In view of the worsening condition of the air quality in Delhi and NCR regions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued a set of guidelines to be followed with immediate effect. The announcement comes after an emergency meeting was held with officials from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in connection with the severe air pollution. The Supreme Court will hear the air crisis matter today.
Chief Secretaries of Delhi and NCR states have been directed by the CAQM Tuesday late night to monitor the implementation of the directions on a regular basis and file a compliance report before the commission on Monday.
The directives, however, do not include anything related to complete lockdown in Delhi as suggested by the Supreme Court while hearing a plea which claimed that the air pollution is causing health hazards on people.
Here is a list of guidelines issued by the CAQM, an agency under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, for people residing in Delhi-NCR regions to tackle with the rising air pollution situation:
• Schools, colleges and educational institutions in the National Capital Region will remain closed until further orders, allowing only online mode of education.
• Only five of the 11 thermal power plants located within 300 km radius of Delhi NTPC, Jhajjar; Mahatma Gandhi TPS, CLP Jhajjar; Panipat TPS, HPGCL; Nabha Power Ltd. TPS, Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo TPS, Mansa will remain operational till November 30.
• Delhi and the NCR states to stop construction and demolition activities in the region till November 21, barring railway services/railway stations, metro rail corporation services, including stations, airports and inter-state bus terminals (ISBTS) and national security/defence-related activities/ projects of national importance subject to strict compliance of the C&D Waste Management Rules and dust control norms.
• Trucks carrying non-essential items have been banned from entering Delhi till Sunday in a bid to contain the spiralling air pollution levels.
• All public and private schools, colleges and educational institutions in NCR shall remain closed until further orders allowing only online mode of education, the CAQM directions read.
• NCR state governments have been directed to allow work from home (WFH) for at least 50 per cent of their staff in offices in NCR till Sunday and encourage private establishments to follow suit.
• All industries in NCR still using unapproved fuels shall be closed by respective governments with immediate effect. NCR States and GNCTD shall enforce a strict ban on use of DG sets, except for emergency services.
• Authorities in NCR have been ordered to ensure that no diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 years and 15 years, respectively, are found plying on road.
• The Delhi government has been directed to expeditiously procure and put on road adequate number of CNG buses at the earliest.
(with inputs from PTI)
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