The Delhi government imposed fines and environmental compensation charges worth ₹68.4 lakh on November 1, the first day of stricter pollution-control measures under its Winter Action Plan, according to PTI. The enforcement mission aimed at curbing the escalating air pollution in the national capital encompassed the inspection of almost 15,000 vehicles and the issuance of notices to 1,539 vehicles that failed to meet the emission norms.
Delhi Traffic Police and Delhi Transport Department also issued 566 challans for Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) violation, official data shows till 5 pm on Sunday, November 1. The action is implemented in the backdrop of the deteriorating air quality in Delhi, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) has gone into the ‘poor’ category with a reading of 261. The government has also put in place measures under the GRAP-1 measures to address further deterioration of air quality.
The official enforcement figures show that ₹56.6 lakh of the total amount was collected for offences related to Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC). Authorities also seized ₹2 lakh in fines for entry of vehicles in the area and ₹9.8 lakh in environmental compensation for construction and demolition activities.
The crackdown was also against vehicles that are not registered and fail to meet Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission standards. In the drive, officials have checked 14,930 vehicles, 1,539 of which were refused entry to Delhi’s borders.
Authorities have issued 127 challans for non-BS-VI vehicles and pulled over 62 cars in the exercise.
Heavy traffic congestion and long lines were seen at multiple entry points to the N.C. capital, as enforcement was underway. There was heavy traffic at the Delhi-Gurugram border, Delhi-Noida border and at the toll booths of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Traffic police and department officials checked vehicles entering the city and stopped those that did not meet the prescribed emission requirements.
On Sunday, November 1, recorded at 261 with its corresponding air quality classification ‘poor’ in Delhi. According to data from the city’s 57 air quality monitoring stations, 22 recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while 21 reported ‘poor’ levels. In the rest of the stations, ‘moderate’ air quality was recorded with 14 stations.
The new curbs are entry ban on vehicles registered outside the city and in compliance with BS-IV or lower emission standard norms, stop to construction, hiked parking charges and 50% limit on physical attendance of government or private employees in their offices.
The measures are in the Delhi government’s Winter Action Plan to combat seasonal air pollution and to prevent the city from further falling into poor air quality.
