Delhi govt constitutes expert committee to combat hazardous air

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has constituted an expert committee to provide independent ideas, suggestions and solutions to tackle the capital’s chronic air quality crisis, officials said on Monday.

The committee is key to the government’s five-pronged pollution-control strategy, which focuses on innovation, scientific management of dust and solid waste, action against polluting industries, reduction of vehicular emissions, and long-term efforts to make Delhi greener and healthier.

Officials said the move marks a departure from earlier approaches that relied largely on regulatory orders without structured expert consultation.

To ensure faster execution of pollution-related decisions, the government has also set up the Implementation Committee on Control of Air Pollution (ICCAP), aimed at translating expert recommendations and government schemes into effective on-ground action.

According to officials, the Special Expert Committee comprises 11 members, including former secretaries, former chairpersons of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), secretaries of the environment and forest departments, representatives from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), and experts from institutions such as IIT Kanpur and IIT Delhi.

The 16-member implementation committee, including top officials, is addressing vehicular pollution alongside road upgrades. Over 50,200 potholes have been repaired, 469 km of roads recarpeted, and 2,180 km slated for redevelopment. Delhi’s AQI reached 401 on Monday, entering the ‘severe’ pollution category.