Delhi pollution: Shocking report shows police inaction after BS-VI entry rule, despite 'Severe' air quality

As Delhi's new anti-pollution rules under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV came into effect from Thursday onwards, a new report observed that most of these rules were not being enforced on the ground.

One of the major new rules is a ban on the entry of vehicles that do not comply with BS-VI emission standards. Another important rule implemented by environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday was that fuel would be denied to vehicle owners without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate.

However, despite Delhi suffering from an Air Quality Index (AQI) level of 438, which falls in the 'Severe' category, a Navbharat Times report claimed that vehicle checking across the national capital was very inefficient on Thursday.

The shocking report claimed that at many areas bordering other states—especially at the Ghazipur border with Uttar Pradesh—a number of vehicles (even BS-III and BS-IV vehicles) were seen entering freely.

A toll worker at one of the border areas even said that checking vehicles for emission standards was "the police's job, not ours", and that they had received no instructions to conduct any such checks.

At the Loni border between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, neither transport nor traffic department officials could be seen, the report claimed.

However, just a few paces ahead at the UP Roadways bus stand, UP traffic police personnel were seen. When asked about their efforts, they said that they had stopped about 5-6 vehicles since morning, and their method was allegedly sending back vehicles that looked very old.

Sirsa had also promised heavy penalties for trucks carrying construction material.

Other reports say the air quality in Delhi is expected to continue fluctuating between the 'Very Poor' and 'Severe' categories till Sunday.