Delhi pollution: After Diwali, ban on BS3 petrol, BS4 diesel cars to continue

Ban on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles in Delhi will continue until further notice. Gopal Rai, Environment Minister of Delhi, said that all measures under the stage four of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will remain a day after Diwali celebrations spiked pollution levels in and around the national capital since Sunday evening. The minister blamed bursting of firecrackers as the reason behind the latest rise in pollution levels after rains helped clear the air last Friday. The state government had earlier proposed, but later called off, plans to reintroduce the Odd-Even rule to restrict vehicular emission.

Delhi government held an emergency meeting on Monday (November 13) morning to take stock of the pollution levels in Delhi a day after Diwali. Despite Supreme Court's directive to ban firecrackers, revellers resorted to uncontrolled celebrations on Sunday, which led the air to pollute 10 times more than safe limits. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s PM 2.5 level touched a peak of 570 micrograms per cubic metre at 1 am.

Goapl Rai held a press conference soon after the meeting. While no new measures were announced to curb pollution, the minister clarified that GRAP Stage 4 measures will continue. “Measures under Stage 4 of Centre's air pollution control plan will continue in Delhi till further orders," he said.

Delhi had implemented stage four of GRAP earlier as pollution reached hazardous levels in the national capital for the past one week. The ban on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles were extended beyond Delhi to neighbouring cities like Gurugram and Faridabad in Haryana, and Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

In Delhi, the police has launched crackdown against those violating GRAP Stage 4 rules. More than 2,000 vehicles for not carrying valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Several vehicles have also been fined for violating the ban on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles. The police authority in respective cities have warned those flouting the rules with a hefty fine of ₹20,000.