Delhi commissions new pollution study, ramps up enforcement.

• Delhi government commissioned a new expert study with IIT Delhi and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, to identify key air pollution sources and update hotspot identification.
• The new study aims to determine the origins, magnitude, and local characteristics of pollution, as current data is seven years old and the last accepted study was in 2018.
• New enforcement measures include identifying 62 high-traffic pollution hubs, hiring 100 surveyors for road audits, and surveying industrial areas for polluting units.
• Enforcement actions have led to fines for construction violations, doubled vehicle emission challans, and penalties for dust mitigation failures and open burning.
• Additional initiatives include distributing heaters to prevent bonfires, issuing orders against biomass burning, and funding more litter pickers and mechanical road sweepers.

Why It Matters: Delhi's new pollution study is crucial for residents' health and clean air.