Curbing Air Pollution in Delhi – Env Minister Holds Fifth Meeting
Air pollution is a chronic and critical problem Delhi is facing for over a decade now. The cause and impact of air pollution lie not just in Delhi but also in the National Capital Region (NCR). The Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change is therefore making concerted region wide attempts to address the air pollution challenge being faced by Delhi.
In this regards, the Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar chaired the fifth meeting of the Environment Ministers of National Capital Region (NCR) on mitigation of air pollution in Delhi NCR on 27 April, 2016 in New Delhi.
Addressing the Fifth such meeting, the Environment Minster shared that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has set up a Control Room to enable people to register complaints against cases of biomass burning and that 84 such complaints had been received in the last three months and necessary action has been taken upon them.
The Contact numbers and Email of the Control Room as follows:
43102111 (landline),
or 9821144193/ 9821144194,
or controlroom.cpcb@nic.in
Shri Prakash Javadekar also reiterated the importance of holding awareness-cum-training camps for the 7,000 sweepers in Delhi, so that biomass burning can be reduced.
Shri Javadekar urged the Environment Ministers of NCR to strictly follow the directions issued by CPCB under Section 18 (1) of Air Act, 1981. He also suggested quick implementation of the revamped Waste Management Rules, including the newly formulated Construction & Demolition Waste Management Rules to reduce air pollution.
The Minister pointed out that there has been a 30% reduction in stubble burning and that the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have banned stubble burning.
Shri Javadekar also said that pollution due to dust, emissions from industries, burning of biomass and vehicular pollution were among the major causes of air pollution. And that pollution from unauthorized brick kilns must be reduced.
The Minister also reiterated the Centre’s decision to implement Bharat-6 compliance for vehicles by 2020, which will significantly reduce vehicular pollution. The need to install vapour recovery equipment at petrol pumps was also emphasized at the meeting.
Ministers and representatives from state governments who attended the meeting outlined the steps that have been taken to mitigate air pollution. In Uttar Pradesh, construction of underpasses has been started and two elevated roads are being constructed. Work on widening of NH-24 is underway and stubble burning in the state has been banned.
Rajasthan government is looking to plant more trees for reducing air pollution. Rajasthan government is taking strict action against polluting vehicles.
Haryana government has issued directions to all local bodies on strict compliance of directives issues by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. One portion of KMP Expressway has already been made operational.
In Delhi, since last year, 480 polluting vehicles have been fined, while the number of PUC centres has been increased from 702 to 828. The time of entry of commercial vehicles into Delhi has been rescheduled from 9.30 p.m to 11.00 p.m and efforts are being made to strictly enforce the new timing. Delhi government has also started online monitoring of power plants and waste-to-energy plant. It has also set up compost units in 346 parks in the city.
The participants of the meeting included Prof. Abhishek Mishra, Minister, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Raj Kumar Rinwa, Minister, Government of Rajasthan and Shri Imran Hussain, Minister, Government of NCT of Delhi. Officials from New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), Delhi Traffic Police as well as officials from the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi were also present.
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