In Delhi-NCR, 344 units got closure notices for air pollution since Dec

A centrally mandated authority has shut 344 industries in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) for violating air pollution norms since last December.

In its first round of inspections and fines, the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) flying squad issued closure notices to 484 units or establishments. Apart from industries, 99 construction and demolition (C&D) sites, and 41 diesel generator (DG) sets were issued closure notices by the commission’s Enforcement Task Force (ETF).

According to CAQM data, as of September 30, 8,270 sites had been inspected since December 2021 for enforcement and compliance of statutory directions issued by the commission.

According to the CAQM, major non-compliant units attract immediate closures. Minor violations are referred to State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee for appropriate action under relevant laws.

“Industries, which did not adhere to the pollution norms, attracted closure notices,” said a CAQM official.

After fulfilling the required norms they are allowed to resume operations, the official said.

The highest number of inspection and closure notices was issued in Uttar Pradesh (208). A total of 109 sites in Delhi, 116 in the NCR districts of Haryana, and 51 in NCR areas of Rajasthan received closure notices.

Out of 484 sites, 364 units or establishments — 271 industries, 57 C&D, and 36 DG sets — were allowed to resume operations after levying environmental compensation charges, the CAQM data shows.

Around 50 per cent inspections and closure notices, issued by the department, were recorded between November 2021 and this February. “About half of all the cases come during the four winter months,” said a CAQM official.

These are also the months that witness an increase in instances of stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, which worsens the air quality in Delhi-NCR.

Since December 2021, CAQM has constituted 40 flying squads —12 each for the NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and four for the NCR districts of Rajasthan.

CAQM has also advised the implementing agencies, including the state government authorities, the Central Pollution Control Board and SPCBs, to continue to ensure compliance and strict implementation of its directions.

To keep a lid on pollution, CAQM has also implemented the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from October 1. The environment department will be using a new real-time source apportionment system, which will help identify the sources of air pollution and make the data available from October 20.

Under GRAP, measures such as enforcing a ban on garbage burning and increasing mechanised sweeping, ban on DG sets, halt on construction activities, school closures, prohibition of entry of diesel trucks, etc. are taken depending on the level of pollution.

Earlier, measures under the “very poor” and “severe” categories of GRAP kicked in only when the air quality deteriorated and stayed at prescribed levels for 48 hours. But this year, it would be carried out three days ahead of such events.

Delhi reports 1st stubble burning case

As the paddy harvesting season sets in, the yearly stubble burning cases crossed the 600 mark on Wednesday, with Delhi reporting two cases — a first for the season. In 2021, no cases of stubble burning case were reported in Delhi in October and November.

CAQM has begun implementing GRAP’s “Stage I” as the air quality in the national capital dropped to “poor” on Wednesday with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 211, according to CPCB data.

According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s real-time monitoring of paddy residue burning events, 545 fire counts were recorded in Punjab from September 15 to October 5, while 80 such incidents were detected in Uttar Pradesh, and 48 in Haryana.

On Wednesday, 130 stubble burning cases were reported in Punjab, the highest for the season.