Delhi’s battle against pollution: New PUC policy, EV infra boost
New Delhi: In a significant move to combat vehicular pollution in the national Capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced a new policy for issuing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates to vehicles from other states. Speaking during the Budget Session of the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday, she emphasised that the policy aims to strengthen pollution control mechanisms, addressing concerns raised in a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report.
The CAG’s report, titled Performance Audit of ‘Prevention and Mitigation of Vehicular Air Pollution in Delhi’ for the year ended March 31, 2021, highlighted critical gaps in policy enforcement, lack of coordination among agencies, and insufficient regulatory oversight. It pointed out that vehicular emissions remain a major contributor to Delhi’s air pollution and could have been managed more effectively with proper governance. Alongside the new PUC policy, the Chief Minister announced a large-scale expansion of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. “By 2026,
Delhi will have 48,000 charging points, 18,000 government-operated and 30,000 semi-private,” she stated, emphasising the city’s push toward sustainable mobility.
Additionally, six new air quality monitoring centres will be established to enhance pollution tracking and regulatory enforcement. A dedicated eco-park will also be developed to process electronic waste, curbing pollution caused by improper e-waste disposal. “These steps are crucial in strengthening Delhi’s fight against pollution, ensuring stricter enforcement and better infrastructure,” Gupta asserted.
Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also addressed the Assembly, criticising the Opposition for avoiding discussions on the CAG report. “The Opposition tries to find a way to walk out of the Assembly before discussion on the CAG report starts. I want to tell the Opposition that AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also kept running, and you can see where he has reached today. Under the leadership of CM Rekha Gupta, we are trying to clean the air and water of Delhi and fulfill PM Modi’s promise of a developed Delhi.”
The CAG report highlighted severe lapses in the previous government’s pollution control efforts. It noted that the administration lacked a comprehensive air quality monitoring system and failed to collect essential pollution data. The report also pointed out that the public transport system saw no substantial improvements, with many Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses remaining off-road despite the need for enhanced mobility options.
The audit further revealed irregularities in the issuance of PUC certificates, with no inspections conducted at pollution-checking centres. “In 2018-19, 64 per cent of vehicles due for fitness checks did not undergo inspection,
and over 90 per cent of fitness tests were conducted based solely on visual assessment, rendering them meaningless,” the report stated.
