Continuing its crackdown on major sources of air pollution in the national Capital, the Delhi Government’s pollution watchdog Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has issued notices to 172 under-construction projects, including extension of Parliament House Annexe Building, construction of district courts at New Delhi. The notices have been issued after the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The concerned parties have been directed to submit reports on the current status of construction and steps being taken by them in compliance with the Ministry of Environment and Forests Guidelines, 2010, on prevention of dust and garbage accumulation on their sites, while carrying out the construction.
Notices were also issued on construction of Delhi Police Headquarters building at Sansad Marg, proposed Shaheed Sukhdev college of Business Studies, Maharaja Agarsen college building in Vasundhara, Industrial Park at Baprola, Rajaswa Bhawan at KG Marg, industry project at Okhla, South Asian University project, extension of NBCC building project.
Besides, proposed construction of Security Police lines campus in Bapudham, construction of Deen Dayal Upadhyay College project at Dwarka, fully-automated multi-level parking at Delhi High Court, Additional Alteration of National Institute of Fashion Techonology, proposed hotel projects at Jasola, Rohini, redevelopment of New Delhi Railway Station, Jor Bagh, Aliganj, construction of office complex at DDU Marg, construction of integrated district court complex, construction of CBI headquarters at CGO complex, integrated freight complex at Dwarka, construction of UGC campus at Nelson Mandela marg, remodeling of national stadium, redevelopment of Dev Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Connaught Place and group housing projects at Najafgarh, Narela, Tehkhand, Dheerpur and Vasant Kunj have also got notices.
Interestingly, some of the projects, on which notices were served, have been completed while some are still on paper till date and some at conceptual stage. This seems to be eyewash on the part of DPCC just to show that they are serious about air pollution on NGT order. According to a Press release, it has been found that though these projects had obtained prior environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests or from State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), subsequently, the mandatory ‘Consent to Operate’ clearance was not sought from the DPCC.
Delhi Environment Minister Asim Ahmed Khan has also directed the officials of the department to follow-up on the steps being taken to penalise those responsible for burning of garbage, leaves and plastic in the open, another main source of air pollution apart from the vehicular traffic in the nation Capital.
Khan has sought a presentation report on further steps that could be taken to reduce air pollution caused by open construction activities in the city. He will also take up the matter with the Public Works Department (PWD) and other concerned departments to draw up a joint comprehensive plan comprising awareness programmes and punitive measures to check the growing sources of air pollution in the city.