In the past six months, 67 big construction projects around the Capital have been fined a total of Rs.1.18 crore for flouting dust-control norms by the Delhi Pollution Control Board (DPCB), which issued 139 notices to these sites.
The projects, which include 14 sites of the Delhi Metro, are all above 20,000 sqm in size and have been the focus of the DPCB’s crackdown on dust pollution.
Delhi Environment and Forest Minister Imran Hussain, who on Monday held a meeting to review the pollution-control actions, however, was unhappy with the progress made by the municipal corporations.
Hefty fines allowed
As per orders of the National Green Tribunal, the municipal corporations are supposed to issue Rs.50,000 fines against construction sites causing dust pollution and Rs.5,000 challans against the burning of garbage/leaves.
The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has issued a total of 533 challans, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation issued 745 challans and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has issued 253 challans against construction sites for dust pollution.
The Delhi government’s Public Works Department, which is empowered to take action against construction sites with built-up area between 400 to 20,000 square metres, has issued 67 challans and collected Rs.8.65 lakh.
Mr. Hussain said that he was not happy with the action taken by the corporations with regard to both construction sites and garbage/leaf burning.
He ordered the representatives of the civic bodies to give presentations with photos of inspections conducted at the sites at the next review meeting.
Stringent action
The corporations had been earlier asked to make sure that everyone that had got a building plan sanctioned in the past two years was made aware of the dust control norms. The SDMC has written to 1,445 such people/agencies, NDMC to 2,072 and EDMC to 449.
The Traffic Police said that they ahve initiated 206 prosecutions against vehicles carrying uncovered building material as per sections of the Motor Vehicles Act from January till May.
Civic bodies can issue Rs.50,000 fines against construction sites caught causing dust pollution
