Concerned over the perennial problem of deadly pollution with the onset of winters in Delhi NCR, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday set the degree of engagement of stakeholders, including the NCT Government of Delhi, to combat the air pollution particularly augmented due to stubble burning in neighbouring States.
The meeting comes a few days after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), for not taking any action on local officers amid a rise in crop burning in north Indian states, which leads to air pollution in Delhi. The SC said not a single committee was formed to tackle the stubble burning issue.
“Every year we see stubble burning. There has been total non-compliance of the CAQM Act. Have committees been constituted? Please show us a single step taken. Which directions have you used under the Act? You are silent spectators. You are doing nothing,” the Supreme Court said on September 27, 2024.
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. PK Mishra convened a High Level Task Force meeting for the purpose where he reviewed short term and long measures being undertaken to prevent, and abate, air pollution in Delhi, and simultaneously expressed concern over slow pace of clearance of landfill sites in the national Capital and delays in implementation of waste to energy plans by the civic bodies.
Agriculture stubble burning, a major source of seasonal air pollution in Delhi and neighbouring states was addressed. Although Delhi has a relatively small paddy area, Mishra called for the complete elimination of stubble burning in the city as a model for surrounding regions.
According to a senior official, the meeting focused on assessing the readiness of the Delhi Government and other stakeholders in implementing both immediate and long-term measures to mitigate air pollution in Delhi. The Task Force, comprising senior officials from Central Ministries and the Delhi administration, reviewed current strategies and discussed additional innovative steps to tackle the pollution challenge.
Task Force, consisting of representatives from the Delhi Government, Central Ministries including Secretary MoHUA, Secretary MoEFCC, Delhi Police, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), reaffirmed their collective resolve to abate air pollution in Delhi, especially during the ensuing winter season.
Can Delhi hope for a cleaner winter this year?
Mishra expressed concern over the persistent air quality issues and underscored the need for strict enforcement of existing laws. He emphasised that adequate measures for dust control, both from roads and construction activities need to be taken. Officials said Mishra urged the adoption of a mission-mode approach to greening central verges of roads and paving/ greening of pathways, open areas along roadsides to abate dust generation.
Mechanised road cleaning, deployment of adequate numbers of anti-smog guns and regular water sprinkling also needs to be ramped up, particularly in high- pollution hotspots and during the periods under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Delhi Chief Secretary Dharemder, presented a comprehensive report on the city’s air quality management efforts for 2024. He highlighted that construction-related dust, biomass burning and vehicular emissions continue to be key contributors, especially during the winter months when stagnant weather conditions worsen the situation.
The PMO directed for accelerating the shift towards electric mobility. He called for the creation of a clear roadmap to ensure that future registrations prioritise electric vehicles, particularly for commercial fleets, government services, and public transport. Mishra directed officials to increase inspections of industries and commercial establishments to ensure compliance with prescribed emission control measures.
