She also marked 100 ‘Vayu Rakshak’ vehicles for stricter monitoring and enforcement of pollution control norms.
Addressing an event at the Delhi Secretariat, Gupta said the government is working towards comprehensive city-wide monitoring and long-term policy actions to address the pollution problem at its source.
“Our aim is to ensure that Delhi has at least one air quality monitoring station for every 25 sq km area so that we get complete and accurate data on pollution levels and its sources,” she said.
The six new monitoring stations set up by the Council for Air Quality Management (CAQM) are located at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology West Campus (Dwarka), CWD Akshardham, Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantt and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Swimming Pool Complex at Tartola Gardens.
Gupta said that Delhi currently has 46 air quality monitoring stations, and 14 more monitoring stations will be added in the next phase to ensure full coverage of residential areas, industrial areas, transportation corridors and green belts.
“Pollution is not a seasonal issue and requires 365-day attention, continuous monitoring, and continuous action,” she said, adding that air safety personnel will be deployed for year-round supervision and enforcement.
The chief minister claimed that the government is working to strengthen pollution control in various sectors, including transport, roads, waste management and greening. “Clean air is a right and we are committed to achieving it with care and long-term planning,” she said.
Highlighting the work carried out, she said the city has the highest number of electric buses in the country, with 4,200 vehicles currently in operation. “By 2028, this number will increase to 14,000 vehicles, which will significantly reduce vehicle emissions,” she said.
Gupta stressed that pollution checking infrastructure is being upgraded, autonomous vehicle testing stations are being built and a new electric vehicle policy for private cars is being formulated.
She termed the declaration of a large part of the Delhi Ridge as forest land a historic step. She said protecting green spaces is crucial to improving Delhi’s environmental health and ensuring long-term sustainability.
Gupta criticized previous approaches, saying earlier governments viewed pollution as a short-term problem. Referring to measures such as smoke towers and odd-even schemes, she said these were “superficial solutions” that failed to fundamentally address the pollution problem.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also addressed the event, outlining further steps taken by the government to strengthen pollution control and enforcement.
“To ensure strict monitoring, 100 ‘Vayu Rakshak’ vehicles will be deployed across Delhi to check industrial, vehicular, hotel and institutional pollution,” Sirsa said, adding that 100 resident surveyors will also be appointed to conduct physical inspections throughout the year.
He said the government has strengthened coordination among Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), CAQM and the Center to enable systematic monitoring and data-based policy planning.
Sirsa claimed that Delhi has also made progress in waste management, with around 85 per cent (approximately 12,500 metric tonnes) of the waste generated daily in the city currently being processed for energy production.
Talking about the garbage left behind, he said the current government inherited three garbage dumps covering an area of 202 acres and about 60 meters high.
“In just one year, about 45 acres of garbage have been cleared and the height of the remaining dumps is being reduced,” he said.
He also claimed that successive governments have failed to address the core causes of pollution, instead resorting to blame.
“Everyone knows the causes are road dust, vehicle emissions and mountains of garbage, but no serious work is being done,” said Sirsa.
