Environment Minister reviews anti-air pollution measures

DELHI:EROS TIMES:  The Minister for Environment and Forests, Imran Hussain chaired a meeting to review the steps being taken for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi and NCR.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary (Environment & Forests), Member Secretary (DPCC), Director (Environment), PCCF and APCCF.

However, Commissioners of North MCD, South MCD, East MCD and VC (DDA) etc., were not present in the meeting. Representatives of DPCC, North MCD, East MCD, PWD, DCB, DDA, Revenue Department, Transport Department and Traffic Police attended the meeting.

The Minister directed to take measures for prevention and control of road dust/re-suspension of dust and other fugitive emissions. He also directed to take measures for prevention and control of air pollution from construction and demolition activities as well as air pollution from vehicles.

He directed that Development Agencies should ensure that all construction sites should adhere to C& D Waste Rules 2016 to avoid any dust emission from construction activities.
No Construction Material should be kept open and regular sprinkling of water at all construction sites must be done. All high rise building should have the arrangement of water sprinkling for dust suppression.
Strict Action against the violators of norms should immediately be initiated by the respective authority.

He also directed the Transport Authorities/Traffic Police to deploy more staff so that strict action should be taken on the overloaded vehicles and vehicles carrying uncovered construction material.
The Minister stressed upon the need to stop the entry of non destined vehicles in Delhi as Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways have become operational.

He also stressed upon intensifying the actions by all the concerned departments/agencies keeping in view the onset of winter.
Municipal Corporations were also directed to explore feasibility of water sprinkling in inner lanes of the colony before sweeping as lot of dust is emanated from manual sweeping of roads.
PWD has been directed to increase the deployment of more Mechanical Sweeping Machines on more than 60 feet roads and with the arrangement of Water sprinkling on roads.

The Minister also reviewed the Action being taken by various Departments/Agencies on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as notified upon the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India to combat air pollution in Delhi and NCR.
He also reviewed the steps being taken by Departments & Agencies for prevention and control of biomass burning including crop residue, garbage burning, Road , Re-suspension dust vehicular Pollution etc.

Secretary (Environment) apprised the Minister about the progress made on Green Budget Scheme of Delhi government, viz, Conversion of Industrial fuel to PNG, Conversion of coal based Tandoors to Gas based, Conversion of boilers in Hotels &Restaurants to clean fuel, Greening of city by Mass Plantation.

He also mentioned that DPCC had deployed 83 Home Guard volunteers as Environmental Marshals in wards of three Municipal Corporations.
These Air Marshall’s have observed 9845 number of violation cases in Delhi. DPCC has taken action against 2656 number of polluting units since 1.1.2018.Action has also been taken by SDMC, EDMC, NDMC against 10196 numbers of units operating illegally in non-conforming areas in Delhi.

The Minister of Environment after reviewing the progress directed all the stakeholder departmental officers to intensify their actions as per the various categories of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and ensure all preparedness to deal with winter season episodic air pollution in Delhi.