CM Rekha inaugurates six new CAAQMS stations across city

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said pollution control requires sustained, year-round action, inaugurating six new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) stations to expand real-time tracking of air quality across the Capital. She also flagged off 100 ‘Vayu Rakshak’ vehicles for stricter monitoring and enforcement of pollution control norms.

Addressing an event at the Delhi Secretariat, the Chief Minister said the Government is working towards comprehensive citywide monitoring and long-term policy action to address pollution at its source. “Our aim is to ensure that for every 25 sq km area in Delhi, there is at least one air quality monitoring station so that we get complete and accurate data on pollution levels and their sources,” she said.

The six new monitoring stations set up by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) are located at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, West Campus (Dwarka), CWD Akshardham, Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantt and the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Swimming Pool Complex at Talkatora Garden.

The Chief Minister said Delhi currently has 46 air quality monitoring stations, and 14 additional stations will be installed in the coming phase to ensure full coverage of residential areas, industrial zones, traffic corridors and green belts.  “Pollution is not a seasonal problem. It requires 365 days of caretaking, continuous monitoring and sustained action,” she said, adding that air safety officers will be deployed for year-round supervision and enforcement.

The Chief Minister asserted that the Government is working on strengthening pollution control across sectors, including transport, roads, waste management and green cover.

“Clean air is a right, and we are committed to delivering it with seriousness and long-term planning,” she said.  Highlighting the works undertaken, she said the city has the highest number of electric buses in the country, with 4,200 vehicles currently operational. “By 2028, this number will increase to 14,000, which will significantly reduce vehicular emissions,” she said.

The Chief Minister stressed that the pollution checking infrastructure is being upgraded, with automated vehicle testing stations being developed and a new electric vehicle policy for private vehicles under preparation. She described the notification of large parts of the Delhi Ridge as forest land as a historic step. She said protecting green spaces is essential for improving Delhi’s environmental health and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Criticising previous approaches, she said earlier governments treated pollution as a short-term issue. Referring to measures such as smoke towers and odd-even schemes, she said these were “cosmetic solutions” that failed to address pollution at its root.

 Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who also addressed the event, outlined further steps being taken by the government to strengthen pollution control and enforcement.  “To ensure strict monitoring, 100 ‘Vayu Rakshak’ vehicles will be deployed across Delhi to check industrial, vehicular, hotel and institutional pollution,” Sirsa said, adding that 100 permanent surveyors will also be appointed for year-round physical inspections. He said the government has strengthened coordination among the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), CAQM and the Centre, leading to systematic monitoring and data-based policy planning.

Sirsa asserted that Delhi has also made progress in waste management, with around 85 per cent of the city’s daily waste generation, around 12,500 metric tonnes, now being processed for energy production.

Referring to legacy waste, he said the present government inherited three garbage dumps spread over 202 acres and about 60 metres high. “In just one year, garbage has been cleared from around 45 acres, and the height of the remaining dumps is being reduced,” he said.

She also flagged off 100 ‘Vayu Rakshak’ vehicles for stricter monitoring and enforcement of pollution control norms