In view of the severe air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) have decided to take the strictest steps so far. ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule will come into effect in Delhi from Thursday. That means vehicles which do not have a valid Pollution Control Certificate (PUC) will not get petrol, diesel or CNG.
Along with this, entry of vehicles with emission standards lower than BS-VI registered outside Delhi will be completely banned in the capital.
This order has been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and will remain in effect till GRAP Stage-IV (Severe+) remains in force. The government says that Delhi’s air becomes extremely poisonous in winter and the level of PM2.5 and PM10 goes many times above the prescribed standards.
The Supreme Court also amended its order on Wednesday and allowed strict action to be taken against old vehicles falling below BS-IV emission standards in Delhi-NCR. The Delhi government had sought permission from the court to take action against BS-III and older vehicles, as these vehicles are responsible for the increase in pollution levels.
Instructions issued to fuel stations
All petrol, diesel and CNG pumps in Delhi have been instructed to dispense fuel only on showing valid PUC certificate. If any vehicle is found taking fuel without PUC, legal action and fine will be imposed on it. PUC investigation will be done with the help of physical certificates, ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras, VAHAN database, voice alert system and police.
Strict ban on outside vehicles
During GRAP Stage-IV, vehicles registered outside Delhi and having standards less than BS-VI will not be allowed to ply in the capital. However, CNG and electric vehicles, public transport, emergency services and vehicles related to essential goods or services have been exempted.
Complete ban on vehicles carrying construction material
In view of the role of construction activities in increasing pollution, there is a complete ban on entry of any vehicle carrying construction material like sand, ballast, stones, bricks, cement, ready-mix concrete and debris in Delhi. If rules are broken, vehicles can be confiscated and heavy fines will be imposed.
Why were such strict measures necessary?
Delhi government said that according to a comprehensive report by IIT Kanpur, about 19.7% of Delhi’s PM10 pollution in winter and 25.1% of PM2.5 contribution comes from vehicles. At the same time, construction activities are also a major cause of pollution. This is the reason why the government has taken a direct hit on vehicles and construction materials.
580 policemen will be deployed for investigation
Special deployment of 580 policemen has been made in Delhi to strictly enforce the rules. 126 check points have been made across the city, where 37 ‘Prakhar’ vans will be deployed. Apart from this, Transport Department officials will be present directly at the petrol pumps so that PUC rules can be strictly followed.
Preparation to deal with traffic jam
Considering the possibility of traffic jam due to strictness, the government has made a different strategy. 100 traffic jam hotspots of Delhi have been identified, where work will be done to eliminate the jam and improve traffic flow with the help of Google Map.
How long will the rules remain in force?
All these instructions will become effective automatically with the implementation of GRAP Stage-IV by CAQM and will remain in force until this stage is removed or modified. If GRAP Stage-IV is implemented again in future, no new order will be issued separately, the rules will be implemented automatically.
The government has made it clear that strict action will be taken against those violating the orders under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and other laws. The government claims that these steps will provide relief to Delhi’s air to some extent and effective control of pollution will be possible.
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