Delhi Pollution

Nitin Gadkari warns Delhi's toxic air can cause infections in 3 days

In Gadkari's view, road infrastructure and alternative fuels are central to solving India's pollution crisis, as Delhi's air continues to pose serious health risks

Draft EV Policy 2.0 seeks ban on petrol, diesel & CNG 2Ws from Aug 2026

The Draft EV Policy 2.0 recommends Delhi could stop new CNG auto permits from Aug 15, 2025. If a private car owner already has two vehicles, any further purchase must be an electric vehicle

Govt may conduct artificial rain trial in May to fight pollution: Delhi min

The Delhi government is likely to conduct a trial for artificial rain in May as part of its efforts to tackle air pollution, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Thursday. The trial will be carried out in an area in outer Delhi, with the final site selection to be made by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and IIT Kanpur, he said. Sirsa said the plan is part of a broader strategy to tackle pollution using multiple methods. This is a war against pollution and we are working on various measures, with artificial rain being one of them. Before implementing it on a large scale, we will try to conduct a trial in May when summer is at its peak, he added. He further said, We have asked for detailed reports to determine whether the chemicals used in cloud seeding could have any harmful effects on human health or the environment." Based on the findings, we will conduct a small-scale test and analyze water samples. If the trial is successful, we will expand the ..

Delhi govt tightens pollution control measures; announces EV push

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced in the assembly on Wednesday that the Delhi government will introduce a new policy for issuing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates to vehicles from other states, in a bid to tackle air pollution. The move comes in response to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report titled 'Vehicular Air Pollution in Delhi', which flagged lapses in the national capital's pollution control mechanisms. Gupta also announced a significant expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Delhi, stating that by 2026, the city will have 48,000 charging points18,000 government-operated and 30,000 semi-private. Additionally, six new air quality monitoring centres will be set up to improve pollution tracking and enforcement. The chief minister further revealed plans to establish a new eco-park dedicated to processing electronic waste, aiming to curb air pollution caused by improper disposal of e-waste. "These steps are crucial in strengthening

CAG report highlights lapses in Delhi's pollution control measures

Delhi's worsening air pollution has been exacerbated by lapses in its pollution control mechanisms, including irregularities in the issuance of PUC certificates, unreliable air quality monitoring systems, and poor enforcement of pollution control measures, according to a CAG report tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday. The report on 'Vehicular Air Pollution in Delhi', tabled by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, highlighted major policy gaps and weak enforcement and poor coordination among agencies as key reasons behind the worsening pollution scenario in the national capital. More than 1.08 lakh vehicles were issued pollution under control (PUC) certificates despite them emitting carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) beyond permissible limits, the reports said. In many cases, multiple vehicles were issued certificates at the same time, sometimes within a minute of each other, it said. Between 2015 and 2020, nearly 4,000 diesel vehicles that exceeded pollution limits were still certifie

New EV policy: Delhi may ban petrol two-wheeler registrations from 2026

If approved, only electric scooters and motorcycles will be available for new buyers in Delhi after the deadline

Delhi to install six new air quality monitoring stations for winter: Sirsa

As part of a broader strategy to tackle the expected winter pollution peak, the Delhi government will install six new air quality monitoring stations across the national capital over the next three months, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. In an interview with PTI on Wednesday, Sirsa said, "This winter, we will ensure that Delhi sees more clean air days, and we are already working to minimize pollution. We will not wait until winter to take action. Our work to purify Delhi has already started, and as part of this, we will also add new ambient air quality monitoring stations." "Delhi currently has 40 air quality monitoring stations, and six more will be added in the next three months, bringing the total to 46," Sirsa said. The minister did not specify the locations where the new stations will be installed but mentioned that the work is likely to be completed within three months. He added that these stations will help gather more detailed data on air quality. Delhi's .

