Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, chaired a meeting of the High-Level Task Force on combative air pollution. The meeting focused on assessing the readiness of the Delhi Government and other stakeholders in implementing both immediate and long-term measures to mitigate air pollution in Delhi. The Task Force, comprising senior officials from Central Ministries and the Delhi administration, reviewed current strategies and discussed additional innovative steps to tackle the pollution challenge.

Chief Secretary of Delhi, presented a comprehensive report on the city's air quality management efforts for 2024. He highlighted that construction-related dust, biomass burning and vehicular emissions continue to be key contributors, especially during the winter months when stagnant weather conditions worsen the situation. He also elaborated several ongoing measures, including increasing the electric bus fleet and expanding charging infrastructure, mechanized road cleaning, dust suppression, and efforts to prevent the burning of waste and biomass.

During the meeting, Dr. Mishra expressed concern over the persistent air quality issues and underscored the need for strict enforcement of existing laws. He emphasised that adequate measures for dust control, both from roads and construction activities need to be taken. Dr. Mishra urged the adoption of a mission-mode approach to greening central verges of roads and paving/ greening of pathways, open areas along roadsides to abate dust generation. Mechanized road cleaning, deployment of adequate number of anti-smog guns and regular water sprinkling also needs to be ramped up, particularly in high-pollution hotspots and during the periods under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). He called for enhanced monitoring and stricter enforcement of dust control measures at construction and demolition sites as also ensuring that transportation of construction materials and debris is done in a manner that prevents dust pollution on roads.

Solid waste management also featured prominently in the discussions, with Dr. Mishra stressing the need to prevent the open burning of municipal solid waste and biomass, which significantly contribute to air pollution in winter months. Principal Secretary to PM expressed concern over slow pace of clearance of land fill sites in Delhi and delays in implementation of waste to energy plans by MCD. Dr. Mishra especially tasked M/o EF&CC, MoHUA and MCD to resolve the issues and ensure implementation of various mitigation measures.

Agricultural stubble burning, a major source of seasonal air pollution in Delhi and neighbouring states, was also addressed. Although Delhi has a relatively small paddy area, Dr. Mishra called for the complete elimination of stubble burning in the city as a model for surrounding regions.

Dr. Mishra also directed accelerating the shift towards electric mobility. He called for the creation of a clear roadmap to ensure that future registrations prioritize electric vehicles, particularly for commercial fleets, government services, and public transport. This effort, coupled with the expansion of the electric bus fleet—set to reach 8,000 by 2026—and the installation of 18,000 vehicle charging stations by 2025-26, would be a crucial step in reducing vehicular pollution.

In addition to the above measures, the importance of ensuring uninterrupted power supply in Delhi was also discussed to minimize reliance on diesel generators, which contribute to air pollution, especially during power outages. Dr. Mishra directed officials to increase inspections of industries and commercial establishments to ensure compliance with prescribed emission control measures for DG sets. Furthermore, the rigorous implementation of GRAP measures, which are designed to respond dynamically to deteriorating air quality conditions, was emphasized as essential during the high-pollution winter months.

The meeting concluded with a firm commitment from all stakeholders to work in a coordinated and sustained manner to combat air pollution in Delhi. Dr. Mishra emphasized the need for continuous monitoring, regular reviews, and adaptive measures at the field level to ensure that the efforts remain effective.

The Task Force, consisting of representatives from the Delhi Government, Central Ministries including Secretary MoHUA, Secretary MoEFCC, Delhi Police, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), reaffirmed their collective resolve to abate air pollution in Delhi, especially during the ensuing winter season.

AP/GP/JD

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