#Delhismog: Air Quality of NCR is improving day by day

New Delhi, November 12: Moment of relief for Delhi people as they will now be able to breathe a bit improved air. As per reports the air quality of the NCR is improving. The people of Delhi need not panic, as several steps are being taken by the Government to mitigate air pollution.

Emphasizing that air quality has been improving over the last two days, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said “the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) must be earnestly and meticulously implemented by the concerned State Governments, as well as municipal and civic organisations.”

He also stressed on adoption of a focused approach to deal with emergency-like situation through GRAP, which had been prepared last year. He added that a Task Force has been set up to review the air quality in Delhi-NCR headed by Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board well in advance. He also underlined the augmenting of the number of monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR to enhance the quality of information system.

The Minister strained the fact that as a part of advance planning and special intervention, 40 monitoring teams of CPCB have been deployed since September 1, 2017 to give feedback on the ground situation and air polluting activities in Delhi. ‘A systemic response mechanism was put in place for the last one year and regular alerts were conveyed to all stakeholders’, the Minister said.

To curb the pollution various directions have also been issued to implementation agencies such as state governments, district administration, police authorities, municipal corporations and industries for effective actions. Along with it several meetings were held with authorities to deal with this emergency like situation.

Immediate short-term measures initiated against air pollution include:

• Ban on diesel gen-sets, brick kilns, stone crushers, hot mix plants as per GRAP is being effectively enforced;
• Ban on entry of trucks with non-essential supplies to Delhi is being strictly enforced.
• Enhanced parking fee and capacity augmentation of public transport. Metro has increased its frequency and number of coaches by 25%.
• Civil construction activities have been stopped for the moment.
• Watering over unpaved roads to contain road dust is being carried out on a large scale. Fire tenders, water tankers of corporations have been pressed into service for sprinkling water.
• Regulated emission from industries in NCR region advised the State governments to issue directions to the concerned authorities.
• Impose fines on defaulters through Municipal Corporations/State Pollution Control Boards and other organisations.
• Enforce ban on garbage burning.