Delhi recorded the worst air quality in India during winter 2024-25: Report

With an average PM2.5 value of 159 μg/m³ during the winter of 2024-2025, Delhi was the most polluted city in India. According to the analysis, Aizawl in Mizoram was the cleanest city

DPCC plans expansion of state labs to facilitate real-time water testing

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has proposed granting 'state' laboratory status to all labs in government colleges and those under the Delhi Jal Board to facilitate real-time water testing across the national capital, officials said on Monday. The proposal was made during the 74th board meeting of the DPCC on February 13, 2025, at the Delhi Secretariat, where critical issues such as recruitment, pollution control measures, and infrastructure improvements were discussed, they said. Currently, Delhi has only one state laboratory for water testing. The proposed move aims to bolster large-scale water quality monitoring and enhance data accuracy, they added. The DPCC is also set to issue a public notice to gauge the willingness of government institutions to participate in the initiative. "In the last meeting held in September 2024, it was directed that more labs, including Delhi Jal Board facilities and those in government colleges, be recognized as state labs to support ..

Delhi's air quality remains in 'moderate' category, Grap-I curbs lifted

Air quality has improved across Delhi-NCR due to rainfall over the past few days

Delhi's air quality sees slight improvement, remains in 'moderate' category

In neighbouring cities, Gurugram recorded an AQI of 95, placing it in the 'satisfactory' category, while Noida and Ghaziabad reported AQI levels of 102 and 167, respectively

Delhi's fuel ban on 15-yr-old vehicles: Experts back EVs, public transport

In addition to restricting fuel supply, all high-rise buildings, hotels, and commercial complexes in Delhi will be required to install anti-smog guns to help reduce air pollution levels

Sour season: Climate change is shrinking Delhi's strawberry harvest

Farms in Palla village are known for producing multiple varieties of strawberries, including Winter Down, Camarosa, Chandler, and Sweet Session

Light rain improves Delhi's air quality, AQI remains in 'moderate' category

The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi predicts 'moderate' air quality from 20-21 February, with AQI levels expected to range from 'poor' to 'moderate' over the next six days

Delhi's air quality improves as weather conditions turn favourable

This is the first time in February that Delhi's AQI has improved to the 'moderate' range

Most of Delhi-NCR's pollution in Oct-Nov locally created, shows study

Delhi-NCR's pollution during October-November is largely of local origin, with stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana contributing 14 per cent to the overall PM2.5 levels in 2022, a study has suggested. Researchers, led by those at Japan's Research Institute for Humanity and Nature under the 'Aakash Project', said that changes in the national capital's air quality could be related more with the stepping up or down of the 'GRAP' anti-pollution measures. The study, published in the journal 'npj Climate and Atmospheric Science', analysed fine particulate matter (PM2.5) data, recorded during the September-November months of 2022 and 2023. For the study, 30 sensors were installed across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi-NCR. Stubble burning, a common practice for clearing land following rice harvest, is often blamed for the sharp and sustained rise in PM2.5 levels, seen in the national capital region during the October-November months. However, the analysis showed that emissions over Punjab from

Kejriwal alleges CM Saini 'pretending' to drink Yamuna water; PM slams him

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday claimed that Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini "pretended" to drink Yamuna water and then spat some of it back in the river, saying they want Delhi people to consume the same "poisonous" water. Amid a controversy over his remark that BJP-ruled Haryana was "mixing poison" in Delhi water supplied through Yamuna and attempting "genocide", Kejriwal shared a video of Saini performing Achman (sipping holy river water) at Yamuna bank in Haryana. "Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini pretended to drink Yamuna water... and then spat the same water back into the Yamuna. When I said that Yamuna water could be dangerous for the lives of Delhiites due to ammonia contamination then they threatened to lodge an FIR against me. "They want to make the people of Delhi drink the same poisonous water which they themselves can not drink. I will never let this happen," Kejriwal said in the post. Earlier the day, the Haryana chief minister shared his vi

Delhi's air quality remains in 'poor' category, AQI stands at 267

The AQI is expected to remain in the 'poor' to 'very poor' categories in the coming days

Delhi continue to battle poor air as light rain spell fails to improve AQI

Delhi air quality: Experts suggest that while light showers may help settle dust particles and provide temporary relief, the extent of the improvement will depend on rainfall intensity

Delhi records 'poor' AQI again as Grap rule changes spark confusion

Amid the confusion over Grap curbs, Delhi woke up to 'poor' air quality on Tuesday, a slight improvement from the 'very poor' category recorded the previous morning