NEW DELHI: The Centre has directed Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to appoint secretary-level officials to oversee air pollution control measures in 15 cities across the three states, with officers required to conduct field visits and submit weekly progress reports to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
The directive was issued at a meeting chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday to review measures being undertaken by Delhi and neighbouring states to tackle air pollution in the NCR.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category on Saturday, with biomass burning emerging as the largest contributor to the city’s pollution. The 24-hour average AQI in the day settled at 367. Of the 59 monitoring stations in city, 17 were in the “severe” category
The state governments have been asked to nominate senior officials for seven cities in Haryana, four in Uttar Pradesh and four in Rajasthan to ensure coordinated implementation of pollution control measures.
The CAQM has also been requested to issue notices to officers who fail to deliver on their responsibilities.
Emphasising that air pollution does not recognise state boundaries, Yadav called for coordinated action across the NCR, with real-time monitoring through integrated command and control centres (ICCCs) and direct accountability of field officers for violations.
He also directed agencies to expedite the PARIVARTAN Scheme, which aims to replace pre-BS-VI trucks and buses with BS-VI, CNG and electric vehicles by 2028.
The minister called for strict implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and urged NCR states to adopt Delhi’s hotspot-focused winter action plan, which includes traffic management, work-from-home measures, construction restrictions and prevention of open burning.