Diesel generator sets banned in Delhi, NCR cities from October 15
To keep the national Capital’s “lungs” healthy in winter, the Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved the country’s first tree transplantation policy and will also install world’s second smog tower of Rs 20 crore at Connaught Place.
On Friday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved the proposal in a Cabinet meet.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has announced measures under the very poor to severe category of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to be enforced from October 15. Use of diesel generator sets in Delhi and other NCR towns of Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad and Gurugram has been banned.
Kejriwal said, “Our smog tower will suck the polluted air from above, and release the clean air from the bottom. The Delhi Cabinet has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the installation of this first-of-its-kind smog tower and we hope that the installation work will be completed within the next 10 months.” “We are calling it a pilot project for now, and if it is successful, many more smog towers will be installed across Delhi,” the CM said while briefing media.
The first smog-tower in the world was set up in China.
As per the Government policy, two smog-towers are being installed in Delhi, out of which one will be installed by the Central Government at Anand Vihar and the second by the Delhi Government at Cannaught Place. The technology used in the smog-tower installed by the Delhi Government is different from the one used by China.
To monitor pollutants in CP, Delhi Pollution Control Committee ( DPCC) and Central Pollution Control Board’s ( CPCB’s) air monitor device is installed in Mandir Marg area.
Launching the tree transplantation policy under the “Yuddh, Pradushan Ke Virudh” campaign, which requires a minimum of 80 per cent of the trees affected by construction or development projects to be transplanted, Kejriwal said the implementation of this policy will be in addition to the policy of the compulsory afforestation of 10 saplings.
“It is the responsibility of the agencies which are responsible for transplantation, to ensure that 80 per cent of the transplanted trees survive after a year. A dedicated Tree Transplantation Cell and local committees will be formed which will include Government officials, citizens, RWAs to monitor the transplanted trees and to monitor the transplantation task.”
Briefing about the policy, Kejriwal said one of the key components of this campaign was the tree transplantation policy.
“With the blessings of God, the woodland of Delhi is very dense, and the trees are quite old and strong because Delhi is quite an old city. The Delhi Government is constantly trying to save and preserve the trees. But often due to construction and development works, the trees are cut down,” said Kejriwal, adding, “Until now, the policy was to plant 10 saplings as a compensatory effort, if one tree was supposed to be cut down. The tree which was cut down was around 400-500 years old and was a symbol of how nature preserved it and nurtured it for so many years.”
The CM said the newly planted 10 saplings are not for the tree that was cut down. “We have passed the tree transplantation policy. Delhi is the first State in the country where this policy has been passed. Along with retaining the policy of planting 10 saplings in place of one tree being cut down, we can transplant the tree additionally, due to the scientific advancements which allow uprooting the tree from a particular spot, lifting it, and planting it at another spot.”
Surprisingly, a minimum of 80 per cent of trees affected by a project, over and above compensatory afforestation of planting of 10 saplings, will be transplanted.
As per the policy, a minimum of 80 per cent of the transplanted trees should survive and ensuring this would be the responsibility of the agencies that will take permission from us.
The Delhi Government will form a panel of the agencies that excel in the task of transplantation. “Whichever department wants trees to be transplanted, can approach any agencies out the panel that is being formed. The payment of the agencies will be made only if 80 per cent of the trees continue to survive after a year,” Kejriwal said.