‘No PUC, No Fuel’ Here To Stay In Delhi Beyond GRAP-IV, Says Environment Minister
The government allocated ₹100 crore for water body rejuvenation. Inspections revealed faulty PUC centres, leading to suspensions.
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced that its ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ policy for vehicles will remain in force even after the lifting of GRAP-IV restrictions, signalling a continued push against rising air pollution in the national capital.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said anti-pollution measures would not be rolled back with the easing of emergency curbs. Vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, he stressed, will not be allowed to operate in the city even after GRAP-IV restrictions are relaxed.
Fuel curbs to continue, ₹100 crore for water bodies
The ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule was implemented on December 18 as part of intensified steps to curb worsening air quality in Delhi. Sirsa said the policy has played a crucial role in checking emissions and will remain a key pillar of the government’s pollution-control strategy.
The minister also announced that the Delhi government will allocate ₹100 crore for the rejuvenation of water bodies across the city, describing it as part of a broader effort to improve the capital’s environmental health.
PUC centres suspended after inspections
Sirsa said inspections had revealed serious lapses at several PUC certificate centres. A number of facilities were found to be non-operational, while 12 centres were detected with defective equipment. These centres have been suspended and issued notices, he added, warning that strict action would continue against violations.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality slipped back into the ‘severe’ category on Tuesday, compounding the city’s woes as dense fog blanketed large parts of the capital. At 3 pm, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 415.
The fog significantly disrupted transport services. Visibility dropped to just 50 metres at both Palam and Safdarjung, leading to delays of more than 200 flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Several train services were also affected.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to hover around 22 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to settle at 9 degrees Celsius. No colour-coded weather warning has been issued for the capital so far.
The IMD said foggy conditions are likely to persist over the next few days, particularly during morning hours. In its latest bulletin, the weather agency said the sky is expected to remain partly cloudy over the next 24 hours, turn mainly clear for the following three days, and then become partly cloudy again, conditions that are expected to continue favouring fog formation.
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