'No fuel for old vehicles in Delhi': BJP government's new rules to curb air pollution, effective from...

In a bid to curb air pollution levels in the national capital, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that vehicles older than 15 years will not be provided fuel at petrol pumps. The revised rules will be effective from March 31. 

Sirsa emphasised that the newly formed BJP government is taking stringent measures to tackle air pollution - a persistent issue that Delhiites face every year, especially during the winter season. Among the issues which have been discussed by the Delhi cabinet are - restrictions on old vehicles, mandatory anti-smog measures and the shift to electric vehicles.

“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” Sirsa said, as quoted by Hindustan Times. Moreover, all high-rise buildings, hotels and companies will now be required to install anti-smog guns to curb air pollution. 

“There are some big hotels, some big office complexes, Delhi airport, and big construction sites in Delhi. We are going to make it mandatory for all of them to immediately install anti-smog guns to control pollution at their places. We are going to make it mandatory for all the high-rise buildings in Delhi to install smog guns. We are going to make it mandatory for all the hotels in Delhi to install smog guns. Similarly, we are going to make it mandatory for all the commercial complexes,” the BJP minister said, while speaking to reporters. 

Manjinder Singh Sirsa also announced that nearly 90 per cent of public CNG buses will be replaced by electric buses by December 2025. 

Providing further details, the minister also promulgated that the Delhi government will receive permission from the centre to implement artifical rains, whenever there is a surge in air pollution levels in the city. 

Air pollution was a pivotal issue during Delhi assembly polls 

Air pollution is one of the key issues, immensely raised by both the BJP and AAP during the Delhi assembly polls. While the BJP targeted the AAP over the toxic air blanketing the city, the latter left no chance to accuse the saffron camp of a lack of cooperation.