Tackling Delhi Air Pollution

Mains syllabus: GS3 - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation

Why in the news?

Recently, the Commission for Air Quality Management directed that all end-of-life vehicles (ELV) will not be given fuel in Delhi starting July 1, 2025.

To know about the causes of Delhi’s Air Pollution , Click Here.

What are the existing air pollution regulatory mechanisms in Delhi?

• Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) - It has been set up for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas for better co-ordination and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index.
• End-of-Life Vehicle Action – CAQM has banned the old vehicles with are 10 years for diesel/ 15 years for petrol vehicles.
• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) – It is a set of emergency measures implemented in the Delhi-NCR region to combat air pollution.
• It is activated based on the daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and involves a series of actions to be taken at different AQI levels.

• BS-VI Compliance - Starting November 1, 2025, only BS-VI compliant, CNG, or electric commercial vehicles from outside Delhi will be allowed entry.
• Anti-Pollution Devices - The use of anti-smog guns, water sprinklers, and dust suppression measures is being enforced.
• End-of-Life Vehicle Action - The Delhi government is taking action against old, polluting vehicles (15 years for petrol, 10 years for diesel).
• Prevention of Stubble Burning – CAQM has recommended in-situ and ex-situ management of stubble burning in villages in Punjab and Haryana around New Delhi.

What are the challenges associated?

• Failure in emission compliance – the failure to strictly enforce emission compliance on all vehicles on the road, not just the old ones.
• More responsibility on owners – Shifting environment responsibility to the vehicle owners considering vehicle age as a sole criterion for pollution, rather focusing on engine, fuel efficacy with policy framework, keeping more burden on vehicle owners.
• Regulatory gaps - Inefficient testing frameworks, and poor enforcement of fuel efficiency standards reveals a troubling reality.
• Incomplete policy framework - Policy emphasis given on age rather the working efficiency of the vehicles.
• Problems with vehicle scrapping ecosystem - most ELVs end up with unauthorized scrap dealers or are resold in states with laxer rules, merely shifting pollution elsewhere.
• Overlooking circular economy - The embedded emissions associated with manufacturing new vehicles are ignored, effecting overall emission compliance.

What measures can be taken?

• Creating robust fuel and emissions control strategy – Policy may be driven by emission and fuel compliance rather just the age of the vehicles.
• Enhancing Infrastructure - With the planned installation of ANPR cameras, Delhi can create an automated system to restrict entry for high-emitting vehicles based on real-time data.
• Market-based mechanisms - Considering transferable scrapping credits linked to Aadhaar and vehicle registration, which can reward owners scrapping vehicles with incentives or offset allowances for new purchases or public transport usage.
• Compliance-based support – People who are complying with regulations should be encouraged further.

What lies ahead?

• Recently, Delhi government unveiled ambitious Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025, which can bring together technology, stricter rules, and public support to fight pollution.
• The plan’s success will depend on how well is carried out and how much nearby states cooperate, and it can be a model for the other major cities in India tackling air-pollution.

Reference

NewIndianexpress | India's tailpipe pollution regime needs urgent reform