Drafting of new anti-pollution plan in final stage

NEW DELHI: The annual average of PM 2.5, a deadly pollutant, will have to come down by roughly around 70 percent in Delhi for its air to meet safe standards, according to a new anti-pollution plan.

This is based on the annual average of PM 2.5 of the last three years, which is around 132 micrograms per cubic metre, anti-pollution body EPCA has been informed.

PM 2.5 is an ultra fine particulate, a major product of vehicular emission, that measures less than a fraction of the width of a human hair. It can cause respiratory problems and cardiac complications.

The fresh roadmap to clean the city’s toxic air, drawn up by a team comprising Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and independent experts is likely to be submitted to the Supreme Court soon.

It is likely to focus on around 13 sources of pollution and list measures based on the priority with which they need to be implemented, with a special focus on ways to ramp up public transport.

It also proposes the construction of BRT or LRT corridors (Bus Rapid Transit or Light Rail Transit) in the city. The only BRT corridor that the national capital had was dismantled by the AAP government last year.

The new plan, still in its draft stage, has been chalked out keeping a 2012 blueprint of the Sheila Dikshit government as its base and has been topped with fresh proposals keeping the developments over the last five years in mind.

The 10-point action plan had envisaged to augment the city’s bus fleet to 15,000, set up 14 bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors by 2016, introduce variable time-based parking rates, increase road tax on private vehicles and ensure an early roll out of Euro VI emission standards.