11,776 polluting vehicles penalised in one day: Delhi Environment Minister

New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) Enforcement teams issued 11,776 challans against polluting and non-compliant vehicles on Friday as part of an aggressive crackdown on emission sources across Delhi, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Friday.

The government has adopted a multi-sector strategy combining enforcement, dust control, waste management, and vehicle regulation, which has led to a notable improvement in AQI levels compared to previous winters, he said.

Sirsa added that “the government is committed to developing year-round, science-based interventions and systemic reforms to sustain clean air.”

On the cleanliness and dust-mitigation front, municipal agencies together removed 12,164.88 MT of garbage, swept 2,068.81 km through mechanical road sweepers, and carried out water sprinkling over 1,830 km of roads, said the Minister.

Additionally, anti-smog guns (ASGs) covered over 5,528 km, while 160 ASGs have been deployed at major construction sites for continuous dust suppression, he said.

The city’s waste management efforts made strong progress as, on average, 30,000 MT of legacy waste was bio-mined in the last 24 hours, he said.

Citizen-centric governance continued through swift grievance redressal, with 57 complaints received via 311, Green Delhi App, SAMEER and social media addressed and resolved, said an official statement.

To ensure compliance, 542 non-destined trucks were stopped and diverted. Additionally, 34 traffic choke points were decongested, it said.

Sirsa urged all citizens, institutions, and fleet operators to strictly follow the government’s pollution-control directives.

“This fight against air pollution is a shared responsibility-government departments are on an alert round-the-clock, and public cooperation is key to sustaining the gains we’re beginning to see,” he emphasised.

Earlier in the day, the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav issued directions for smooth traffic movement and removal of construction waste, directing all stakeholders to help bring about a visible improvement in Delhi’s air quality within a week.

The Minister chaired a meeting attended by the head of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and senior officers, and announced that from January 2026, reviews of action plans, being finalised now, will be held every month at the Ministerial level.

Some of the key directions issued by Minister Yadav included steps to ensure smooth traffic management at 62 identified congestion hotspots, removal of dust and construction and demolition waste dumped on roads, containment of biomass burning and staggered timings for offices, shopping malls and commercial complexes, said an official statement.

The Minister made it clear that strict measures must be taken against defaulters, but at the same time, the public must not be inconvenienced.

--IANS

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