Diesel gensets ban only on very poor air days in NCR
GURUGRAM: An official order issued on Wednesday by the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) and the district administration said that diesel generators will be allowed during ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’ air quality conditions in towns across the National Capital Region (NCR), including Gurugram and Faridabad.
The order said diesel generators can be used even after October 15, when the Graded Response Action Plan comes into force.
The EPCA had earlier maintained that a “blanket ban” on diesel generators would be imposed in NCR towns. Speaking to HT, on October 8, EPCA chairman Bhure Lal had said, “Regardless of prevailing air conditions, the ban on diesel gensets will be imposed as a preventive measure.”
However, the latest developments indicate that generators will be banned only when air quality turns ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’.
“There will be a blanket ban on running diesel gensets under ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ air quality conditions, which will be imposed from October 15,” said EPCA member Sunita Narain. The EPCA is, however, yet to send a list of exclusion services for which generator use will be permitted. Hospitals and elevators in apartment buildings are expected to be excluded.
Bhure Lal was not available for a comment .
Deputy commissioner Amit Khatri, on Wednesday, issued “urgent” directives to 19 stakeholder officials and departments—municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), forest department, road transport authority (RTA) and Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), among others—to keep a check on the worsening quality of air in Gurugram. These agencies have been given specific instructions to mitigate air pollution as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
EPCA ASKS DELHI GOVT TO STEP UP VIGIL
The EPCA on Wednesday directed the Delhi government to get ready to monitor the city’s pollution hotspots and take other measures — including a possible hike in vehicle parking charges — to check air quality from worsening in the city.
EPCA chairman Bhurelal in a letter to the Delhi Chief Secretary said: “EPCA is directing measures under ‘very poor/severe’ category of GRAP from Oct 15.”
Those in neighbouring states include Gurgaon, Faridabad, Bahadurgarh (Haryana), Sahibabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Bhiwari (Rajasthan).
The EPCA chairman said the monitoring plans with details of area specific tasks, nodal officers and patrolling periodicity will be submitted to EPCA and CPCB by October 15.
Monitoring will be done to ensure no waste and garbage is burnt and full compliance of other measures.
Further, he said that the charges for parking as per the new parking policy notified by Delhi government should be decided at the earliest so that these can be implemented by October 15.