Delhi's Air Pollution Crisis Worsened by Systemic Failures

DELHI'S persistent air pollution crisis has been worsened by systemic failures in pollution control and enforcement, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday.

- Prabhat Shukla

The report, which focuses on vehicular emissions, points to irregularities in the issuance of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates, poor enforcement of pollution laws, and a lack of coordination among agencies as key contributors to the worsening air quality in the capital.

The audit found that more than 1.08 lakh vehicles were granted PUC certificates despite exceeding permissible limits for carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC). In many cases, multiple vehicles received these certificates within mere seconds of each other, raising serious concerns about the credibility of the certification process.