Govt Directs 3 States To Register Only CNG And E-Autos From Jan 1 In NCR

The panel asked Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to phase out diesel autos in graded manner by 2026.

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New Delhi: Centre's air quality panel asked Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to phase out diesel autos in graded manner by end of 2026, news agency PTI reported.

The panel also asked the three states to ensure registration of only CNG and e-autos in NCR from January 1.

Notably, the Commission for Air Quality Management issued an order on Wednesday, which said that the target was that only CNG and e-autos would ply in the NCR from January 1, 2027.

The panel directed the three states to ensure registration of only CNG and e-autos from January 1 in the NCR and phase out diesel autos in a graded manner by the end of 2026.

It is to be noted that the National Capital Region (NCR) covers Delhi, 14 districts of Haryana, eight districts of Uttar Pradesh and two districts of Rajasthan.

Delhi had launched a programme in 1998 to convert its fleet of diesel auto rickshaws into CNG ones. No diesel-run auto is registered in Delhi at present.

The Delhi Transport Department had launched a scheme in October last year for registration of 4,261 e-autos.

Meanwhile, Delhi witnessed a blanket of smog on Wednesday with the air still being in the 'very poor' category.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 332. 

Earlier, on November 29, Delhi air quality continued to remain in the 'very poor' category as the SAFAR recorded Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) at 346 on Tuesday morning.

On Monday, the SAFAR recorded Delhi's AQI at 317.

At the Delhi University area on Monday, the air quality was recorded 'very poor' with the presence of PM 2.5 recorded at 371, while the Pusa area recorded it at 341.

In its latest forecast, the SAFAR recorded air quality in Dhirpur as 'severe' as the AQI reached 460. Noida also saw the air quality in the 'severe' category as the AQI rose to 438.