New Delhi: The air quality in and around the national capital has reached the ‘very poor’ category and some areas of Delhi have reached the ‘hazardous’ category. On Saturday, the average air quality index in Delhi was close to 305 which indicates a very poor category.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) was measured at 350 in Anand Vihar, 340 in Mathura Road area and 392 in Noida. The Air Quality Management Commission has taken strict steps in view of the increasing air pollution in Delhi-NCR. In the National Capital Region, the commission has issued orders for closure of 24 industrial units violating the rules and guidelines related to air pollution.
The commission’s team has issued instructions for the closure of 45 coal based industrial units in Rajasthan. 32 coal based units (9 in Haryana and 23 in UP) have been permanently closed. 48 units (8 in Haryana and 40 in UP) have temporarily suspended their operations till they convert to the approved fuel.
With the main objective of reducing the level of air pollution in NCR, the Commission has intensified field inspections through Flying Squads. The Commission has said that since the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Phase-I from October 6, a total of 472 covert inspections have been conducted in industrial areas and construction projects in the NCR and 52 violating units and projects have been closed down. Orders have been issued for the closure of 24 industrial units that violate wildly. Five of these industrial units were still using coal as fuel.
The Commission is also monitoring the compliance of instructions relating to C&D projects. As per norms, C&D projects on plot of more than 500 square meters are required to register on a web portal for remote online monitoring besides complying with various instructions of CAQM, rules and guidelines relating to dust mitigation measures. The Commission has issued directions for closure of 28 project sites as they have not yet registered themselves on the web portal and violated the dust control norms and related guidelines.
