A high-level task force to combat air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region has chalked out a 12-point draft plan encompassing a string of measures including coordinated action to combat stubble burning, commissioning studies and launch of a hotline and an app to report violations.
The draft action plan also calls for formulating a journey planner app which integrates the Metro, the DIMTS and the DTC services and integrated ticketing across the DTC, cluster and metro within six months.
The high-level task force, headed by the principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has formulated the draft ‘Air Action Plan - Abatement of Air Pollution in the Delhi NCR’ and has invited suggestions in 15 days to make it more “effective and practical”.
“The action plan lists key actions that the task force will monitor. It is recognised that the agencies responsible for the various determinants of air quality will take a number of other steps based on their assessment of need.
“The secretary, MoEF will be responsible for overall coordination of the action agenda,” said the draft which has been put up on the Environment Ministry's website.
The draft proposes coordinated action to combat stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and also monitor enforcement measures to reduce stubble burning.
It also calls for implementing rollout of a plan for properly disposing of crop stubble and ensuring that independent data on stubble burning is available in real time in collaboration with department of science and technology among others.
“Set up an anti-pollution helpline in the NCR districts to register complaints of specific violations”.
“A pollution app should also be prepared wherein citizens can take a picture of the violation and upload it for quick remedial action,” the plan said.
For power plants in the NCR region, it calls for NOx curtailment measures in a time-bound manner by the NTPC and other operators and asks the Environment Ministry to develop a ‘Dashboard’ of all the ‘Red Category’ polluting units in the NCR.
The draft also calls for steps to be taken to ensure that no fires break out at sanitary landfills among others.