Delhi Environment Minister Continues To Visit Construction Sites To Check Violation Of Anti-Pollution Norms

New Delhi: With air quality in Delhi worsening with each passing day and Air Quality Index (AQI) currently at 401 slipping into ‘severe’ category, Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain continues his surprise inspection drive at different construction sites in the city. On Tuesday (October 30), Environment Minister conducted a surprise inspection at an under construction underpass in South Delhi’s Mahipalpur area and witnessed clear violation of pollution control norms in the city. Mr Hussain ordered strict action against contractor and imposed a fine of Rs. 5 lakh for not containing dust during construction.

Also Read: Air Pollution In South Delhi: 20 Teams To Patrol 24×7 To Stop Instances Of Leaves And Waste Burning

Also Read: Air Pollution Kills One In 10 Children Under The Age Of Five Globally: WHO Report

On Monday (October 29) too Mr Hussain went on a surprise inspection at construction sites in B-block Industrial Area in Wazirpur, in South Delhi. On reaching the construction site, the Environment Minister along with his inspection team witnessed glaring instances of industrial waste burning at Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land, contributing to the existing levels of pollution in the city. The environment minister straightaway imposed a fine of Rs. 5 lakh on DDA. Mr Hussain also enquired about rampant dumping and burning of waste on a DDA land and asked Environment Marshals to be deployed, to keep a check on open burning of waste.

The minister has ordered the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to impose a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the concerned industrial units, the official told IANS.

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After inspecting the DDA industrial site, the Environment Minister along with his inspection team headed to an under construction site of a mall behind Netaji Subhash Place metro station in North part of Delhi. On inspection, Mr Hussain found that neither were there any arrangements to sprinkle water for settling fine particles, nor was construction material covered. Mr Hussain immediately ordered strict action against the owner, builder and project proponent for failing to meet pollution control norms.

On October 27, Mr Hussain inspected three ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in Burari in North Delhi and found all the three plants to be operational. On top of it, measures like sprinkling of water and covering of construction material were not taken to control the emanation of dust. The previous day, Mr Hussain along with his team surprise visited construction sites at Pragati Maidan where a new International Exhibition cum Conventional Centre, Executive Accommodation blocks and a tunnel are being constructed. The minister found similar violationsof air pollution control norms with no arrangements to sprinkle water and construction material left uncovered. The minister immediately asked DPCC to take action against the violators.

Also Read: No Construction Site Should Be Left Uncovered In Delhi: Environment Minister Imran Hussain

Air Pollution In Delhi Hits ‘Severe’ Mark

As forecasted by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), air quality index (AQI) in Delhi has reached ‘severe’ mark. Currently, AQI is at 401 with PM 2.5 and PM 10 being the major pollutant. Along with Delhi, AQI in Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida, Hapur, Baghpat and Bulandshahr has also touched severe mark.

Also Read: Air Pollution: Breathing In Low Quality Air Can Lead To Stroke, Doctors Warn

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.