NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary Committee has flagged that the distribution of air quality monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR is heavily skewed and must be corrected urgently to address disparities in pollution assessment.
According to its report, most monitoring stations are concentrated in the central and southern parts of Delhi—areas that are relatively less populated, greener, and more affluent—resulting in a distorted and non-representative dataset that excludes more polluted and densely populated localities. The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forests, and Climate Change presented its 401st report titled “Air Pollution in Delhi NCR and Steps Taken by Various Agencies for Its Mitigation.”
The panel highlighted that the six proposed new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Systems (CAAQMS) for Delhi are again planned in greener areas such as the JNU campus, while the trans-Yamuna region has been “once again left out.” It urged the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to reconsider these proposed sites and called for an even redistribution of monitoring stations across Delhi and the wider NCR. The 31-member committee, chaired by Bhubaneswar Kalita, also asked the Centre to update India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards “at the earliest,” noting that they were last revised in 2009.
Raising concerns over high GST on air purifiers and HEPA filters, the committee pointed out the contradiction in imposing a prohibitive tax on devices used for personal protection when pollution control efforts remain inadequate. It emphasized that delivery riders, traffic police personnel, bike taxi riders, and similar groups are “more vulnerable to the hazards of air pollution” and called for targeted measures to protect them, including dedicated OPD counters for respiratory ailments in major public hospitals to ensure “timely and hassle-free medical attention.”
The report noted that children and the elderly face worsening conditions during peak winter pollution, adding that they “cannot afford to wait for government policies to yield results.” It also flagged that several thermal power plants around NCR remain non-compliant with sulphur dioxide norms and lack flue gas desulfurization (FGD) units despite their significant contribution to pollution. Repeated extensions “may not be granted,” the committee said, recommending that the Power Ministry and MoEFCC ensure compliance with the July 11, 2025, notification and conduct monthly reviews alongside the CAQM.
The committee further recommended a dedicated fleet of fully air-conditioned electric buses to ferry employees from residential complexes to offices, suggesting that a suitable monthly fee could be charged to recover costs. It said such a system would improve attendance and significantly reduce private vehicle use and the pollution associated with it.