New Delhi Restricts Residents and Vehicles to Reduce Pollution

Illustration of fog covering New Delhi in the morning. (Wikimedia Commons/Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change)

JAKARTA - The capital city of India, New Delhi, imposed strict measures on Wednesday to reduce pollution, including a ban on vehicles that do not meet the latest emission control standards and arrangements for attendance at private and government offices.

Air quality indexes in the Delhi region, home to 30 million people, have been in the "severe" category for the past few days, often exceeding 450.

In addition, a thin fog in some parts of the city worsened visibility which affected flights and trains.

This prompted the Air Quality Management Commission to impose the fourth, highest level, of a graded response action plan for Delhi and its surroundings on Saturday.

The restrictions ban old diesel trucks from entering the city, suspend construction, including public projects, and impose a hybrid school system.

Kapil Mishra, a minister in the regional government, announced on Wednesday that all private and government offices in the city would operate with a 50 percent attendance, with the rest working from home, except for some exceptions.

In addition, all registered construction workers, many of whom earn daily wages, will be given compensation of 10,000 rupees due to the ban, Mishra said at a press conference in Delhi, Al Arabiya reported from (17/12).

Meanwhile, India's Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has directed authorities to ensure that construction and demolition activities in Delhi and its surrounding areas are only allowed if adequate waste treatment infrastructure is available.

To better regulate traffic, the minister directed the removal of illegal buildings and the creation of corridors for smooth traffic during rush hours.

Previously, the government on Tuesday imposed strict anti-pollution measures for vehicles in the city, banning vehicles that do not meet the latest emission control standards.

"Our government is committed to providing clean air in Delhi. We will take firm steps to ensure this in the coming days," said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday night.

Pollution is an annual problem in the winter in Delhi and its surrounding areas, when cold, dense air traps emissions from vehicles, construction sites and crop burning in neighboring states, pushing pollution levels to some of the highest in the world and exposing residents to serious respiratory risks.

The area is covered with a thick layer of fog with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching above 450. Meanwhile, a good AQI is below 50.