Govt forms 6-member team to carry out surprise inspections

Ananya Panda

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 18

Environment Minister Imran Hussain today formed a six-member team to carry out surprise inspections across Delhi to check violations which contribute towards air pollution.

The city’s development agencies have been directed to ensure all construction sites adhere to the Construction and Demolition Waste Rules, 2016, to avoid any dust emission from construction activities, carry out regular sprinkling of water at all construction sites and all high-rise buildings should have the arrangement for dust suppression.

Hussain has further directed all the stakeholder departments/agencies to intensify their actions as per the various categories of the Graded Response Action Plan and ensure all preparedness to deal with winter season episodic air pollution.

The minister has also sought the details and schedule of the operation of mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling vehicles being operated by these bodies, including the PWD.

While the minister accompanied by Member Secretary (Delhi Pollution Control Committee) will carry out inspections. The team will have representatives from the Revenue and Public Works Department, Delhi Police, municipal corporations, NDMC and the DPCC.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has accused the Centre of doing little to address the concerns raised by the Delhi government over the impending air pollution that grips the capital every year during the winter months even as he appealed to the Union Environment Ministry to immediately intervene and issue directions to stop crop residue burning and take effective measures in other NCR states to tackle air pollution.

Sisodia also criticised the Punjab and Haryana governments for “non-payment of subsidy” to farmers to help them in management of paddy straw.