17 agencies hauled up for rising air pollution

The district administration, on Thursday, pulled up 17 public departments for failure to check rising air pollution and directed them to enforce various measures in accordance with the graded response action plan (Grap).

Gurugram’s air quality remained worst in the country for second day in consecution.

“You all (public departments) are being constantly made aware of Gurugram’s worsening AQI. (Air quality in) many of the neighbouring districts within the National Capital Region has improved. The performance of many of our departments is wanting and should quickly be improved upon to provide relief to citizens (sic),” an order issued by deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh stated.

The order further states that a nodal officer needs to be appointed by each of the public bodies to oversee the implementation of Grap measures.

As per the directions issued by the DC, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) have to identify road stretches with high dust concentration, and tie up with the Food & Supply department to stop use of coal/firewood in eateries and constitute teams to curb open garbage burning. The three bodies along with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department (PWD), have been directed to increase frequency of mechanised cleaning of roads and water sprinkling.

On Thursday, MCG officials issued 17 fines, together amounting to ₹85,000 for improper disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, three fines of ₹700 each for open garbage burning, they stopped construction activity at six sites and imposed a cumulative fine of ₹30,000. For open transportation of construction material, MCG imposed two fines of ₹10,000 on private contractors and 12 fines of a total of ₹60,000 on individuals.

MCG officials also sprinkled water at Sector 4/7 dividing Road, Hero Honda Chowk-umang Bharadwaj Road, MG Road, Old Gurgaon Road, Sheetla Mata Road, Netaji Subash Marg, CH Bakhtawar Singh Road, Vatika Chowk, Sohna Road, Golf Course Extension Road, Signature Towers, IFFCO Chowk, and roads in Sectors 10-A, 9, 56 and Civil Lines.

“MCG is complying with Grap measures to reduce pollution across the city. For this, separate teams have been constituted in all the respective zones, where officials have been deputed 24x7 till November 10 to take action against violators,” MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav said.

Similarly, the Gurugram Police, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), and the State Transport Authority (STA) have been made responsible for impounding diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles

older than 15 years.

To reduce vehicular emissions, the STA has been told to strengthen public transport services, Gurugram Police has been directed to create route diversions at heavily congested intersections and the PWD has been given the task of creating u-turns at such points and ensure that roads are pothole-free.

Additionally, the Gurugram Police has been directed to ensure all vehicles have a Pollution-under-control (PUC) certificate.

Gurugram police spokesperson Subhash Boken said, “Instructions regarding Grap measures have been given to all SHO’S and the Traffic Police. Vehicles from polluting series were impounded on Thursday.”

The district administration is also relying on increasing awareness among residents to improve air quality.

To this end, the revenue department, development and panchayat departments and PWD have all been told to conduct awareness programmes in villages. The education department has been directed to carry out awareness programmes in schools to discourage bursting of firecrackers. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has been told to carry out awareness programmes against burning crop residue and bursting firecrackers.

In the context of bursting of firecrackers, the deputy commissioner has further directed the department of explosives to suspend all licenses to store and sell fire crackers.

To monitor crop-residue burning, the agriculture, revenue and development and panchayat departments have been activated. The food and supply department has been directed to ensure all brick kilns are closed; the department will also monitor fuel adulteration.

The forest department has also been asked to increase patrolling along the Aravallis.

Similarly, the Town and Country Planning Department and HSPCB have been directed to strictly enforce the 10-day ban on construction. The latter will also act against non-complying industrial units, stone crushers, hotmix plans and brick kilns.

HSPCB regional officer JB Sharma said the department’s teams “stopped all stone crushing operations in the city and surveyed construction sites to check if work had halted. “On Thursday, all coal and biomass based industries were directed to stop operations. On Friday, we will coordinate with a team from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which will ensure compete implementation of Grap measures,” Sharma said.

The Health department has also been roped in and charged with implementation of Bio Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, at all hospitals.

First Published: Nov 02, 2018 11:19 IST