Air pollution: Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR relaxes curbs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 15

Ahead of Thursday’s hearing, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas has told the Supreme Court that it has lifted the ban on medical, paddy, diary, paper and textile industries in view of improvement in air quality.

However, the ban on construction activities will continue and schools will continue to function in virtual mode for the time being, the Commission said in an affidavit filed in the top court.

It said the measures will be reviewed on December 17.

The Commission said milk and dairy processing units in NCR have been permitted to resume 24×7 operations.

Similarly, medicines, drugs and life saving equipment industries can resume full time operations while paper and pulp processing industries, paddy, rice industries and textile, garment five days a week.

The industries closed due for failure to switch over to PNG can now operate 8 hours a day, it said.

Resumption of the use of Diesel Generator sets has been allowed in 44 residential and commercial spaces, it informed the top court.

Power plants have been allowed to operate keeping in view the demand for power. This was after the Ministry of Power said that the existing plants cannot remain shut anymore and even the six plants located within the 300 km radius of Delhi cannot remain shut beyond December 15.

While hearing a PIL on air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the a Bench led by CJI NV Ramana had earlier passed several orders resulting in closure of industries and ban on entry of trucks into the national capital, except those carrying essential goods.

Some of the states have also filed separate affidavits.