Vehicle owners without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate will be barred from refuelling at petrol pumps from Thursday, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Tuesday, as the capital battles severe air pollution. The decision comes amid persistently poor air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the “severe” category for three consecutive days before marginally improving to “very poor” on Tuesday.
PUCC Violations Surge
According to enforcement data cited by PTI, driving without a PUCC accounted for 54,615 challans, or 17 per cent of total violations, in September. The figure rose further in October, with 68,986 PUCC-related challans making up 23 per cent of violations.
Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said Delhi’s AQI stood at 363, noting that pollution levels around this period have remained consistently high for the past decade. He compared the situation with last year, when the AQI stood at 380 on the same day.
Sirsa Blames AAP Govt For Crisis
Blaming the previous AAP government for the crisis, Sirsa said pollution could not be reversed in a few months and apologised to residents for the current situation. He said the government was taking corrective measures as air quality showed marginal improvement due to reduced fog intensity and increased wind speed. The 24-hour average AQI stood at 377 at 8 am.
During the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s tenure, Delhi continued to face recurring air pollution crises, particularly during the winter season, with air quality frequently slipping into the “severe” category. Despite the implementation of measures such as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), odd-even traffic restrictions, anti-dust drives and construction curbs, pollution levels remained alarmingly high.
Likely Factors Adding Crisis
Factors, including stubble burning in neighbouring states, vehicular and industrial emissions, and adverse weather conditions, contributed to the situation year after year. The AAP government pointed to initiatives such as the promotion of electric vehicles, installation of smog towers and increased green budget allocations to address the issue. However, opposition parties and critics argued that these measures had a limited impact on the ground.
They flagged enforcement gaps, delays in long-term planning and an over-reliance on emergency interventions, alleging that pollution was handled in a reactive manner rather than through sustained structural reforms.