By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, OCT 29, 2024: WITH an aim to ensure strict enforcement of measures to control air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) especially during the current period of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in-force, the Sub-Committee on Safeguarding & Enforcement of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) held a meeting on Friday, to monitor and review status of sector specific enforcement actions taken by the concerned NCR State Governments/ GNCTD and Punjab to abate air pollution in the NCR.

A special emphasis was laid on the following aspects during the meeting:

- Status of monitoring and enforcement actions taken by the State Governments, in respect of control on paddy stubble burning

- Status of implementation of CAQM Directions / Guidelines in respect of Transport Sector and Vehicular Pollution

a. Action taken on liquidating EOL / overaged vehicles during 2024, in accordance with RVSF Rules, 2021 and extant policies

b. Status of capacity utilization of RVSFs with respect to scrapping of impounded vehicles.

c. Effectiveness of PUCC regime - challans issued against vehicles with invalid PUC, visibly polluting vehicles, uncovered vehicles carrying C&D materials etc.

d. Status on enforcement of Direction No. 78 dated 19.10.2023 regarding cleaner intercity buses from NCR States to Delhi and other areas in NCR.

e. Status of migration of clean inter-city bus services to Delhi-NCR from the States of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and UT of J&K targeted latest by 31.12.2024 in terms of Direction No. 81 dated 14.06.2024.

f. Action by Urban Local Bodies in Delhi for enhancement parking charges in terms of Direction No.82 dated 20.08.2024.

g. Status of augmentation of City Bus services (as per respective procurement plans) in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Noida and Greater Noida

- Status of implementation of CAQM Directions / Guidelines in respect of Industries

a. Compliance of Direction No. 65 dated 23.06.2022 and addendum dated 03.04.2023 related to standard list of approved fuels for NCR.

b. Compliance of prescribed standards of emissions by industries.

c. Inspections conducted by the SPCBs / DPCC.

d. Action initiated in respect of gross non-compliances during such inspections.

- Prohibition/ restriction on Manufacturing, Storage, Sale and Use of Firecrackers in NCR and Adjoining Areas

- Pending issues under the project for abatement of air pollution from Dispersed Sources in Delhi and other identified NCR cities

a. Status of resolution of all pending short-term issues.

b. Plan of action for liquidating long-term issues.

The Commission has issued a revised schedule under GRAP in September, 2024 extensively capturing the preventive and restrictive actions to be taken across various air pollution causing sectors depending upon the different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi. 

The GRAP envisages 27 actions under Stage - I; 11 under Stage - II; 11 under Stage - III and 08 under Stage - IV. They inter-alia include intensifying mechanized sweeping, use of anti-smog guns, water sprinklings, enforcement of PUC norms for vehicles, control and regulated use of DG sets, ensure uninterrupted power supply by DISCOMs, restrictions on the plying of end-of-life vehicles and BS III and BS IV petrol and diesel vehicles, etc.

The compelling necessity for ensuring strict and efficient implementation of GRAP Stage-II presently invoked for abatement of air pollution from different sectors was reiterated by the Commission as GRAP is a comprehensive document enlisting all major actionable steps to control pollution depending upon the stage of air quality.

The Commission directed all concerned agencies to work in coordination to ensure that the AQI levels in the region do not compel the necessity to invoke further Stages of GRAP in days to come. Further, NCR State Governments/ GNCTD were directed to intensify inspections for violations across different sectors and take strict and necessary actions against the concerned for flouting the Statutory directions of the Commission.

Moreover, NCR States/ GNCTD were also directed to further augment the capacity and intensify use of mechanized road sweeping and sprinkling of water, identify more high-rise buildings for installation of Anti-Smog Guns, and deploy Nodal Officers specifically to address air pollution from hotspots, as per the Plan of action. The strict implementation of Orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and related orders on fire crackers was highlighted, in view of the fact that festivals this year coincide with the peak paddy harvesting season in northern India.

It was committed at the meeting by various implementing agencies that they will regularly review air pollution control measures and take strict and effective action across various sectors as well as those listed under GRAP.