PMO raises alarm over Capital’s air quality, calls for stubble burning ban

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday expressed concern over persistent poor air quality in the Capital, with the winter yet to commence, and instructed complete elimination of stubble burning in Delhi as a model for the surrounding regions and states to follow.

PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to PM Narendra Modi, on Friday chaired the high-level task force meeting on combating air pollution in Delhi and expressed concerns over slow pace of clearance of landfill sites in the Capital apart from delays in the implementation of waste-to-energy plans by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

The current PM2.5 concentration in New Delhi is 2.1 times above the recommended limit given by the World Health Organisation 24 hour air quality guidelines value.

“The meeting focused on assessing the readiness of the Delhi Government and other stakeholders in implementing both immediate and long-term measures to mitigate air pollution in Delhi. The task force, comprising senior officials from Central ministries and the Delhi administration, reviewed current strategies and discussed additional innovative steps to tackle the pollution challenge,” a PMO statement said.

The Delhi Chief Secretary made a comprehensive presentation on the city’s air quality management efforts and flagged construction-related dust, biomass burning and vehicular emissions as key contributors, especially during winter months when stagnant weather conditions worsen the situation.

He said the Delhi Government was concentrating on increasing the electric bus fleet, expanding charging infrastructure, deploying mechanised road cleaning, suppressing dust and preventing burning of waste and biomass.

Mishra underscored the need for strict enforcement of the existing laws.

“He emphasised that adequate measures for dust control, both from roads and construction activities, need to be taken. The Principal Secretary to the PM also urged the adoption of a mission-mode approach to greening central verges of roads and paving and greening of pathways and open areas along roadsides to abate dust generation,” the PMO said.

Mechanised road cleaning, deployment of adequate numbers of anti-smog guns and regular water sprinkling needs to be ramped up, particularly in high-pollution hotspots and during the periods under the Graded Response Action Plan, Mishra told the meeting.

He called for enhanced monitoring and stricter enforcement of dust control measures at construction and demolition sites.

PMO officials said solid waste management featured prominently in the discussions, with Mishra stressing the need to prevent the open burning of municipal solid waste and biomass, which significantly contributes to air pollution in winter months.

Stubble burning, a major source of seasonal air pollution in Delhi and neighbouring states, was also discussed at the meeting. Although Delhi has a relatively small paddy area, Mishra called for complete elimination of stubble burning in the city as a model for surrounding regions.

PMO officials said Mishra has directed an acceleration in the shift towards electric mobility and called for the creation of a clear roadmap to ensure that future vehicle registrations prioritise electric vehicles, especially for commercial fleets, government services and public transport.

“This effort, coupled with the expansion of the electric bus fleet — set to reach 8,000 by 2026 — and the installation of 18,000 vehicle charging stations by 2025-26, would be a crucial step in reducing vehicular pollution in Delhi,” said the PMO.

The review also concluded that uninterrupted power supply in Delhi was necessary to minimise reliance on diesel generators, which further contribute to air pollution.

“Mishra has directed officials to increase inspections of industries and commercial establishments to ensure compliance with prescribed emission control measures for DG sets. The rigorous implementation of GRAP measures, which are designed to respond dynamically to deteriorating air quality conditions, was emphasised as essential during the winter months,” PMO officials said, adding that the meeting concluded with a commitment from stakeholders to work in a coordinated and sustained manner to combat air pollution in Delhi.