As the national capital retained the infamous title of the “most polluted capital city” in the world for the seventh year in a row, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday outlined plans for a clean, green and healthy city.
The Chief Minister chaired a meeting to discuss steps to make the national capital cleaner and pollution-free that was attended by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and senior officials from the environment and the public works departments, Delhi Police, Commission for Air Quality Management, Delhi Development Authority and civic bodies.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the departments and the agencies to accelerate pollution-control efforts. She has directed the officials to increase enforcements on the borders areas. After the meeting, the chief minister stated that sprinklers and smog guns will now be deployed throughout the year, except during the monsoon season, to tackle dust pollution in the city.
Additionally, she has directed authorities to increase enforcement teams at Delhi’s border areas to strengthen vehicle pollution checks. Road-owning agencies have also been instructed to submit weekly reports on road repairs and cleanliness. Moreover, all concerned departments have been asked to present a detailed action plan within a week. Elaborating on the strategies discussed, Gupta highlighted that sprinklers and smog guns will be operational across the city year-round, except during the monsoon, to control dust and improve air quality. She also stressed the importance of strict monitoring and rapid response from departments to combat pollution effectively.
Addressing the role of vehicular emissions, Gupta said, “Government has been continuously undertaking extensive efforts to protect Delhi residents from air pollution. However, external factors
also contribute to Delhi’s pollution. To tackle this, enforcement teams will be increased at Delhi’s border areas to conduct stricter vehicle pollution checks. Additionally, digital display boards will be installed at border entry points to raise awareness about air pollution and
preventive measures.”
Furthermore, MCD, PWD, DDA, and all road-owning agencies have been directed to submit weekly reports on road maintenance and cleanliness. Officials have also been instructed to conduct regular inspections to ensure that roads remain dust-free and well-maintained.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gupta said, “We are dedicated to creating a clean,
green and healthy capital with the support of Delhi’s residents”.
All the departments concerned were directed to take concrete and effective measures to accelerate pollution control, she said. “The government remains committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to improve air quality and expand green spaces. With the support of the residents of Delhi, we are continuously working towards building a clean, green and healthy capital,” the Chief Minister added.
According to the World Air Quality Report 2024 released on Tuesday by Swiss firm IQAir, the national capital retained the infamous title of the “most polluted capital city” in the world for the seventh year in a row. With an annual PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 micrograms per cubic metre, residents of the capital inhaled air with PM2.5 levels nearly 18 times higher than WHO’s safe limit.
As in previous years, the report distinguished between the smaller area of ‘New Delhi’ and the overall Union Territory of Delhi. The latter recorded an average PM2.5 level of 108.3 micrograms per cubic metre and ranked as the world’s second most polluted city in 2024.
