Centre asks Delhi-NCR states to submit reports on pollution control efforts

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday directed all state and Union territory authorities in Delhi-NCR to submit concrete action-taken reports on their air pollution control efforts.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on the air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) — the fourth such review this season — Yadav stressed the need for coordinated, year-round measures to curb stubble burning, road dust and waste burning.

He asked officials to prepare district-wise crop-residue management plans, ensure capacity building of farmers in operating crop-residue management machines and maintain constant monitoring of stubble-burning cases. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa attended the meeting.

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The Union minister emphasised zero tolerance against open burning of municipal solid waste and directed civic authorities to prepare strict timelines for bridging gaps in legacy waste management and accelerating its clearance.

He urged officials to share best practices on waste management, instead of working in silos.

Yadav also called for the installation of online continuous emission monitoring systems and air pollution control devices in all red-category industries across NCR on a mission mode.

Reviewing road redevelopment projects, he instructed authorities to ensure timely and quality completion of works to minimise dust and plug processing gaps in construction and demolition waste management.

The minister also asked municipal bodies to develop saplings in coordination with forest departments for large-scale plantation on degraded land.

He also urged the Delhi Traffic Police to prepare traffic management plans for congestion hotspots and expedite the implementation of the Intelligent Traffic Management System to reduce vehicular emissions.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), governments of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, municipal commissioners of NCR cities and other agencies.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Centre invoked stricter anti-pollution measures under the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR, after the city’s air quality slipped into the “severe” category.

The decision was taken after Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) rose sharply from 362 on Monday to 425 on Tuesday morning due to calm winds, a stable atmosphere and unfavourable weather conditions that allowed pollutants to accumulate close to the surface, the CAQM said.

The implementation of the Stage-III curbs, which include a ban on non-essential construction work and closure of stone crushers and mining activities, is in addition to the actions already enforced under stages I and II of the GRAP.

Classes up to Class 5 are required to shift to a hybrid mode under Stage 3. Parents and students have the option to choose online education wherever available.

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Under Stage 3, the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars (four-wheelers) is restricted in Delhi and nearby NCR districts. Differently-abled persons are exempt.

During winters, Delhi-NCR enforces restrictions under the GRAP, which categorises the air quality into four stages — Stage I (Poor, AQI 201-300), Stage II (Very Poor, AQI 301-400), Stage III (Severe, AQI 401-450) and Stage IV (Severe Plus, AQI above 450).

Unfavourable meteorological conditions, combined with vehicular emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers and other local pollution sources, lead to hazardous air quality levels in Delhi-NCR during winters.