Noida: Construction norms for builders won’t be affected and the graded response action plan (GRAP) rules for ‘very poor’ will continue to remain in Noida and Ghaziabad until further decision by the CPCB pollution control task force.
With the situation taking a turn for better, there will not be any ban on construction imposed for now, informed UPPCB. All restrictions would now be maintained at the level of ‘very poor’ AQI (300-400) the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) informed.
GRAP norms that were enforced on October 15 include cleaning of streets at night, mechanical sweeping of streets and application of dust control rules at construction sites, apart from a ban on gensets. Vehicular usage has been advised to be regulated.
Industries have been asked to install PTZ cameras for monitoring emissions while large construction sites have been directed to use anti-smog guns.
The advisory during “very poor” air encourages wide use of public transport and discourages elderly people with respiratory conditions from venturing out.
The restrictions on movement of the elderly are all the more needed in the wake of rising Covid cases.
In addition to the current regulation the UPPCB will from Saturday start pre-Diwali pollution mapping which usually starts a week ahead of the day. “We will be recording the data and checking sensitive zones from Saturday,” Kumar added.
Noida and Ghaziabad being in the downstream of Northwest, inflowing wind are direct recipients of smoke laded air that flows in from Haryana and Punjab in the post-harvest fire season every year.
The situation locally only remains under control if the windspeed is significantly high above 20kmph that can help in overnight dispersal of suspended particulate matter. The AQI levels are likely to dip further as temperature drop in in NCR over coming weeks.
“According to the CPCB advisory, so far there is a request for reduction in usage of personal vehicles. The strict norms of construction ban or odd-even vehicular regulation are not in place for now. The weather condition at this time is unprecedented that is leading to a pollution spike,” said Praveen Kumar, the regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution control Board (UPPCB) in Noida.