PremiumThe critical order to curb air pollution in the national capital should have been issued by the chief secretary in October but it hasn't been done yet.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has expressed 'displeasure' over an alleged delay on the part of the Delhi government in issuing an order on pollution control measures and directed that it be conveyed to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said sources on Thursday.
The critical order to curb air pollution in the national capital should have been issued by the chief secretary in October but it hasn't been done yet, sources in the LF office told PTI, adding that the LG termed it 'gross negligence'.
However, the Delhi government has said that it is serious and working actively to tackle air pollution in the city.
"The lapse on the part of the Delhi government is due to the fact that Environment Minister Gopal Rai did not clear the file related to issuing such orders for about a month," a source claimed, as quoted by PTI.
In compliance with a November 2019 order of the Supreme Court order and an order of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) dated August 5, 2022, the chief secretary sent the file for approval to Environment Minister Gopal Rai on October 22.
"The file was returned to the chief secretary on November 17 without any observation of the minister. Afterwards, the chief secretary sent the file to the LG and it was approved," the source said.
The LG, while approving the file, expressed dismay and displeasure at the Delhi government's gross negligence in this matter and asked that it be conveyed to the chief minister and environment minister, sources added.
The "much-delayed" order is expected to be issued now, they said, PTI reported.
Issuance of the order by the chief secretary would have made it mandatory for departments to fix the responsibility of the concerned officers to ensure that measures for the management of construction and demolition, waste and dust control, water sprinkling at pollution hotspots, repairing roads, closure of industries in non-conforming areas, banning open burning of biomass and solid waste and pollution under control (PUC) certificate enforcement, among others, are taken.
Countering the allegations, the Delhi government said a 15-point action plan has been launched by Chief Minister Kejriwal to check air pollution during winters in the capital, as per PTI reports.
It is being "successfully" implemented by all the concerned agencies, which is why the air pollution in Delhi is under control this time as compared to the past several years, the government said in a statement.
(With PTI inputs)