Delhi pollution: Govt issues order, bans entry of trucks in Capital

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had ordered that the trucks of trucks into the Capital be barred to control hazardous levels of air pollution in the city

New Delhi: A day after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas, issued a set of directions to control pollution in the region, the Delhi government on Wednesday issued an order banning the entry of all trucks (except those carrying essential commodities) coming from other states into Delhi till November 21.

CAQM has banned the entry of trucks in Delhi in view of the hazardous levels of air pollution in the city. The poor air quality in the national capital has Delhiites gasping for fresh air. (Raj K Raj/HT photo)

“It is hereby ordered that the entry of trucks in Delhi shall be barred with immediate effect till November 21 or till further orders. This order shall not apply to trucks carrying essential commodities such as raw vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, eggs, ice that is to be used as a food item, and tankers carrying petroleum products,” the order issued by Delhi transport department said.

A senior official of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) that on Wednesday, trucks were turned back from the state borders. “Enforcement teams were deployed on all borders of Delhi on Wednesday. All trucks that were carrying non-essential items were turned back,” the official said.

Officials could not give an exact figure on how many trucks now enter Delhi every day, but the order is unlikely to cause major chaos as most of the non-destined commercial vehicles now bypass the city by taking the eastern and western peripheral expressways that form a ring around the Capital.

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the contribution from trucks in Delhi’s air has reduced over the last couple years due to the expressways, but they are still one of the biggest polluters in the vehicle segment.

“These are heavy duty vehicles, and trucks enter Delhi in the night when temperatures are low and these emissions can stay trapped in the air till the next day. In our analysis in 2015, we found that trucks were contributing to around 30% of the total pollution due to vehicles,” she said.

Tanushree Ganguly, Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said while the ban on entry of trucks into Delhi was a good move, there also needs to be a restriction on the movement of private vehicles in order to complement the ban.

“Cutting down intra-city vehicular traffic would not only reduce vehicular exhaust emissions but also contribute to reducing re-suspended dust and idling emissions,” she said.

The Delhi traffic police said teams have been formed to keep a check on the movement of trucks at the Delhi borders.

“We have deployed teams that will check the freight being carried by the trucks and they will be allowed to enter the city only if they are carrying essential items,” a senior traffic official said.