Delhi clears Rs 8,300-cr air pollution plan

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Friday announced Rs 8,300 crore for a seven-year programme to combat air pollution in the national capital.The World Bank will provide 65 per cent of the funding, while the Delhi Government will bear the remaining 35 per cent.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the "Clean Air, Healthy Delhi" project will be implemented from September 2026 to August 2033 and will aim to strengthen air quality management and reduce emissions from major pollution sources across the city.Gupta said a special workshop will be held on July 10 to finalise preparations for the programme and strengthen coordination among all stakeholders.The workshop will define the roles of various departments and agencies and discuss the roadmap for the effective and timely implementation of the project, she said.According to the chief minister, the project will accelerate the implementation of Delhi's air pollution mitigation plan, support the objectives of the National Clean Air Programme and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.The Environment Department's project will cover key sectors contributing to pollution, including transport, road dust, construction and demolition waste, solid waste management, industries, green spaces and water pollution.Gupta said the initiative is not merely a pollution control programme but a long-term investment aimed at providing Delhi residents with cleaner air, better public health and a more sustainable urban environment.She added the initiative rests on two major pillars, strengthening air quality management and reducing emissions from major pollution sources.Under the first component, the government will establish a dedicated Project Management Unit, develop advanced air quality monitoring systems, build data analytics capabilities and set up an Integrated Command and Control Centre-based monitoring system.The project also envisages closer coordination with states in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, scientific planning, public awareness campaigns and adoption of new technologies.The second component focuses on reducing emissions by phasing out older polluting vehicles, promoting electric vehicles, strengthening public transport and developing an advanced Pollution Under Control monitoring system for vehicle emissions.The chief minister said several departments and agencies, including the Environment Department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Transport Department, Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Traffic Police, will jointly implement the programme.The Department of Economic Affairs and the World Bank will also be key partners in the initiative.Describing clean air as the right of every citizen, Gupta said the project represented the Delhi government's commitment to developing scientific, coordinated and sustainable solutions to improve air quality and public health in the national capital. ...