New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced emergency measures to contain dangerously increasing pollution in the National Capital on Wednesday.


After chairing a high-level meeting, the Delhi Environment Minister issued certain guidelines for strict implementation of suggestions by the Commission for Air Quality Management (ACQM). 


The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi had been toxically high in the recent past with no respite today as well. The AQI was measured to be at 387 continuing to fall under the ‘Very Poor’ category as per the data by Central Pollution Control Board today at 10 am. 


The guidelines issued by the Environment Ministers are as follows:



  • All the schools/colleges/institutes/training centers/libraries will remain closed until further orders. 

  • Construction and demolition work will completely remain banned till Nov 21, 2021. 

  • A hundred percent of government employees will be working from home till November 21.

  • Industries to only use gas as fuel. Action will be taken if found using any polluting fuel. 

  • Entry of all vehicles in Delhi will be banned. The exemption will be given to the vehicles involved in essential services. This will be ensured by the Police and the Transport Department. Rai also informed, "List of more than ten years old diesel vehicles and petrol vehicles over 15 years old has been handed over by Transport dept to Police. They will initiate action over this; their movement will be stopped. Pollution under Control (PUC) certificate checking at fuel stations will be further strengthened."

  • The Delhi Government will hire 1000 CNG busses to increase public transport. The process to hire the busses will begin tomorrow.

  • A special task force of the Traffic Police has been constituted to monitor and ease traffic congestion so that pollution from vehicles can be stopped.

  • To ensure increased sprinkling of water, water machines of the Fire Brigade will be stationed at 13 hotspots across the city. 372 water sprinkling tanks are already operational throughout the national capital. 


The meeting was attended by the officials of the Environment Department, Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).