UP govt tells its NCR districts stop construction till Nov 10

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government has asked the state’s western districts, in and around the National Capital Region, to suspend all construction activities between November 1 and 10 and shut for a week industries using coal and biomass fuel to check pollution.

It also asked them to ensure strict compliance to other EPCA guidelines. “All authorities are requested to bear in mind the seriousness of the issue and ensure strict implementation of the orders,” Anup Chandra Pandey, Chief Secretary, UP government, stated in a letter on Wednesday to the divisional commissioners Meerut and Saharanpur.

A copy of the letter was sent to the district magistrates of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Meerut, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr and Shamli.

The letter contains all the same instructions as issued by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, or EPCA, which will be applicable throughout Delhincr till November 10.

The UP government has also directed the Transport Departments and traffic police in these districts to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control traffic congestion during the period. “There should be no tolerance for visibly polluting vehicles. This will require stringent monitoring and on-spot fines,” it said.

It has sought intensification of patrol, especially at night in industrial areas and other ‘hot spots’ in cities, so as to control waste burning and industrial emissions. The government also asked the districts to raise awareness among public to minimise use of private vehicles.