The Delhi government on Saturday (March 1) banned the refuelling of vehicles older than 15 years in a bid to curb air pollution. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) government said the new rule will go into effect after March 31.

Speaking to reporters, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the move is aimed at reducing vehicular emissions in the city.

“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” said the minister, adding the central government would be notified about the decision soon.

Govt to form special task force

Sirsa added that the Delhi government would also form a special task force to enforce the new rule without fail and punish violators.

“This team will oversee strict implementation starting April 1. Additionally, we will intensify scrutiny of heavy vehicles entering Delhi to ensure they meet prescribed environmental standards before being allowed entry,” Sirsa said.

Previous policy

It is to be noted that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are already banned from operating on the roads in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Under a 2021 directive, the violators would have their vehicles impounded and sent to scrapyards.

Anti-smog guns

The environment minister said that all commercial complexes, including high-rise buildings and hotels in Delhi, will have to install anti-smog guns to curb air pollution.

“There are some big hotels, some big office complexes, Delhi airport, 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 in their places,” Sirsa said.

“We will make it mandatory for all high-rise buildings in Delhi to install smog guns. Similarly, this requirement will also be enforced for all commercial complexes,” he added.

Delhi to retire CNG buses

The minister also announced that Delhi will retire 90 per cent of its CNG buses by the year end, and replace them with electric, zero-smoke buses.

Tackling pollution was a major poll promise that the BJP made to the voters ahead of the assembly elections last month.

Along with vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and stubble burning are other major factors for air pollution in Delhi, and the condition usually turns worse during winter months.