DA Editorial Desk | Sara Debbarma
Delhi’s air has slipped into the “poor” category. At 7 am on Wednesday, the air quality index stood at 219, according to the early warning dashboard run by IITM Pune with the India Meteorological Department. The previous afternoon it had been 179, in the moderate band. The forecast is worse: the dashboard projects an index of 342, which is “very poor”, for 22 October at 9 am, and the Meteorological Department expects poor air through 23 October and for six days after. If the forecast holds, this is the first poor day in about 100 days, according to PTI.
The Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management have announced a package of winter curbs from 1 November. Parking charges at authorised facilities will double until 28 February, with exemptions for electric vehicles. A “No PUC, No Fuel” rule will deny fuel to vehicles without a valid pollution certificate. Vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI standards will be barred from entering the capital until 31 January, except for CNG and electric vehicles and emergency services. Offices must limit physical attendance to 50 percent. Dust-generating construction and demolition will be prohibited, and all construction and demolition will be banned from 10 December to 20 January, apart from essential or urgent public works.
These steps are broadly sensible, and it is good that they have been announced in advance rather than in a panic. The real test is enforcement. A rule that stops at the petrol pump but not at the construction site will fail. We urge three things. First, publish daily compliance data: the number of vehicles stopped, sites inspected and penalties imposed. Second, protect the livelihoods of those hit hardest. Daily-wage construction workers lose income when sites close, and the government should consider income support for them during the ban. Third, improve public transport and last-mile connectivity so that restrictions on private vehicles are not only punishment but also an alternative.
Delhi cannot clean its air alone, since pollution crosses state borders. Neighbouring governments must carry their share of the burden. But Delhi can start by showing that its own rules work. Residents have heard promises every winter. This year they deserve results they can measure.