After the national Capital, the Ghaziabad administration has banned private construction activities with fines up to Rs.15 lakh levied on offenders and directed schools to remain shut and instructed people not to come out of their houses unless it is necessary.
The Ghaziabad district’s air quality index (AQI) rose to 450 on Sunday, which prompted the administration to take measures.
The AQI will get better in the coming two days, but will remain in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
“Post implementation of GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan)-3 in NCR (National Capital Region), private construction activities are banned. Industries are being regulated and Rs 15 lakh fine to be levied for disobeying rules. Notices being issued to rule-breakers," a senior government official of Ghaziabad administration said.
The Ghaziabad administration has issued guidelines to combat the deteriorating air quality owing to rising pollution levels. These include stopping all construction work and the complete closure of all the units spreading pollution.
However, violation of the directives have been reported wherein residents and officials have stated that even after the order of the district administration, work is still going on at the construction sites.
"Looking at the condition of the weather, there are three paper mills which have been kept closed on Saturday and Sunday and there are around 70-80 paper mills which are closed on Wednesday and Thursday," said Vipin Kumar, ADM Ghaziabad. The ADM also said that challan will also be imposed on the sites, which have been running despite the notice.
"The administration officers have said that continuous action is being taken against such works and fine will also be imposed on whichever construction site is running, if any site is going on, then that work will be stopped," said the ADM.
"Till now, 15.5 lakhs were challaned by the Municipal Corporation and GDA in the last few days and within the last 5 days, this challan has been recovered by additional Rs 12.5 lakhs from such works which are causing pollution.
Strict action is being taken against all of them, all the officers are keeping a watch on the works that spread pollution. There is a complete ban on all construction works except government construction works," stated further.