It’s winter season in India, and like every year in the recent past, the capital of the country, Delhi is covered with a thick layer of smog. The main reason of smog is due to burning stubble after harvesting, smoke from brick kilns and fossil fuel powered automobiles. The air quality index of the Delhi NCR region has been rated as toxic and hazardous.
Previously, the Delhi government had implemented the odd-even rule to reduce the vehicular pollution but it did not achieve drastic changes. And this year the chairman of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) has stated that if the layer of smog thickens, then people will have to stop the usage of private transport.
Apart from the above, the Supreme Court has directed the transport department of Delhi NCR to stop plying of petrol and diesel vehicles which are older than 15 years and 10 years respectively. Delhi has around 40 lakh vehicles which fall under this category. So, in order to curb the deterioration of the air index, the government has to take some major steps.