Environment min blames fuel guzzlers but says can’t do much

A day after the worst smog in 17 years hit Delhi, Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave admitted that the situation was “grave” and blamed fuel guzzling vehicles and bad urban management for the spike in pollution.

Published on: Nov 4, 2016, 14:11:03 IST

Hindustan Times | By Chetan Chauhan, New Delhi

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A day after the worst smog in 17 years hit Delhi, Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave admitted that the situation was “grave” and blamed fuel guzzling vehicles and bad urban management for the spike in pollution.

Dave said half of the particulate matter pollution in Delhi was because of emissions from vehicles, especially the big fuel guzzlers (read diesel). (Hindustan Times)

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Dave said half of the particulate matter pollution in Delhi was because of emissions from vehicles, especially the big fuel guzzlers (read diesel).

Dave, however, did not suggest a ban on registration of such vehicles in the national capital region, which is experiencing the worst pollution levels since introduction of CNG vehicles in 2000.

“Half of PM 2.5 pollution comes from vehicles,” he said, adding the rising population of vehicles, which caused congestion, was a reason of concern.

But he said his ministry cannot do much as only the state governments can impose restrictions on vehicle registration and ensure all vehicles comply with pollution control norms.

The minister said it is difficult to ensure his ministry’s action plans get implemented. “In a federal structure we have limitations. We cannot put pressure on the governments, we can only advise states to act,” he said.

Without naming the Delhi government with which the Centre is on a confrontation path, Dave said “politics had come to such a low level” that leaders come on streets if they are asked to “improve governance”.

Dave said that his ministry will soon issue an advisory to the states, asking them to take up short, medium and long- term measures, reiterating what his predecessor Prakash Javadekar said almost a year ago.

Javadekar had held a series of meeting with environment ministers in 2015 and 37 specific steps, including a ban on stubble and waste burning, effective dust management plan and phasing out of old vehicles, were decided.

In July this year, the Central Pollution Control Board issued directions with a specific timeline for implementation of each step to every state in the region but not much has happened.

“I will try my best to improve Delhi’s air quality in the next two years. But I need support of state governments,” he said.

The first step would be a meeting of environment secretaries of NCR region on Friday in which short, medium and long-term plans will be decided.

Most state governments had cited financial constraints for failing to implement the directions.

“We are doing our best but improving air quality is a national responsibility. The Centre should fund us to implement the action plans,” said Haryana environment minister Captain Abhimanyu.

The Haryana government’s effort to fine people burning agriculture waste has been opposed by farmers backed by the Indian National Lok Dal.

In poll-bound Punjab, the Akali Dal government is going slow on penalising them for burning waste.

After October 27, there have been no challans. “The cases of (paddy stubble) burning have reduced considerably, so no more challans,” says a PPCB officer told HT last week.

But NASA’s earth worldview shows stubble burning has increased in October in Punjab. In fact, there has been a considerable spike after last week of October.

Dave said the Centre will urge the states to strictly enforce air abatement rules around the year.

BOX: Steps Dave’s ministry suggested and status

Ban parking in non-designated areas: Not implemented

Plans for construction of expressways and bypasses to reduce congestion Most cities have not submitted

Installation of remote sensor based pollution under control certificates : Only Delhi has done

Water fountains at major intersections: Not implemented

Greening of open areas, housing societies and schools : Work started in some states

Blacktopping of metalled roads, including pavement of road shoulders : Not fully implemented

Enforcement of construction and demolition rules: Not enforced.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chetan Chauhan
Chetan Chauhan is the National Affairs Editor looking into all aspects of news and features from across India. A Chevening scholar with over three decades of experience in reporting and news management, Chetan has extensively covered all important aspects of the social sector, political economy, environment and climate change nationally and internationally. He did a journalism course at the Reuters Institute of Journalism in Oxford and Digital Media training at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He started as a reporter with The Statesman in 1996 and joined the Hindustan Times in 2000 in the metro bureau covering environment, crime and Delhi politics. He covered hot local news, from the Jessica Lal murder case to the rebellion of Delhi Congress MLAs against then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, to the replacement of toxic vehicle fuel with cleaner compressed natural gas (CNG) in the national capital. Some of his stories on air pollution became part of the Supreme Court’s landmark MC Mehta versus Government of India case in the National Capital Region (NCR), forcing the government to take corrective measures. As part of the national political bureau since 2004, he covered important central sectors such as environment, education, social justice, labour, rural development, water resources, renewable energy, agriculture, broadcasting and the Planning Commission for more than a decade producing several exclusive and investigative breaking stories. His specialisation is the environment, having covered at least a dozen United Nations global conferences on climate change, biodiversity and wildlife including climate summits in Paris, Copenhagen and Bali. He also covered India’s two five-year plans ---11th and 12th and reported on drafting and execution of right based laws such as Right to Education, Right to Information and rural job guarantee law, MG-NREGA, now being introduced in new format as VG-RAM-G Act. He has in-depth knowledge of social sector issues. He was one of the first to report on tigers vanishing from Sariska and Panna wildlife reserves in 2004 and 2008, respectively, leading to the setting up of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the introduction of stringent penal provisions for poaching. He has written extensively on the rising human-animal conflict in India and the degradation of India’s biodiversity hotspots because of mining and other activities. Since 2004, Chetan has covered Parliament comprehensively and participated in training on the nuanced coverage of Parliament proceedings. He has travelled extensively across India to cover national and provincial elections since 1998, especially in the Hindi heartland states, considered India’s road to power. He writes a regular column for Hindustan Times, Ecostani, on important national politics, economy, Himalayan ecology and environmental issues. His other responsibilities include providing inputs for edits and edit page articles for the publication, apart from managing news flow from across India.Read More

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!

Stay updated with all top Cities including, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and more across India. Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News along with Delhi Election 2025 and Delhi Election Result 2025 Live, New Delhi Election Result Live, Kalkaji Election Result Live at Hindustan Times.