Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Unveils Emergency Plan to Tackle Delhi’s Toxic Air and Revive Yamuna

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at an event said the capital’s pollution crisis is a top priority for the current government and criticised earlier administrations for not acting in time. Gupta stressed that, as CM, she recognises how serious Delhi’s toxic air and water problems are and will address them.

Rekha Gupta accused previous governments of ignoring both air quality and river contamination for years. She said the current administration is treating Delhi pollution as an emergency issue, with long-term plans linked to transport, waste management and cleaning the Yamuna already under way from the first day in office.

Delhi pollution and Yamuna clean-up drive

On Yamuna pollution, the Chief Minister said the government has been working on the river “from day one” and argued that earlier governments neglected it. Gupta pointed out that more than 22 drains directly release dirty water into the Yamuna, while drains from unauthorised colonies also add to Delhi pollution.

Gupta said work is ongoing to tackle these drains and that officials are mapping additional sources of contamination. The Chief Minister added that departments have been instructed to coordinate better so that sewage treatment and drain diversion projects reduce Delhi pollution in the river more effectively.

Delhi pollution, EV policy and clean transport push

Discussing air quality, Rekha Gupta targeted the previous administration for not solving Delhi’s smog and vehicle emissions. She noted that the government has already paid Rs 45 crore towards the cleaner fuel subsidy that the earlier regime announced, saying this support forms one part of the wider Delhi pollution strategy.

The Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said a detailed electric vehicle policy is being prepared to support cleaner mobility and reduce Delhi pollution from traffic. The policy will include subsidies for buyers, plans for large-scale charging infrastructure and strict rules for safe disposal and recycling of used EV batteries across the state.

Rekha Gupta explained that new electric vehicle charging stations are planned at bus depots throughout Delhi. According to the Chief Minister, this network aims to support a larger electric bus fleet and private EV adoption, which the government believes will gradually reduce emissions linked to Delhi pollution on major routes.

Delhi pollution, landfills and waste management efforts

Addressing solid waste, Rekha Gupta said biomining is in progress at landfill sites, with extra machinery deployed to speed up the process and reduce Delhi pollution from garbage heaps. She said two landfill locations are expected to be cleared within this year if current work continues as scheduled.

The Chief Minister also promised that all three of Delhi’s large garbage mountains would be removed during the current tenure. Gupta linked this target to public health and Delhi pollution, stating that long-term relief depends on both cleaning existing sites and improving daily waste collection and processing systems.

The government’s main Delhi pollution measures can be grouped as follows:

Gupta’s comments outline a broad plan that links river cleaning, cleaner fuel payments, electric mobility and landfill clearance under one agenda. The Chief Minister continues to place responsibility on previous governments for delay, while promising visible progress on Delhi pollution during the current term.