Delhi Pollution Lockdown: 50% WFH and Total Fuel Ban for Non-PUC Vehicles
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Also Read |Â UP Weather: Dense fog alert for next two days, cold wave to increase chill
The thing is, breathing today in Delhi feels like swallowing a brick. Actually, it’s December 18 and the new curbs are officially live. Specifically, Labour Minister Kapil Mishra just forced all private and government offices into a hybrid model. X happened.
The AQI stayed in the ‘severe’ zone for three straight days. And then Y followed. A mandatory 50% work-from-home order was slapped onto the city. Basically, if you aren’t a doctor or a firefighter, you’re likely sitting on your couch today (let’s be real, we all saw this coming).
Also Read |Â UP Weather: Dense fog alert for next two days, cold wave to increase chill
And here’s the kicker. If you pull up to a petrol pump without a valid PUC certificate, you’re leaving empty-handed. Furthermore, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that fuel stations are now using automatic number plate recognition cameras. In fact, if the system doesn’t see an updated pollution check in the database, the pump won’t dispense a single drop.
As a result, the lines at the PUC centers are already wrapping around the block (those too). Specifically, a two-wheeler check costs ₹60, but the price of ignoring it is a dry tank.
Actually, the borders are even tighter for commuters from Noida and Gurgaon. Specifically, any private vehicle registered outside Delhi that is below the BS-VI emission standard is now banned. Consequently, if you’re driving an older car from the NCR, the police have orders to turn you back or seize the vehicle entirely.
Also Read |Â UP Weather: Dense fog alert for next two days, cold wave to increase chill
In fact, I saw 580 personnel deployed at 126 checkpoints this morning. Basically, even trucks carrying construction materials are being blocked at the RFID gates. Instead of just issuing fines, the transport department is physically stopping the flow of “polluting” traffic into the city.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court is not happy with how this is being handled. Specifically, the judges blasted the CAQM on Wednesday for failing to stop the toxic haze earlier. As a result, the government is scrambling to show they are actually present on the ground. In fact, Minister Sirsa has identified 13 specific hotspots where monitoring is now happening 24/7. Actually, even at recent sports events, fans were chanting “AQI” because the smog was so thick you could barely see the field (I checked this twice).
The thing is, the fog is sitting so heavy that flights are already being delayed. Basically, the city is holding its breath and waiting for the wind to finally show up….
Also Read |Â UP Weather: Dense fog alert for next two days, cold wave to increase chill
End. . .
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