Delhi air pollution: No diesel buses from Haryana, UP, Rajasthan to national capital

Delhi air pollution: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai sent letters to the transport ministers of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to address the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. He asked the ministers to ensure that no diesel buses from their regions enter Delhi. This request comes in light of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage two restrictions that were implemented on Tuesday.

The air quality in Delhi has been declining, prompting the authorities to enforce these measures. The second stage of GRAP restrictions came into effect from 8 am. By restricting diesel buses, the government aims to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the city.

Rai also announced other measures including increased water sprinkling to manage road dust, use of dust suppressants, and the deployment of additional traffic personnel to alleviate congestion. In his communication, Rai highlighted that vehicular emissions are a significant contributor to air pollution, with a large number of diesel buses entering Delhi from other states being a major factor.

"The impact of diesel emissions on air quality is well established and the large influx of such buses significantly contribute to the degradation of air quality in Delhi, posing serious health risks to the residents," he said, adding that the additional burden from interstate traffic is aggravating Delhi’s poor air quality. 

"In light of this, I kindly request your office to consider restricting the entry of diesel buses from entering Delhi or implementing stricter regulations to control their emission norms," Rai added.

The minister proposed collaborative efforts to implement more effective solutions such as transitioning to CNG or using electric buses for interstate transport.