Delhi's Pollution Crackdown: 3,746 Vehicles Penalized in 24-Hour Blitz

The Environment Minister said Delhi is simultaneously attacking vehicular, dust, industrial and waste‑related pollution. “Our teams are on the ground 24x7 – checking vehicles, stopping dust, regulating polluting industries and clearing legacy waste. This is the only way we can permanently bring down Delhi’s AQI,” he added.

He said the Delhi Government has intensified its action plan to tackle air pollution on four fronts – vehicular emissions, road and construction dust, industrial pollution and waste management.

The ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ enforcement and restrictions on entry of non‑Delhi vehicles below BS‑VI standards are central to quickly reducing particulate emissions in severe conditions.

Sirsa said, “Delhi Government has had to adopt tough but necessary steps so that pollution levels can be visibly reduced.”

On 17 December, 29,938 PUCCs were issued in Delhi and, by 5:20 pm on 18 December, another 31,974 certificates were issued, taking the total to over 61,000 in roughly a day. The government expects this surge to continue as more vehicle owners obtain PUCC before refuelling, he said.

He appealed to residents, vehicle owners, offices and institutions to comply with GRAP restrictions, work‑from‑home advisories and ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ norms so that emergency measures can be relaxed at the earliest.

On Thursday, Sirsa conducted surprise inspections at multiple petrol pumps to assess the implementation of ‘No PUC, No Fuel’.

He visited stations at the Delhi-Gurugram border and Janpath, interacting with staff and commuters.

He instructed staff to remain calm, courteous and fully cooperative while firmly enforcing the requirement of a valid PUCC for refuelling.

“You are the first interface of this campaign on the ground. Please do not get into arguments with people; politely explain that this rule is for their own health and for the health of our children,” he told them. He also directed clear signage, announcements and proper queue management.

At the pumps, he told commuters, “This is not about challans; this is about clean air. Every valid PUCC issued today is a small victory in our war against pollution,” urging them to keep certificates updated. Shri Sirsa inspected nearby PUCC centres, checked maintenance records and said the government will continuously monitor functioning and resolve bottlenecks.

- IANS