All unpaved roads in Delhi and the National Capital Region will be fully paved by August 2020, said Union Environment Ministry Secretary C.K. Mishra at a press conference here on Monday.
He also warned of a “huge crackdown” on industries and construction work over the next fortnight and promised “intense monitoring” to keep sources of local pollution in the city under check until December 31.
Mr. Mishra was speaking at the press conference after chairing a meeting with officials from Haryana, Punjab and U.P. governments. The meeting was also attended by representatives from the Union Ministries of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Affairs, Power and Petroleum. Such meetings involving the Environment Ministry and States are routine, particularly in winter when the national capital grapples with high levels of pollution.
Mr. Mishra’s commitment to get all roads paved comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court summoning Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and Delhi over pollution in the Delhi-NCR and expressing concern over the role of stubble burning in worsening the region’s air quality.
‘Intesified action’
“Unfavourable meteorology is a major cause for Delhi’s pollution and we have had a spate of bad days recently. We have taken intensified action and intense monitoring of pollution activities is on. Deliberate omission by industries and construction will be punished,” Mr. Mishra added.
