New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): The Delhi government is working to strengthen pollution control, sustainable mobility, scientific waste management and protection of the city's natural environment as part of its efforts to transform the national capital into a world-class and sustainable city.
According to a press release, a delegation of students from the University of Southampton and its Delhi branch, representing multiple disciplines, interacted with Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and academic staff on Wednesday. Secretary, Environment and Forest, Delhi, VK Bidhuri, was also present.
The students presented a study titled "Promoting Clean Air in Delhi NCR", which examines air pollution in the region and proposes interventions based on international best practices.
The study highlighted that air pollution in Delhi-NCR is an airshed-wide challenge, with pollution sources extending beyond the boundaries of the national capital. It called for coordinated action, stronger monitoring, source-specific interventions and a forecast-led regional approach across Delhi-NCR.
Welcoming the students and appreciating their work, Sirsa said the participation of young people was critical to addressing environmental challenges and building a sustainable future.
"The new generation has new ideas, new energy and the courage to challenge conventional thinking. Delhi's environmental challenges are complex and enormous, but they can be addressed through innovation, technology and collective action. We want to engage with young minds and academic institutions because their ideas can help us find solutions that are both practical and transformative," Sirsa said.
The minister highlighted the scale of Delhi's waste-management challenge, saying the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) generates around 13,000 metric tonnes of waste every day.
He said the city was also processing around 30,000-35,000 metric tonnes of legacy waste, in addition to its daily waste generation.
"Delhi is not dealing only with the waste generated today; we are also taking on the legacy waste accumulated over years. The scale is enormous. But our approach is equally ambitious—we are moving towards scientific waste management, greater resource recovery and a circular economy so that waste is treated not merely as a problem but also as a resource," the minister said.
Sirsa also highlighted the Delhi government's efforts to promote clean and sustainable public transport. He said Delhi has one of the highest numbers of electric buses and that the government is working to increase their number on city roads.
"The transition towards green mobility is an important component of Delhi's broader strategy to create a cleaner and more sustainable urban transport system," he said.
The minister also highlighted initiatives related to the sustainable and circular economy, including e-waste processing and battery-waste recycling, and said the government was working to strengthen systems for recycling, resource recovery and responsible management of emerging waste streams.
On industrial pollution, Sirsa said the Delhi government had taken up effluent treatment in industrial areas with a focus on ensuring high treatment standards. He stressed that untreated industrial effluent must not enter the Yamuna and said strengthening effluent treatment was an important environmental priority.
The Southampton students' study made several recommendations based on global experiences, including emission-based regulation of transport, improved performance standards for brick kilns, creating economic value from crop residue, formalising recycling through existing informal networks, promoting cleaner cooking and establishing a forecast-led airshed management system.
The study called for an integrated and publicly accessible forecast-led airshed system incorporating satellite observations, ground monitoring, meteorological forecasting and source apportionment, with coordinated action across the NCR.
Sirsa said the Delhi government welcomed constructive ideas and research from academic institutions and young people and would continue to encourage such engagements.
"Our objective is clear: we want Delhi to be a world-class Capital where economic development and environmental sustainability move together. We are determined to adopt new technologies and work with experts, institutions and the younger generation to make Delhi cleaner, greener and more sustainable," Sirsa said.
The minister said the government's environmental vision extends beyond addressing individual pollution episodes and focuses on building long-term systems for waste management, clean mobility, resource recovery, industrial pollution control and regional air-quality management.
The interaction provided students and academic staff an opportunity to engage with the Delhi government on the capital's environmental priorities and discuss how research, innovation, global best practices and governance can help address complex urban environmental challenges. (ANI)
Delhi govt welcomes Southampton students' recommendations on tackling air pollution in NCR
