Continuing its crackdown on major sources of air pollution in the Capital, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has issued notices to 172 ongoing construction projects in the city.
The polluters have been directed to submit reports on the current status of construction and steps being taken by them for compliance of the Ministry of Environment and Forests Guidelines, 2010, on prevention of dust and garbage accumulation on their sites.
They will also have to submit adherence reports, stated a release issued by the Delhi Government.
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“It has been found that though these projects had obtained prior environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (Government of India) or from State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Delhi, but subsequently the mandatory Consent to Operate clearance was not sought from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee,’’ noted the release.
Environment Minister Asim Ahmed Khan said that the existing situation of these projects gives rise to reasonable apprehension that they are either still in construction stage or have completed construction/became operational without the mandatory Consent to Operate guidelines.
He has also directed the officials to follow the steps being taken to penalise those responsible for burning of garbage, leaves and plastic in the open, another main source of air pollution.
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The Minister has sought a presentation report on steps that could be taken to reduce air pollution caused by open construction activity and is scheduled to take up the matter with the civic agency to draw up a joint comprehensive plan comprising of awareness programmes and punitive measures to check the growing sources of air pollution in the Capital.