Only CNG vehicles to be allowed if air quality deteriorates in Delhi, say reports

NEW DELHI: Concerned over rising pollution levels in the national capital, the authorities are mulling to enforce a complete ban on non-CNG vehicles plying in Delhi, reports said on Tuesday.

According to reports, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Protection Control Authority (EPCA) has warned that if the air quality in Delhi continues to deteriorate then it would impose a complete ban on the use of non-CNG private as well as commercial vehicles.   

EPCA chief Bhure Lal is believed to have written a letter to Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in which he said that the vehicle sticker has not been implemented and without this, it is not possible to distinguish between diesel and other fuelled vehicles. 

"In the scenario that the weather remains adverse and that the current situation of air quality remains in 'very poor' or 'severe category' then there is no option but to direct for a complete stop on the use of private and commercial vehicles other than those plying on CNG so that pollution can be contained," Lal said in the letter, according to PTI.

"However, CNG vehicles have stickers and also it is understood that all public transport vehicles are fuelled by CNG. In this situation, these vehicles will be available for movement," he said.

This is the second time Lal has raised the issue of pollution by vehicles.

On October 31, he had proposed banning all private vehicles but this time he went ahead and proposed a ban on all non-CNG private and commercial vehicles.

The comments came amid deteriorating air quality in the national capital which is battling alarming levels of pollution due to local emissions land regional factors.

Presently, Delhi's air quality is oscillating between very poor and severe category.

Despite several preventive measures taken by the authorities, the air quality in parts of the national capital fell in 'poor' and 'very poor' categories on Tuesday.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) showed PM 10 level at 286 and PM 2.5 level at 373, in 'poor' and 'very poor' categories respectively at the Lodhi Road.
 
The national capital's air quality had turned severe on Monday evening as the pollution level increased again due to unfavourable meteorological conditions such as low wind speed.

The overall AQI in the city was recorded at 407 which falls in the severe category, according to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) level on Monday was recorded at 262 while the PM10 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) was recorded at 460, the CPCB said.

Satellite images by Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) showed moderate stubble burning fire count that is contributing to seven per cent pollution at PM2.5 in Delhi.

Authorities have attributed the dip in air quality to unfavourable weather conditions such as low wind speed.

SAFAR had suggested people to stay indoors as much as possible.

(With Agency Inputs)