New Delhi, Mar 1: Delhi Forest and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday announced a ban from April 1 on sale of fuel to vehicles older than 15 years and constituted a team to identify and restrict movement of overage, polluting vehicles in the city.

Addressing media persons after a meeting, Sirsa said, “Special gadgets are being installed at petrol pumps to identify vehicles older than 15 years so that they are not sold fuel.”

He said the gadgets have been installed in almost 80 per cent of petrol pumps in Delhi and all pumps will be covered by March 31.

“From April 1, the ban on sale of fuel to 15-year-old vehicles will be enforced strictly,” he said, adding that the Delhi government, through the petroleum ministry, is sending an advisory to all petrol pump owners about the ban.

The Minister said the government has also formed a special team to identify vehicles that are older than 15 years and coordinate measures to prevent their entry into the city.

He said the special focus will be on diesel vehicles entering Delhi from other states.

Other decisions taken at the meeting include a mandatory provision for owners of high-rise buildings and hotels to install anti-smog guns.

Officials said the issue of cloud seeding was also discussed and it may be one of the options before the administration when the need arises during smog-heavy months.

The slew of measures on preparing for bad air days around autumn are part of the BJP-led Delhi government’s promise of fighting toxic air in the city.

Over the years, Delhi's severe air pollution crisis has become a flashpoint for political rivalry, with competing parties blaming each other instead of collaborating on solutions.

In the run-up to the just-concluded Assembly elections, the BJP accused the previous AAP of failure to tackle the problem, particularly over stubble burning in Punjab, a state governed by the AAP, and dust from poorly-maintained city roads.

(IANS)

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