The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has taken action against 31 ready mix concrete (RMC) plants and four large construction sites across the city for violating air pollution control rules and imposed fines ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
Construction and demolition work have been stopped at the sites for causing dust pollution and not installing an anti-smog gun to control air pollution.
According to the DPCC, the Central Public Works Department was engaged in carrying out construction work for office of Central Reserve Police Force at CGO Complex without taking dust control measures and without installation of anti-smog gun. The construction has been stopped and the CPWD has been asked to deposit environmental compensation of ₹5 lakh, it said.
“At 31 RMCs it was observed that the steps taken by them to minimise dust emission are deficient. Accordingly, action has been initiated against all of them. At 11 of the 31 plants, violations were more serious and accordingly, closure directions have been issued to stop operations. But at all 31 plants, notices to impose penalty ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹20 lakh have been issued. During inspection, the DPCC found a number of deficiencies at these 31 plants,” an official statement said.
The DPCC found that building materials, such as aggregates, sand, cement, etc. were not fully covered and wind breaking walls of specified height were not in place. Also, in some cases, the working area as well as the vehicle tracks were not concrete/asphaltic concrete paved resulting in dust generation due to movement of vehicles, it said.
13 teams formed
The DPCC has constituted 13 teams for night patrolling in industrial areas of the city in order to have a check on black smoke-emitting industries as well as to spot illegal dumping of waste, according to the government.