Govt forms team for surprise inspections

NEW DELHI: Amid deteriorating air quality in national capital, the Delhi government constituted six-member committee for surprise inspections on air pollution. There are alarming indications that the whole of northern India is heading towards a serious situation of ambient air quality, and it would not be incorrect to state that it will be like living in a gas chamber.

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain on Thursday formed a six-member team to carry out surprise inspections in Delhi to check violations which contribute towards air pollution. Hussain said that the inspections will be carried out to check ground level steps being taken by various municipal, local bodies and agencies for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said that air pollution is not a localized problem and no wall can be built to prevent it by any particular state, since we live in a continuous region.

Hussain has also directed that development agencies should ensure all construction sites should adhere to the Construction and Demolition 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 directed.

Hussain has been consistently writing to the Union Environment Minister Dr Harshvardhan on the issue seeking effective steps.