Air Pollution

No PUC, No fuel: Haryana govt directs fuel pumps in its NCR districts

In view of the stringent measures being implemented to control air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, the Haryana transport department has directed all petrol pump operators and retail outlets in the NCR districts of the state to ensure mandatory verification of a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) before refuelling vehicles. The directions have been issued in accordance with the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), under which the "No PUC, No Fuel" rule came into effect across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) from October 1, according to an official statement. As part of the measures being undertaken by the government of Haryana to curb vehicular pollution, including the deployment and implementation of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera systems at petrol pumps across the NCR districts, strict enforcement of emission norms has been prioritised. Under the directions, petrol, diesel and CNG stations are required to den

CAFE-III norms locked, may make EVs cheaper but ICE vehicles costlier

Threefold sales weightage for battery EVs could encourage affordable models, while carmakers may price some higher-emission petrol and diesel vehicles higher to meet targets

Delhi logs lowest September average AQI in 5 years as air quality improves

Delhi's monthly average AQI stood at 102 in September, while January-September saw 194 days with an AQI below 200, the highest number in the past five years

Is your car BS IV or BS VI? How to check status before Delhi's winter curbs

Vahan portal, the RC, Form 22 and the windscreen sticker can each reveal your vehicle's emission standard. Here is how to use them, and which to trust

Delhi’s winter pollution curbs: Pay double to park, 50% work from home

Delhi’s Winter Pollution Action Plan brings recurring restrictions on parking, office attendance, construction and vehicle movement. From November 1, parking charges at authorised sites will double,

Delhi pollution curbs: Parking fees to double, 50% staff to work from home

The measures form part of the consolidated Winter Pollution Action Plan notified in July. The plan will come into force every year from November 1 to February 28.

Delhi govt to launch PUC enforcement drive from Oct 1: Rekha Gupta

The Delhi government will launch an enforcement drive against vehicles with invalid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates from October 1, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday. Gupta, who inaugurated an Automated Testing Station (ATS) in Burari, said the government was taking several steps to reduce air pollution in the national capital. "We want to ensure that every person in Delhi gets clean air to breathe. This enforcement will be done to check whether the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates are valid. Delhi government is working round the year to reduce air pollution; this is one step towards that," she said. The chief minister said the system of PUC centres in Delhi would also be made more effective and reliable. "The enforcement system related to valid Pollution Under Control certificates will be implemented in Delhi from October 1. At the same time, work will also be undertaken to strengthen the monitoring and functioning of PUC centres through technology,"

No physical sports in Delhi-NCR in Nov-Dec? Here's what CAQM said

The CAQM has advised schools in Delhi NCR not to schedule physical sports activities or competitions in November and December, citing air quality trends during the period

Delhi's August: Above-normal rain, warm nights, and three-year high AQI

From rain-soaked days to warm nights, August has unfolded differently for Delhi this year: Rainfall has already crossed the seasonal average, day and night-time temperatures remain high, and the month's average air quality index has reached a three-year high. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi has received 653.9 mm of rainfall at Safdarjung since the beginning of the monsoon season, compared with the long-period average of 506.7 mm, resulting in a surplus of 147.2 mm, or 29 per cent. The capital also recorded its wettest first week of August in 15 years, receiving 127 mm of rainfall during the first seven days of the month, the highest for the period since 2011. The month witnessed one of its heaviest single-day rainfall spells on August 25, when Safdarjung recorded 99.1 mm of rain in 24 hours, the highest rainfall for an August day in two years, the IMD said. The last time Safdarjung recorded more rainfall in August was on August 1, 2024, when the station

CAQM bans new non-electric light goods vehicles in Delhi from 2027

CAQM has ordered a phased shift towards electric N1 and N2 light goods vehicles across Delhi-NCR, with restrictions extending to high-density districts and the wider region

Delhi to shift cargo from diesel trucks to EVs to curb winter pollution

What if diesel trucks no longer had to enter Delhi to deliver goods? A proposed freight interchange programme plans logistics hubs around the NCR. Here's how it will work:

Parivartan scheme guidelines cleared to replace ageing trucks, buses in NCR

The Rs 9,585-crore PARIVARTAN scheme offers tax concessions, interest subvention and other incentives to replace ageing commercial vehicles in the National Capital Region

What is SALT, India's first mobile 'liquid tree' to fight pollution?

India's first mobile Smart Algal Liquid Tree (SALT) is an air-purification system developed by CSIR-CIMFR for crowded urban areas where planting trees is difficult.

What is SALT, India's first mobile 'liquid tree' to fight pollution?

Developed by CSIR-CIMFR, the mobile algae-based system uses photosynthesis to absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen and reduce dust in crowded urban spaces

Explained: Delhi's new winter anti-pollution plan | Delhi pollution | Delhi aqi

Delhi has unveiled a permanent winter anti-pollution framework that will automatically kick in every year from November 1 to February 28. From mandatory PUCC checks at fuel stations to work-from-home

Delhi notifies winter anti-pollution plan with year-round PUC checks

Delhi has notified a permanent winter pollution plan, mandating year-round PUC checks, hybrid work norms, construction curbs and anti-smog measures from November to February

A failure to cool: Heat, smog and ignored public-health emergencies

In India, it is possible that so much more is on the ballot in every election that there is little space for issues such as public health

Delhi-NCR truck scrappage plan: Can replacing old vehicles clean air?

Experts say targeting old trucks and buses could cut transport emissions significantly, but broader action on dust, industry and other pollution sources will remain crucial

Govt clears ₹9,585 crore scheme to replace old trucks, buses in Delhi-NCR

The scheme will be implemented through the NCRPB, and will seek to incentivise owners of BS-IV and older commercial vehicles to shift to cleaner BS-VI-compliant or electric vehicles

Grap-1 restrictions imposed across Delhi-NCR as air quality turns 'poor'

CAQM has imposed Stage 1 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) across Delhi-NCR after the region's air quality slipped into the "poor" category