Contrasting Approaches to Pollution in Noida and Delhi
Delhi is facing severe air pollution, and the Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, has appealed to the Chief Minister of the bordering state, Uttar Pradesh, to stop the services of BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles to the national capital. He visited the Anand Vihar bus depot after the air quality index there reached the ‘hazardous’ category.
Gopal Rai emphasized that Delhi has transitioned to electric and CNG buses, but BS3 and BS4 vehicles from Uttar Pradesh are still being sent to Anand Vihar, contributing to pollution. He requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to halt the influx of these vehicles to help control pollution.
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In response to the worsening air quality, the Delhi government has banned the operation of BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel cars until further notice. Violators could face a fine of ₹20,000. These measures were implemented as part of the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) due to ‘hazardous’ air quality levels.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked this stage of GRAP, and it was decided in a sub-committee meeting after reviewing air quality conditions and meteorological forecasts. The Delhi government has also imposed a ban on construction activities across the entire National Capital Region (NCR) to address the air quality crisis.
