India News

Delhi air pollution: pollution watchdog EPCA for restricting use of private vehicles

Published

8 years ago

November 15, 2018

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Restrictions on use of private vehicles – ban plying of non-CNG vehicles or implementing odd-even scheme covering all – are the only options available for bringing air pollution levels down in Delhi-NCR, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has said.

EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal wrote to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) member secretary on Wednesday asking it to consider steps regarding private vehicles, in the inevitable scenario that weather conditions deteriorate and air pollution spikes.

Lal asked the CPCB member secretary Prashant Gargav to discuss the options with the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) task force and revert to the Supreme Court-mandated body.

Lal had written to the Delhi government as well as the pollution control body on Monday, saying that if pollution continues to rise there was “no other option but to direct a complete stop on the use of private and commercial vehicles other than those plying on CNG”.

In Wednesday’s letter, Lal said that vehicles contribute 40 per cent of the total emission load in Delhi and around 30 per cent of emissions in the NCR. “Even after removing trucks and other diesel commercial vehicles, which are the highest segment of this pollution load, the remaining vehicles add up to substantial load, particularly private diesel vehicles which contribute substantially to both NOx and PM emissions,” stated the letter.

He added that “other cities like Paris or Beijing include restriction on private vehicles, which is done either by number plate or by fuel type/age”.

Lal further said that while the Supreme Court had identified vehicles by fuel type and age and directed for a vehicle scheme, which is yet to take off, the only option left was to “look at either a complete ban on all private vehicles (without the identification of petrol or diesel), other than CNG and/or restriction on plying by number plate (odd-even).”

However, he conceded that restriction on private vehicles without adequate public transport “creates huge inconvenience to people.”

“It is for this reason that EPCA, for the past many years, has stressed on the need for augmentation of public transport, not just in Delhi but in the NCR. The Comprehensive Action Plan, (CAP) which is now notified but still nowhere close to implementation, includes time-bound action on public transport,” Lal said in the letter.

Intermittent and scattered rainfall has improved Delhi’s air from ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’ category. But Lal warned that “rain can also lead to increase in air pollution, as the moisture traps pollutants”.

According to the Met Department, with the wind direction changing and increasing in speed, and crop burning likely to stop soon, the worst of the November’s air pollution could be behind.

But Lal wrote that this didn’t mean that this was permanent. “Since Delhi is greatly responsible for its poor air quality this does not mean that air quality could not once again decline in the coming months. It is now clear that the region’s own sources of pollution are greatly responsible for the poor air quality we have seen in the past 15 days,” he wrote.

Crop burning can ‘exacerbate’ the situation, but it is also clear that “even if we eliminate crop burning in the coming months, weather conditions will only get more adverse.” With increasing cold, air pollutants will get trapped and Lal said that the need of the hour was to be better prepared.

Explaining its decision to overturn measures such as ban on construction activities, Lal wrote that he was acutely aware of the economic woes of daily labourers, who went without jobs because of the closure of construction and other industrial activities in the capital.

“It is, therefore, clear that-we cannot impose these emergency measures as a proxy for our inaction on long term emission reduction.”

Regarding the entry and exit of trucks in Delhi, he wrote, “It is also clear that the ban on truck entry into Delhi led to improvement in air quality, but again, it cannot be sustained over the 3-4 nights that we imposed it this time. The number of Delhi-bound trucks at the border increased enormously and the situation could have gotten out of hand. Furthermore, halted trucks add to congestion and inconvenience of people who live in nearby cities.”

“The question then is, if actions on these crucial measures like public transport are inadequate, should we also not include emergency measures to restrict private vehicles on the days when pollution episodes peak and in particular when there is a prolonged period of high air pollution?” he said.

Delhi government officials, according a report in The Indian Express (IE), said the EPCA’s recommendations are “unimplementable”. “Delhi simply does not have the capacity to enforce a ban on all non-CNG vehicles or include all vehicles in odd-even. That is why the government went to the Supreme Court against the order passed by NGT. In any case, pollution levels in Delhi are improving and the crop burning season in Punjab and Haryana is also coming to an end. We are hopeful that a situation where such drastic measures need to be imposed are not going to repeat in this season,” a senior government official told IE.

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Related Topics:Air Pollution Delhi Ncr ODD Even

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Air India sacks Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after failing drug test

Air India has terminated the Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after a confirmatory test found a psychoactive substance following the August 4 incident.

Published

13 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Air India has terminated the employment of the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The pilot was in command of flight AI2379, which was travelling from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude over Odisha. The incident left 24 passengers injured.

