the conversion of public transport to clean fuel, the official said Delhi govt had already decided to purchase only e-buses. "Govt is purchasing 2,080 new nine-metre e-buses, which will be used as mohalla buses for last-mile connectivity. By 2025, Delhi will have 10,500 buses, of which 80% will be electric ones," he said.
Several reports have placed Delhi among the most polluted cities in the world, and being a landlocked city, the capital is increasingly dependent on neighbouring states for pollution control. Another official said that other issues are also being taken up with the neighbouring teams, while special teams will be formed to control violations in the winter.
The state govt has started preparing a winter action plan. A joint action plan will be prepared based on the focus points after a meeting with the departments concerned on September 5. An official said that discussions were being held with relevant channels to ensure that harvest stubble fires reduced this year.
A drive would be launched to encourage spraying bio-decomposer in paddy fields to prevent stubble burning. Since 2020, Delhi govt has been using the Pusa bio-decomposer, a microbial solution that decomposes paddy residue in 15-20 days, to prevent stubble burning in the capital.
To promote green energy and reduce dependence on thermal power, a renewable energy line from Rajasthan and evacuating power from Haryana to Delhi should meet future demands. This green power is expected to help reduce pollution in the long run. "This will not only serve the growing needs of Delhi's increasing population but also help check pollution," the official said.