CPCB issues notice to govt

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 6

At a time when the national capital is battling with severe pollution levels, the Delhi government’s Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been asked by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) why a fine Rs 1 crore should not be imposed upon it over non-compliance of directions.

In a show-cause notice, CPCB chairperson SP Parihar said during an inspection of Shahdara drain it was found that industrial solid waste was burnt and dumped at several stretches along the drain.

“Three incidents of waste burning were cited during November 4-5. Local residents have also reported several cases of waste burning along the drain which has caused air pollution,” Parihar said in the notice dated December 3.

These inspections were carried out during clean air campaign from November 1-10 by teams comprising officials from Environment Ministry, CPCB, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the local civic body.

The exercise is a part of a campaign launched by the Environment Ministry to monitor and report polluting activities and ensure court directives are followed at construction sites along with regulating vehicular traffic in the city.

The Supreme Court had last week asked the CPCB to prosecute government officials for not acting on around 250 complaints send to it from citizens.

Last week the CPCB had issued show-cause notices to east and south Delhi municipal bodies over their “failure” to contain air polluting activities under their jurisdiction.

Earlier, Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority chairperson Dr Bhure Lal had pulled up enforcement agencies saying that the Delhi's civic and urban bodies are not properly implementing the directions and taking steps towards curbing pollution.