Despite various initiatives and measures taken over the past few years, like introduction of CNG and EURO II norms etc., the air quality in the city, in terms of pollution levels, has continued to be a matter of concern, and has been responsible for a number of respiratory diseases, heart ailments, eye irritation, asthma, etc. The three main sources of air pollution in Delhi are vehicular emission (around 70 percent) industrial emissions (around 20 percent) with a major element of this coming from the three thermal power plants, and from other sources such as diesel generator sets and domestic cooking, burning of biomass, etc.

Apart from the issue of pollution on account of industries, the major area of planning and intervention would relate to transportation planning. With the phenomenal growth in the number of vehicles, almost 8-10 times in the last two decades in absolute terms, the most significant aspect in the context of congestion and pollution, relates to the growth in personalised transport as compared to the availability of public transport. It has been estimated that buses, which constitute barely 1.2 percent of the total number of vehicles,  cater to around 60 percent of the total transport load, while personal vehicles -cars and  scooters, though almost 93 percent of the total number of vehicles, cater to around only 30 percent of the travel demand. Such a huge share of private vehicles in Delhi, while serving a relatively limited purpose in terms of the transportation modal split, obviously creates tremendous pressure on road space, parking, and pollution directly and through congestion.

Public transportation planning must, therefore, drive the future policy. So far public transport is largely seen as the transport mode for the not so well off and poorer sections of the community, who cannot afford to own / use personal transport. An important element of policy would now also have to aim to make public transport a mode for personal vehicle owners and users through a mix of incentives and disincentives. Apart from aspects like frequency, inter-modal integration, a possible single ticketing system, use of parking policy as a means to influence vehicle use, etc., the quality of public transport, particularly buses, would need to be significantly upgraded, inter-alia, keeping the element of clean transport in view.

Another issue which has been raised in the context of vehicular congestion and  pollution relates to the policy of mixed land use, which will also have to be carefully  considered.

The other elements which would need carefully thought out policy measures would  relate to the operation of existing Power plants to significantly reduce the pollution  arising from them, and industries, both in terms of pollution control in designated  industrial areas, and relocation of non-conforming industries.

As per the Government of India Notification, it is mandatory for all construction  agencies to use Fly Ash bricks or tiles or clay fly ash bricks along with pond ash in  the construction of roads / flyovers embankments and reclamation of low-lying areas.  To control the ambient air quality of Delhi, it may be made mandatory that all  commercial vehicles (like trucks and tempos) are converted into CNG. All Thermal  Power plants located in the NCT of Delhi should be gradually converted to gas based  plants.

Noise is emerging as a major pollutant and irritant as well as a constant source of disturbance and health hazards. Against a permissible level of 50-60 dB (A), the sound level in Indian cities often exceeds 80 dB (A). Faulty and leaking silencers, over-use of horns and vehicles plying on roads accentuate noise level, besides the noise from commercial and industrial activities, unabated use of sound amplifiers, generator sets and fire- crackers etc.

The Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules 2000 specify the noise levels in the industrial area, commercial area, residential area and silence zone. It also specifies banning of all noise creating activities between 10 PM to 6 AM, which may be adhered to by the concerned agencies.

By proper land use planning, such as location of public, semi-public and commercial activities along major transport arteries, a buffer can be created for residential zones. Green buffer through thin leaved trees, land formations, mounds, embankments, etc. along major roads could also provide effective barriers to transmission of noise. It is also necessary to improve monitoring and effective implementation of the Noise Pollution (Level) Rules 2000 and, to notify certain areas as 'No Horn Zones'. The design and surface material of roads and pavements should also ensure reduction of noise. The concerned authorities should prepare area wise traffic calming schemes and a Noise Monitoring and Control Plan (NMCP).

Working in night shifts for household industries or non-conforming industries in the residential areas should be prohibited. Areas located within the air funnel should be planned with due consideration of noise generated from the aeroplanes.

Environmentally stressed zones in Delhi should be identified and local area environment management plans should be prepared for such areas, together with regular monitoring.

