Pollution ‘severe’ but no combat measures yet
NEW DELHI: For more than a week now, the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in Delhi’s air have been hovering above the 300 and 180 mark respectively. But the state government is yet to roll out some of the anti-pollution measures that were supposed to ‘automatically’ fall in place when such high levels of pollution existed, as per a National Green Tribunal order passed last week.
The Central Pollution Control Board data says that while the present level of PM10 is around 448ug/m3, the concentration of PM2.5 is around 273ug/m3.
As per the green court suggested plan in the Vardhman Kaushik case, Delhi’s current pollution has already crossed Category-i and entered Category-ii, in which PM10 levels should be between 300ug/m3 and 700ug/ m3 and PM2.5 levels should be between 180ug/m3 and 400ug/ m3.
Given the present levels of pollution, measures such as putting a cap on number of vehicles, staggering of office time, imposing a higher Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) and stopping transport vehicles not destined for Delhi from entering the city, should have been rolled out automatically by now.
The transport department, which has to implement a majority of the above measures, has expressed its inability to set the ball rolling due to lack of an ‘order’ from the environment department.
“The environment depart- ment is the nodal agency and those measures can be implemented only if that department issues an order. Nevertheless, we are already running destination buses, which are also stated in the plan,” a transport official said.
SM Ali, special secretary of the environment department refused to comment. The state environment secretary too refused to take calls and messages on his mobile phone went unanswered.
The government officials said that other measures, like increasing Environment Compensation Charge and staggering of office times, have to be decided by the chief minister or the minister concerned. They told Hindustan Times that no meeting in this regard has been convened so far.
While mechanical sweeping is being done, the government is yet to frame a policy of levying higher registration fee and road tax on purchase of a second car. Officials said that rolling out such a policy will take months as it will have to first get an approval from the cabinet and then the L-G.
The problem is also that the departments are considering the green court’s measures separately from the GRAP that was notified by the Centre, said experts.