1.8 lakh Unfit Vehicles Were Issued Pollution Under Control Certificate: Enviro. Minister

The report compiled by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on the performance audit of Prevention and Mitigation of Vehicular Air Pollution was tabled in the Delhi assembly on Tuesday. 

While presenting the report, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa attacked faulty implementation of pollution norms, saying in the house that “The CAG report has revealed that the previous government compromised public health by failing to enforce pollution control measures effectively. Over 1.8 lakh unfit vehicles that exceeded permissible emission limits were still issued the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. This blatant disregard for environmental regulations contributed significantly to rising air pollution levels in Delhi.

According to Sirsa, the previous government allegedly spread false rumours about curbing pollution without doing anything substantial. Minister Sirsa also said that ₹53 crore was spent on the publicity of the odd-even scheme, which failed to achieve any substantial impact on reducing vehicle pollution in Delhi

“Despite repeated announcements of ambitious projects, such as monorail, light, rail, transit, and electricity trolley buses, no tangible progress was made,” adds Sirsa.