Once the lifeline, which spawned the many civilisations and Cities that grew in the area of the present NCT of Delhi, the River Yamuna today suffers from inadequate flow and quantum of water and an extremely high degree of pollution. The length of the river in the NCT of Delhi is 48 kms from Palla in the North to Okhla in the South, with a total river bed / flood plane area of around 97 sq.kms. which is about 7 percent of the total area of Delhi. A little over 50 percent of the river lies North of Wazirabad and the rest, around 22 kms., to its South, in the Urban area of Delhi. Apart from being the main sources of water supply for Delhi, it is one of the major sources of ground water recharge. However, over the years, rapid urbanisation, encroachments on the river banks, over exploitation of natural resources / water, and serious deficiencies and backlog in sanitation and waste water management services, have resulted in the dwindling of water flow in the river and extremely high levels of pollution in the form of BOD and Coliforms, etc. As against the stipulated 3mg/l, the designated water quality for bathing purposes, the water quality data for 2003-04 suggests that the BOD values range from 1-3 mg/l at Palla, 5.56 mg/l at Nizamuddin and nearly 7 mg/l at Okhla. Similarly, at all locations, except Palla, the total coliform levels are many times higher than the minimum tolerable standards for drinking and bathing purposes.

The major source of pollution in the river to the extent of about 80%, is the discharge of treated and untreated waste water through the 22 major drains, which flow into the river(Annexure-I). The CPCB data shows that six of these drains viz. the Najafgarh and the Supplementary Drain, the Shahdara Drain, the Drain near Sarita Vihar, the Maharani Bagh Drain, the Barapulla drain and the Sen Nursing Home Drain contribute almost 90 percent of the flow and 80 percent BOD load levels respectively.

The concerned agencies must ensure that through public awareness campaigns, people are discouraged from throwing garbage into the river or the drains and measures are taken to prevent throwing of garbage by the habitations along side. Regular de-silting of the drains should also be undertaken.

1. Measures for rejuvenation of River Yamuna

a)    The issue of pollution in the river Yamuna has engaged the attention of the Supreme Court for the last several years, and it constituted a Committee with Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development as a Member, to draw up an Action plan for the cleaning / rejuvenation of the Yamuna River. A summary of the recommendations of the Committee is given in Annexure II.

b)    Apart from the above measures, steps would also need to be taken to augment ground recharge from the river and decentralised wastewater treatment system. The creation of 'regulated flood plane reservoirs', for storing the excess monsoon overflow at suitable locations would augment the water retention capacity of the riverbed. The upstream of Wazirabad Barrage and some other areas offer such a potential. To facilitate ground water recharge it may also be ensured that minimum required flow in the river during lean season exists. The reservoirs may be created in low-lying areas.

c)    At another level, a strategy for the conservation / development of the Yamuna River Bed area needs to be developed and implemented in a systematic manner. This issue is sensitive both in terms of the environment and public perceptions. Any such strategy will need to take into account the cycle of flood occurrences and flood zones, the ground water recharge potentials and requirements, potential for reclamation derived from the foregoing considerations, designation and delineation of appropriate land uses and aesthetics of the River Front which should be more fully integrated with the city and made more accessible-physically, functionally and visually.

d)    Environmental study of the existing major drains should be conducted before their covering.

The Aravalli Range in the NCT of Delhi comprises of the rocky outcrop stretching from the University in the North to the NCT Border in the South and beyond, and sizeable areas of the same have been designated as the Ridge. This is not a continuum as various intervening stretches have, over a period of time, been brought under urbanisation - for example the Central Ridge area was planned as an integral part of New Delhi, at the time of the development of New Delhi as the Capital in the early part of the twentieth century. The Master Plan of Delhi - 2001 identified the Regional Park into four parts as below:

Subject to verification, the area of Regional Park is 7777 hectares. Part of this has been notified as Reserve Forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 vide Notification dated 24.5.94 and 02.04.96. There are discrepancies between the area notified and the physical boundaries of the total area owned by various agencies - DDA, CPWD, NDMC, MCD, Forest Department and the Ministry of Defence. Till the exact boundaries are identified by the Forest Department, the boundary indicated in the Master Plan for Delhi (land use plan) as Regional Park shall continue.