CAG Report Uncovers Flaws in Delhi’s Air Pollution Management
Issues with Air Quality Monitoring Stations and Vehicle Pollution Certification
A recent CAG report, presented to the Delhi assembly, revealed various shortcomings in the city’s air pollution management. These issues included the placement of air quality monitoring stations, problems with vehicle pollution certification, and an insufficient number of public transport buses.
Placement of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS)
- 13 out of 24 CAAQMS were surrounded by trees
- CAAQMS at Civil Lines, Wazirpur, and Okhla were close to high-rise buildings and construction sites
- CAAQMS at Anand Vihar and Wazirpur were situated next to heavily trafficked roads
The report indicated that these locations did not adhere to Central Pollution Control Board norms, potentially impacting the accuracy of the generated data.
Vehicle Pollution Certification
The report found that pollution under control certificates (PUCC) were issued without proper testing. Over 1.8 lakh vehicles were approved despite emitting CO and HC beyond acceptable emission limits.
Public Transport and End-of-Life Vehicles
The CAG report also noted that only 6,750 buses were operational in Delhi, compared to the reassessed requirement of 9,000. Furthermore, only 2.9 lakh out of 47.5 lakh end-of-life (EOL) vehicles were deregistered from 2018-19 to 2020-21, and none of the 347 impounded EOL vehicles were scrapped by March 2021.
Graded Response Action Plan and Parking Facilities
The report criticized the inconsistent implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan and the lack of measures to enforce the Delhi Management and Parking Places Rules, 2019. These rules aim to prevent vehicle stagnation and traffic congestion caused by improperly parked vehicles.
Funds Collection and Utilization
The transport department collected Rs 673.6 crore between 2014-15 and 2020-21, retaining Rs 33.7 crore and transferring Rs 639.9 crore to the then existing three municipal corporations. However, the department had no information on the utilization of funds collected for creating parking facilities in the city.