Air India said the termination was in line with its zero-tolerance policy regarding safety violations and regulatory requirements.

Air India terminates pilot with immediate effect

In a statement, the Tata-owned airline said the pilot-in-command had tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The airline said that, considering its zero-tolerance approach to violations related to safety, fitness and regulatory requirements, the pilot’s employment had been terminated with immediate effect.

Air India also said it continues to cooperate fully with the investigation into the incident and has provided access to relevant operational, maintenance and technical records.

What happened on the Phuket-Delhi flight?

According to the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Airbus A320 was carrying 145 people when it experienced the near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at around 36,000 feet.

The technical failure resulted in the autopilot disconnecting and triggered a brief stall warning. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude, resulting in injuries to 24 passengers.

The preliminary report also noted that the pilot tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test.

However, the report did not establish that the pilot’s drug-test result caused or contributed to the hydraulic system failure or the subsequent loss of altitude.

AAIB recommends action over psychoactive substance finding

The AAIB described the confirmation of psychoactive substance use as a serious concern and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action against the pilot on priority.

The investigation into the technical and other aspects of the incident is still underway.

The preliminary report also noted that the co-pilot was flying the aircraft when the incident occurred and attempted to bring the situation under control.

Air India said safety remains its highest priority and that its pilots undergo training, proficiency checks, medical examinations and other regulatory assessments in accordance with applicable requirements.

India News

India offers forensic DNA support to identify Nepal flood victims

India will make forensic laboratory facilities available for DNA profiling of first-degree relatives of people missing after Nepal’s August 26 flash floods.

Published

18 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

India has offered forensic laboratory support to help identify people who remain missing after the devastating flash floods in Nepal.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said central and state forensic laboratories in India will make their DNA profiling facilities available for first-degree biological relatives of people missing after the August 26 flash floods in Nepal.

DNA samples can be provided by relatives in India

According to the MEA, first-degree biological relatives living in India can have their biological samples collected and DNA profiles prepared.

The relatives can include a person’s father, mother, son, daughter or sibling. DNA profiling can be carried out at Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs), State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs), laboratories of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), and NABL-accredited laboratories with DNA profiling capabilities.

The initiative is intended to support Nepal’s ongoing process of identifying mortal remains recovered after the flash floods.

DNA profiles to be compared with unidentified remains

The MEA said the DNA profiling may use Autosomal STR DNA profiling, as advised by Nepal Police, subject to the technical requirements communicated by the Nepali authorities.

Once prepared, DNA profiles and the preliminary information required by Nepalese authorities can be sent to Nepal Police by email for comparison with DNA profiles obtained from unidentified mortal remains.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu will also facilitate coordination, with copies of the DNA profiles to be shared with the embassy for this purpose.

Nepal flood death toll rises

The death toll from the flash floods has risen to at least 1,259, according to Nepalese authorities, after rescue workers recovered additional bodies from affected areas.

More than 12,000 people have been rescued, while around 5,000 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.

The flash floods, which followed an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, caused extensive destruction across towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.

India News

PM Modi hails ISRO after successful GSLV-F17 launch, calls it proud moment

PM Modi congratulated ISRO after GSLV-F17 successfully launched EOS-05, calling the achievement a proud moment for India.

Published

23 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, describing the achievement as a proud moment for the nation.

The GSLV-F17 lifted off at 2:55 a.m. IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The EOS-05 satellite was subsequently placed into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.

PM Modi praises ISRO’s growing capabilities

In a post on X, PM Modi said the successful mission reflected the excellence, innovation and expanding capabilities of India’s space sector.

Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation.

The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define… https://t.co/fXzwnSmwAF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2026

He also highlighted the growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry, saying it was strengthening India’s space programme and expanding capabilities across the wider space ecosystem.

The prime minister described the successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05 as another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a matter of national pride.

EOS-05 strengthens earth observation capabilities

According to the report, EOS-05 is India’s first-ever imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit. The satellite is designed to provide continuous observation of the country from an altitude of nearly 36,000 km above Earth.

The mission is expected to strengthen India’s earth observation capabilities and support advanced imaging and observation applications.

ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the mission, saying the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit.

Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as a significant milestone for the GSLV programme. He said it was the 19th flight of the GSLV and noted that EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite the launch vehicle has placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit or sub-GTO orbit.

GSLV-F17 launch vehicle details

The GSLV-F17 stands 51.7 metres tall and has an approximate liftoff mass of 420.5 tonnes.

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated the ISRO team following the successful mission. He described EOS-05 as a state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite capable of advanced imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands.