PUCs, potholes, pooling top anti-smog plan

The Delhi government on Wednesday announced a wide-ranging plan to tackle air pollution in the Capital, proposing an overhaul of the pollution under control (PUC) certification system, a Delhi-only carpooling application, and the identification of the city’s worst traffic congestion points for targeted interventions.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

The initiatives, to be rolled out over the coming months, were outlined by environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa at a press conference. He said the government's strategy would focus on four major sources of pollution —vehicles, industries, solid waste and dust — and warned that Delhi could face another severe pollution spell in the second half of December based on historical trends.

“The previous government did nothing for the last decade, but we believe it is our responsibility to fix these issues. We will work consistently on these four sources of pollution,” Sirsa said.