Authorities in New Delhi introduced a new set of anti-pollution measures on Sunday as the Indian capital sought to reduce emissions and limit the impact of toxic smog. The restrictions include doubled vehicle parking charges and work-from-home arrangements for government and private-sector offices, with the aim of reducing traffic.
Vehicles that fail to meet required emissions standards will be barred from entering the capital. Authorities have also imposed an immediate ban on dust-generating demolition and outdoor construction work.
The measures form part of Delhi’s Winter Action Plan, which the office of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said would bring stricter pollution controls, stronger enforcement and round-the-clock monitoring from Nov. 1. The office urged residents to follow the guidelines and help improve air quality.
Other measures introduced over the previous month include a ban on burning trash and restrictions on food stalls that use coal or firewood. Similar initiatives in past years, however, have struggled to prevent the seasonal smog that typically affects the megacity from November through January, when cooler conditions trap pollutants close to the ground.
The main sources of pollution include vehicle emissions, coal-fired power plants, industrial activity, construction dust and crop-residue burning in neighboring states. India’s environment ministry attributes 23% of Delhi’s winter pollution to vehicles, while biomass burning accounts for 20% and industry, including coal-fired power plants, contributes about 9%.
PM2.5 concentrations, which refer to tiny particles capable of penetrating the lungs and bloodstream, often rise above 300 micrograms per cubic meter during the peak winter period. That is roughly 20 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily limit. Last year, levels reached 846 micrograms per cubic meter, or 56 times the guideline.
On Sunday, monitors recorded PM2.5 at 201 micrograms per cubic meter, more than 13 times the recommended limit. Intermittent rain in recent days may have helped lower the reading.
A 2024 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health estimated that air pollution was linked to 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019.
Sources: Phys.org.