Cleansing the Yamuna, better air quality on wishlist
2 Jan 2015 3:57 AM IST
Delhi holds the dubious distinction of having the worst air quality among 16,00 cities in 91 countries mapped in the data base. But a senior environment officer in the Delhi government blames vehicular pollution for the city’s high pollution count. At present, Delhi’s vehicular population stands at 85 lakh, which is expected to swell to 1.16 crore by 2017.
The National Green Tribunal (NTG) has recently issued an order to phase-out 15 year- old vehicles in Delhi.
Of the 85 lakh registered vehicles in the city, around 62 lakh are private vehicles. Of these, around 25 lakh are four-wheelers, while the rest are two-wheelers.
According to a senior official in the transport department, “ a total of about 10 lakh vehicles are over 15 years old. At present, Delhi government allows private vehicles that are over 15 years old to ply in the city, subject to a fitness test by the Transport department.
“Commercial vehicles which are over 15 years old are officially not allowed to ply in Delhi and are not issued a fitness certificate by the Transport department,” said Sanjeev Kumar, Principal secretary of Environment.
Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor had recently appointed a high level committee on Air and Water Pollution headed by the Chief Secretary. The Committee recommended short and long term measures for reducing air and water pollution in consultation with other concerned stakeholders.
The Committee has recommended effective implementation and tightening of PUC norms for all vehicles and improved quality of diesel. Government, it said, must insist that refines supply low surplus diesel in conformity with euro-5 emission standards.
The Committee also emphasized that government set a three year time frame to reduce the price gap between diesel and petrol.
The present status of Yamuna water has not improved confirmed the Centre Pollution Control Board, while the Delhi Jal Board claims that 68% of the work of laying the intercept sewer lines that control flow of sewage to a treatment plant has already been done.
As per one of the approved recommendations, a short term measure required to reduce water pollution such as treatment of sewage, effluents and utilization of treated waste water.
A Delhi Jal Board official claims that the Delhi Jal Board and Delhi State Infrastructure Industrial Development Corporation (DSIIDC) will achieve 100 per cent treatment of sewage and Industrial effluents within 3 years to ensure that no toxic effluents enter the Yamuna.
The National Green Tribunal (NTG) has recently issued an order to phase-out 15 year- old vehicles in Delhi.
Of the 85 lakh registered vehicles in the city, around 62 lakh are private vehicles. Of these, around 25 lakh are four-wheelers, while the rest are two-wheelers.
According to a senior official in the transport department, “ a total of about 10 lakh vehicles are over 15 years old. At present, Delhi government allows private vehicles that are over 15 years old to ply in the city, subject to a fitness test by the Transport department.
“Commercial vehicles which are over 15 years old are officially not allowed to ply in Delhi and are not issued a fitness certificate by the Transport department,” said Sanjeev Kumar, Principal secretary of Environment.
Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor had recently appointed a high level committee on Air and Water Pollution headed by the Chief Secretary. The Committee recommended short and long term measures for reducing air and water pollution in consultation with other concerned stakeholders.
The Committee has recommended effective implementation and tightening of PUC norms for all vehicles and improved quality of diesel. Government, it said, must insist that refines supply low surplus diesel in conformity with euro-5 emission standards.
The Committee also emphasized that government set a three year time frame to reduce the price gap between diesel and petrol.
The present status of Yamuna water has not improved confirmed the Centre Pollution Control Board, while the Delhi Jal Board claims that 68% of the work of laying the intercept sewer lines that control flow of sewage to a treatment plant has already been done.
As per one of the approved recommendations, a short term measure required to reduce water pollution such as treatment of sewage, effluents and utilization of treated waste water.
A Delhi Jal Board official claims that the Delhi Jal Board and Delhi State Infrastructure Industrial Development Corporation (DSIIDC) will achieve 100 per cent treatment of sewage and Industrial effluents within 3 years to ensure that no toxic effluents enter the Yamuna.
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