Delhi govt's firm approach to tackle air pollution to continue: Sirsa

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa outlined the govt's firm, results-oriented strategy to combat air pollution, contrasting it with the previous AAP govt's failures and detailing a five-pillar policy on waste, dust, and emissions.

Delhi Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday asserted that the Delhi government has adopted a firm, results-oriented approach to tackle air pollution, saying the fight against deteriorating air quality will continue with sustained government action and public participation.

"We assure the people of Delhi that this fight against pollution will continue like this. People of Delhi and the neighbouring states will have to cooperate too. Only then will we be able to combat pollution," Sirsa told the media on Friday.

'11 Years of Failure vs 11 Months of Hard Work'

During a detailed statement in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Sirsa presented what he described as a comprehensive and factual account of Delhi's pollution crisis and the steps taken by the Rekha Gupta-led government over the past 11 months. Drawing a sharp comparison with the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, he said Delhi had witnessed "11 years of failure versus 11 months of hard work" in addressing pollution.

"We will not run away from pollution. We will fight it and eliminate it," the minister said, alleging that the AAP government allowed pollution to become a permanent crisis over the last decade. Despite repeated observations and strictures from the Supreme Court, High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), he said, the previous government focused largely on publicity-driven measures instead of long-term solutions.

Citing global assessments, Sirsa told the House that between 2014 and 2025, international agencies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and IQAir consistently ranked Delhi among the world's most polluted capitals. He also referred to judicial remarks describing Delhi as a "gas chamber" and "unfit for living", underscoring what he termed the failure of earlier policies.

Referring to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, Sirsa said flagship measures like the odd-even scheme did not yield meaningful results, noting that 66 per cent of two-wheelers were exempted and only 46 per cent of vehicles underwent Pollution Under Control (PUC) testing. He further pointed out that of the Rs 81 crore allocated to Delhi under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the previous government utilised only Rs 14 crore.

Current Government's Five-Pillar Strategy

Outlining the current government's strategy, the Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's administration formulated a clear five-pillar policy covering dust and solid waste management, industrial pollution control, vehicular emissions, expansion of green cover and institutional reforms.

Solid Waste Management

On solid waste management, Sirsa said biomining is underway at the Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur landfill sites, with around 35,000 metric tonnes of legacy waste being processed daily. He said 45 acres of land have been reclaimed, the height of garbage mounds reduced from 60 metres to 40 metres, with an additional 15-metre reduction at Ghazipur.

Daily waste-to-energy utilisation has reached 9,700 metric tonnes, with plans to increase capacity to 14,000 metric tonnes per day. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has received Rs 500 crore as one-time assistance for solid waste management, along with an additional Rs 300 crore annually for mechanical cleaning.

Dust Pollution Control

Addressing dust pollution, the minister said mist sprays have been deployed at over 700 hotspots, with a target of 2,500. The city has rolled out 405 mobile anti-smog guns, 284 water sprinklers and 74 mechanical road sweepers. Redevelopment or re-carpeting has begun on 812 kilometres of roads, supported by Rs 803 crore received from the Centre under the CRIF scheme.

Construction and Industrial Pollution

On construction and industrial pollution, Sirsa said the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) inspected over 2,100 construction sites, identified violations at 847 locations and imposed penalties of around Rs 9 crore. He added that 8,000 industries have now been brought under the DPCC's regulatory ambit.

Vehicular Emissions Control

Turning to vehicular pollution, the minister said the 'No PUC, No Fuel' policy is being enforced round the year, leading to the identification of nearly nine lakh non-compliant vehicles and the closure of 29 fake PUC centres. He said Delhi is building the country's largest electric bus fleet, with more than 7,500 air-conditioned electric buses targeted by December 2026, of which 1,500 have already been inducted.

Green Cover Expansion

On green cover expansion, Sirsa said over 10,082 acres have been declared a reserve forest for the first time since 1994. Under the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" initiative, 70 lakh saplings are to be planted in 2025-26, alongside the development of 20 new urban forests.

Institutional Reforms and Visible Impact

Highlighting institutional reforms, the minister said expert committees have been formed, vacancies in the DPCC are being rapidly filled and technological innovations are being adopted to improve air quality governance. He said the impact of these measures is visible in air quality trends, with 'severe days' reducing from an average of 30 earlier to eight at present, while 'satisfactory days' increased to 79 in 2025. (ANI)

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