NEW DELHI: Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain on Wednesday asked authorities to control local polluting factors such as garbage burning and dust, and warned of action against senior officials if they fail to comply with the directions. Hussain also urged the citizens of Delhi to minimise use of private vehicles and use public transport during this period.
The minister had convened a high-level meeting to review the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which was mandated by the Supreme Court to combat and mitigate air pollution in Delhi in view of the prevailing meteorological conditions in northern India.
He directed senior officers of municipal corporations to monitor mechanical sweeping of roads, including PWD roads, to prevent suspension and re-suspension of dust due to plying of vehicles. Hussain asked the municipal corporations to increase enforcement of directives regarding prohibition of permitting uncovered building material on their respective roads, control instances of burning in the open and compliance with dust-control measures, failing which senior officers should be held accountable.
They were also directed to ensure that during the period of ban on construction, no one indulges in such activities and that violators are strictly dealt with as per the law. In view of the prevalence of ‘severe’ pollution in the national capital, industrial activities in pollution hotspots of Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad, and construction work across the Delhi-NCR are closed till Wednesday.
“Further, for effective control of dust, conditions stipulated in sanctioned building plan for construction of buildings must be strictly followed by the owners and builders,” he said.The minister directed the transport department to continue enforcement action with more vigour in the coming weeks. The commissioners of MCDs/PWD and Delhi Fire Services were told to undertake water sprinkling from high-rise buildings, especially to settle suspended dust particles.
The authorities gave a presentation to Hussain, saying the episodic pollution is controlled by meteorological conditions and cannot be effectively managed by only city-based control actions.
Trains cancelled
Eleven trains were cancelled, two trains were partially cancelled and the frequency of six trains brought down Wednesday due to foggy weather conditions. A total of 316 trains were affected on Christmas morning due to bad weather conditions, he said. The trains starting from Delhi, including the Lucknow-New Delhi Gomti Express, Lucknow Junction-Meerut city express and Howrah-Anand Vihar Express, were cancelled.