Baijal calls for health advisory based on Delhi’s pollution level
NEW DELHI: The Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Delhi Anil Baijal directed the state health department on Friday to issue a health advisory based on the city’s pollution levels.
Even though Delhi’s air quality has been better this time as compared to last year, the pollution levels have refused to come down since Diwali.
The AQI has been hovering above 300 or very poor category for the past few days.
“The Lieutenant Governor directed all concerned agencies to strictly implement the measures laid out in the Graded Response Action Plan. The health Department has been directed to issue a health advisory as per ambient air quality status of the city,” stated a release issued by the Raj Niwas.
Baijal on Friday chaired a meeting with top officials from various departments of the state government including transport, environment and education among others. Sunita Narain, one of the members of the Supreme Court empowered panel Environment Pollution and Control Authority, was also present during Friday’s meeting.
Even though the state government has recently written to the Union ministry to deploy helicopters to sprinkle water across the city, Baijal emphasized on mechanical sweeping of roads to control dust along with water sprinkling.
The Lieutenant Governor also said that all construction agencies be penalised in case of any violation of dust control norms is found.
Baijal was informed that the government is carrying out special drives to monitor dust at construction sites and take actions against violators.
Area sub-divisional magistrates , tehsildars, assistant engineers of PWD and Delhi Pollution Control Committee are regularly inspecting projects for checking the compliance of dust control and are levying penalties for violations of dust control measures.
The L-G also directed municipal corporations to team up with the transport department officials to check overloaded vehicles and take necessary penal action.
He directed the government agencies to expedite greening work particularly on major stretches.