The Delhi Government has decided to wage a war against pollution, with plans afoot to kick-start anti-pollution strategy well ahead of the winter season.
In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Minister of Industries, Food and Supplies, Environment, Forest and Wildlife Manjinder Singh Sirsa outlined the government’s new pollution roadmap, which includes hyperlocal AQI monitoring, district-wise action plans, crackdown on illegal polluters and a green mission.
Will identify pollution sources at hotspots
Asked to describe the anti-pollution strategy, Sirsa said the government would adopt a hyperlocal approach to identify pollution sources at hotspots so that interventions could begin before air quality deteriorates during winter. “Three major contributors of pollution requiring continuous intervention have been identified — pollution hotspots, vehicular emissions and dust generated by construction and industrial activities,” he said. The objective was to find the source of pollution and eliminate it before it spreads across Delhi.
Dist-wise pollution mapping to begin
The minister said district-specific pollution profiles were being prepared. “Meetings with District Magistrates have been conducted to identify existing and emerging pollution hotspots. Soon, meetings will be held to ascertain the causes of pollution in every district. Each district will have its own action plan,” he said.
Tie-up with IIT-Kanpur for solutions
On the solution front, Sirsa cited plans to deploy advanced pollution-monitoring devices capable of identifying the source of pollution within 1-km radius. The Delhi Government is implementing the initiative through an MoU with IIT-Kanpur’s AIRAWAT initiative. “The devices will not merely measure AQI, but also tell us why pollution has increased – whether because of traffic, dust, industries or any other source. That is the future of pollution control,” Sirsa said. Acknowledging that road dust in the main contributor to Delhi’s pollution, Sirsa said an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism had been put in place for continuous cleaning and dust suppression.
Geo-tagging of every tree
Sirsa said the government is preparing one of Delhi’s largest plantation drives. For the first time, every tree planted under the programme will be geo-tagged to create a digital record and monitor survival rates. “The Forest Department has identified tree species that release higher oxygen levels and are better suited to Delhi’s ecology. Every plantation will be tracked digitally,” Sirsa said, adding that the plantation drive would become a major component of the Capital’s long-term environmental strategy. The minister also revealed plans to launch a drive to reclaim undisputed government land parcels that have either been encroached upon or are in unauthorised occupation.
“Wherever there are no pending court cases, possession would be taken lawfully and, if required, with administrative force. Reclaimed land will be used to expand Delhi’s green cover and the exercise will be completed before the Independence Day,” the minister said.
Stricter implementation of new EV Policy
Speaking about the winter pollution plan unveiled last week, Sirsa said the Delhi Government would ensure stricter implementation of the new Electric Vehicle Policy. “Only BS-VI-compliant vehicles will be permitted under the government’s pollution-control framework. Construction activities violating environmental norms will face strict action,” he said.
On industrial pollution, the minister said the government would identify every unauthorised unit and assess environmental compliance, irrespective of which department has jurisdiction over it. “If a unit is polluting, we will not allow procedural issues to become an excuse for inaction,” said Sirsa, adding that the government would allow around three months for compliance, after which strict action would be taken against units that continue to violate norms.
2,200 industrial units under scanner
In another important remark, the minister said 24 unauthorised industrial clusters, comprising nearly 2,200 units, had been identified for pollution checks. “The environmental compliance of these units is currently being assessed. The government is also working on a policy framework to act against illegal structures that contribute to pollution, irrespective of whether they formally fall under the jurisdiction of the Environment Department,” Sirsa said.
The challenges
Asked about the challenges, Sirsa criticised the erstwhile Congress and Aam Aadmi Party governments saying Delhi’s environmental challenges had persisted due to the absence of a coherent policy framework. “The biggest challenge has been the lack of a structured policy and institutional framework to bring meaningful change,” the minister said, adding that previous governments had failed to create a sustained environmental governance mechanism, resulting in recurring pollution crises every winter.
