New Delhi

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday announced a series of strict measures to combat the alarming pollution levels in the national capital. 

Speaking after a three-and-a-half-hour high-level meeting, Sirsa stressed that pollution, particularly air and water pollution, remains the city's biggest crisis.

"The biggest issue in Delhi is pollution, both air and water are contaminated. Today, we had a meeting to understand the causes of diseases and their solutions. The key finding was that the previous government took no steps to reduce pollution in Delhi, whether it be air or water pollution," said Sirsa.

The minister outlined that Delhi is currently battling three major types of pollution: air pollution, dust pollution, and pollution caused by vehicles and construction activities. He strongly criticised the previous administration for failing to effectively use allocated funds.

"The funds allocated for pollution control have never been utilised, and thousands of crores remain unspent. Vehicle monitoring was not done properly, and while money was invested for water sprinklers, no significant work was carried out in this regard," he added.

In a major crackdown on vehicular pollution, Sirsa announced that old vehicles would be phased out aggressively.

"Old vehicles will not get fuel after March 31. We will also identify 15-year-old two-wheelers, and they will not be allowed to get fuel either," he stated.

To ensure proper implementation, a special team will be formed to identify these vehicles, with Delhi University students being roped in for the initiative.

The government will also target large industries and organisations contributing significantly to pollution. "Big organisations that are major sources of pollution in Delhi will be mandated to control their emissions. If they are contributing to pollution, they should also go green," said Sirsa.

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He added that smoke guns will be required in every high-rise building in Delhi to curb pollution caused by construction dust.

The Delhi government also has ambitious plans to increase greenery across the city. "Airports will be made 100 per cent green, and we will control pollution by developing new forest fields in Delhi," Sirsa announced.