The Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs will hold discussions on rising air pollution in the Delhi-NCR and implementation of GRAP measures. The panel has also decided to discuss artificial intelligence and deepfakes and their implications on internal security and emerging forms of fraud.
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has selected several subjects for discussion during the year.
Several department-related parliamentary committees were reconstituted in September, each with a one-year tenure.
The home affairs panel will also discuss the coordination among law enforcement and government agencies.
The issue hit the headlines on Friday as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed stage III measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the Delhi-NCR as the city's air worsened.
According to the commission, Delhi's AQI stood at 382 in the 'very poor' category on Thursday at 4 pm.
In its daily bulletin, IITM-Pune said, "Air quality is likely to be in the 'very poor' category on November 6. The air quality is likely to be in the 'severe' category from November 7 to 9. The outlook for the subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to be in the 'severe' to 'very poor' category."
GRAP is a set of emergency measures imposed to prevent deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold.
Under GRAP-III, strict restrictions are imposed on dust-generating or air pollution-causing construction and demolition (C&D) activities.
The first stage, GRAP-I, kicks in when the AQI is between 201 and 300; the second stage, GRAP-II, is invoked when the AQI is between 301 and 400; GRAP-III kicks in between 401 and 500; and GRAP-IV is invoked when the AQI is more than 450
The panel has also decided to discuss emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and deepfakes and their implications on internal security, law enforcement and novel forms of fraud.
Discussions on crime against children, challenges to internal security, including left-wing extremism, coastal security architecture, and review of India's Border Management System, such as border infrastructure, surveillance, technology and inter-agency coordination, are also on the cards.
Police Modernisation and Reforms in India: Smart Policing, Implementation of New Criminal Laws and Effective Crowd Management, and National Forensic Infrastructure: Capacity, Modernisation and Quality of Forensic Investigation have also been chosen for discussion during the year.
The issues of Drug Trafficking and Narcotics Control: Emerging Threats and Institutional Response; Human Resource Management and Welfare of Central Armed Police Forces; Governance, Security and Development Challenges in the Union Territories; and regulation and governance of lotteries in India: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward will also be taken up during its meetings.
The panel will also discuss the functioning, modernisation and operational preparedness of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), strengthening connectivity and critical public services in Lakshadweep: shipping, emergency aviation and specialist healthcare and strengthening civil defence preparedness.
The issue of Home Guards in India: Deployment, Welfare, Capacity Building and Institutional Integration is on the list of topics for discussion.
BJP member Radha Mohan Das Agrawal chairs the panel.
(With inputs from PTI)
