Had successive Governments of Delhi effectively implemented recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Environ-mental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority for Delhi and NCR (EPCA) headed by former bureaucrat Bhure lal, the national Capital wouldn’t have turned into “gas chamber”.
EPCA on Monday submitted a status report before the apex court on the implementation of its directions to curb rising air pollution in the national Capital. “The alarming rise in pollution levels in Delhi is a case of public health emergency, which requires close monitoring to ensure “stringent” enforcement of earlier directions of the Supreme Court,” maintained the report. The matter is listed for Tuesday.
In 1999-2000, the Bhure lal committee had prepared a report on environmental pollution in Delhi and NCR and suggested ways to curb it. The report was approved by the court in 2000. The committee had recommended an integrated approach for tackling air pollution.
The recommendations include construction of two bypass roads — Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways — restriction on use of private transport through fiscal and other means, phasing out of grossly polluting vehicles, diversion of vehicles not destined to Delhi, dust pollution control, long-term action to control garbage burning, shutting down of thermal power plants, strict action by Haryana and Punjab Governments to stop biomass burning, installation of RFID for effective and credible toll and ECC collection, and better public transport system.
However, the successive Governments are sitting on most of the EPCA recommendations.
For instance, Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) project — a key project to save the national Capital from the poisonous vehicular pollution — is yet to take off as the land acquisition issue has not been resolved yet. Even the Western Peripheral Expressway (EPE) conceptualised way back in 2001, which was to be completed in 2012, is just 68 per cent complete.
Officials say that despite the best efforts of the EPCA and directions of the Supreme Court, construction of two Peripheral Expressways — to divert the estimated two lakh diesel-belching trucks that pass through Delhi every night— and by-passes in and around Delhi remain a “distant dream’’ after 14 years.
While the EPE envisages providing signal-free connectivity among Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar (Greater Noida) and Palwal, the WPE will connect Kundli to Palwal via Manesar in Haryana.
And, at a time when vehicular pollution in Delhi has reached record levels - an investigation by The Pioneer revealed that the deadly dust called respirable suspended particulate material (RSPM) has reached 316 micrograms per cubic metre, almost 16 times what’s normal - the poison emitted by these trucks enters the air leading to health risks.
On discouraging private vehicles, the Government has failed to increase bus fleet and not a single bus has been added to its fleet since 2010. Due to poor public transport system, more and more people are opting for either four wheelers or two wheelers which are primarily responsible for increasing air pollution and heavy congestion in Delhi. The Supreme Court had already directed the Delhi Government to augment bus fleet and metro to increase its passenger capacity. “But much more needs to be done to build public transport network with last mile connectivity,” said EPCA
Effective diversion of all non-Delhi bound trucks and complete check on the entry of 10-year-old commercial trucks from entering the city could not achieved due to shortage of manpower it is not being done up to level. EPCA has advocated strict enforcement of Environment Compensation Cess on all vehicles. Ensuring the early introduction of RFID will improve compliance and enforcement of this measure. But these things exist on paper only.
EPCA said in many cases, actions of the authorities were “lax” and not in tune with the required urgency as the Delhi Government had “severe” staff limitations to divert trucks not destined to Delhi. “The diversion of vehicles was strictly done over the winter months in 2015-16. It is noted that State Government have severe staff limitations to keep up the active diversion of vehicles. However, the billboards have been installed at key points and it is clear that if ECC at Delhi entry points is strictly enforced, then the number of non-destined vehicles will go down. “Between January 21 and April 25, Haryana had set up 13 check posts and this has resulted in diversion of a total of 6,00,880 vehicles. Uttar Pradesh has also taken steps to set up check posts and also install billboards about the diversion of traffic not bound for Delhi,” said EPCA said.
EPCA has said there needs to be strict enforcement of the entry of trucks and, as per the apex court directions, only commercial vehicles registered after 2005 that are destined for Delhi and that pay Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC) must be allowed entry. It further said that between May 10 and October 4, the registration of diesel All-India Tourist Permit (AITP) taxis in Delhi stood at 74.
Another major contributor to Delhi’s smog was stubble burning. EPCA has suggested strict and urgent action by Punjab and Haryana Governments to control biomass burning through enforcement and by providing farmers alternatives to use paddy straw for energy and for tilling ground for manure. However, recent picture taken by a NASA satellite showed where fires are raging mostly from the uncontrolled burning of stubble left over after the paddy crop both in Punjab.
Supreme Court has directed GNCTD to take urgent steps to check road dust, including procurement of vacuum machines as suggested by GNCTD. However, these steps have not been taken with the urgency required. “The Supreme Court has directed GNCTD and municipal corporations to ensure that there is no burning of garbage in the city. However, it is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure that there is compliance with this direction and enforcement of the orders,” EPCA said.
On the issue of installation of weigh-in-motion bridges at all entry points, it told the court that 35 of the 60 bridges are already under operation and the remaining 25 will be commissioned by November 15 which are being installed at NH-2 Badarpur Elevated Highway and NH-10 Delhi-Rohtak road.