44 joint teams of Centre, Delhi govt to check air pollution
NEW DELHI: Delhi government on Tuesday announced that 44 joint teams comprising of Centre and state authorities to check air pollution from Thursday. Strict punitive action against the violators of dust control measures and those found indulging in burning waste material, plastic, garbage etc in open will be taken. The joint campaign for clean air has been initially scheduled for a week.
The teams will be mandated to take action on the incidents of garbage burning, stubble burning, vehicular emission/traffic choke points/measures to ease congestion, dug up and dusty roads, industrial emission, construction and demolition waste & use of power generators/dg sets.
Government is also mulling for a joint campaign to appeal to the citizens to strictly avoid all such activities which lead to air pollution. “All the required necessary steps for ensuring that the air quality index in Delhi remains under control especially during the festive season is being taken,” Delhi environment minister Imran Hussain said.
Government has also directed all the agencies including all the three Municipal Corporations, PWD, NDMC, DDA, Delhi Cantonment Board, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to ensure that the construction activities undertaken by them should not lead to emission of dust from
the construction sites.
Agencies have also been directed to ensure water is regularly sprinkled on the building material. It should also remain covered and the construction site should be effectively covered for preventing dust emanating from the construction sites. Meanwhile, transport department has intensified action against polluting vehicles and vehicles that don't have Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. It has also urged the citizens, especially children, to create mass awareness regarding the ill effects of burning crackers.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court appointed body EPCA started planning an option to stop plying all cars from November 1. “The pollution is worsening and it is expected to worsen further. Under GRAP we already have measures to control vehicles but there can be necessity of further strengthening the vehicular restriction if needed,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury of Centre for Science and Environment.
However, commenting on the recent situations, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Delhi government is doing its best to combat pollution.