Former Chief Secretary of Delhi M.M. Kutty was appointed chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Thursday, according to a gazetted notification from the Environment Ministry on Friday.
Other full-time members include Mukesh Khare of IIT-Delhi and Ramesh K.J., Ex-Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD) and A.K. Nautiyal, joint secretary in the Ministry.
Ajay Mathur, Director-General of The Energy Resources Institute and Ashish Dhawan of the Air Pollution Action Group were also appointed as representatives of members from non-government organisations. Chief Secretaries or Secretaries, who deal with pollution from States of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and a representative from Niti Ayog as well as from the Central Pollution Control Board and the Indian Space Research Organisation would also constitutethe Commission.
There was no representation from the Ministry of Agriculture. The latter was in charge of funding farmers to adopt subsidised farming equipment in Punjab and Haryana particularly to dissuade them from burning rice paddy stubble. A member of the commission told The Hindu that the first meeting of the body was likely next week.
The CAQM was formed on October 28 after dissolving several pollution-monitoring bodies, including most prominently the 22-year-old EPCA that has so far addressed air pollution in the Delhi NCR. “This body will perform the job of coordinating activities between the States,” Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Friday.
Encompassing Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the all-powerful body assumes several powers to coordinate action among States, levy fines — ranging up to ₹1 crore or five years of prison — to address air pollution. It was brought in via an ordinance.
