Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain today directed various land owning agencies in the city to speed up vigil at sites under their jurisdiction to prosecute offenders who violate norms by burning leaves, garbage etc in the open during winter months.
Hussain, who held a meeting today with all concerned agencies including DDA, MCDs, and Revenue Department, expressed his concern that most of them have not taken adequate action to prosecute violators.
In a statement, government said that during the meeting, the municipal corporations were also not in a position to cite a single instance where the sanitary staff or horticulture staff has been held responsible for failing to take action against the burning of leaf/waste/plastic material in the open.
In the meeting, the minister also directed DDA and Delhi Metro to increase vigil at the sites under their jurisdiction and prosecute the offenders.
Hussain observed that all the land owning agencies need to speed up action against the violators in the winter season especially from December to February when due to foggy conditions, the tendency to develop smog in the atmosphere increases which adversely impacts the environment and human beings.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has already put complete prohibition on burning of garbage, dry leaves, waste, plastic, rubber etc and has also directed for complying with dust control measure norms at construction sites.
Land Owning Agencies in Delhi can impose a fine of Rs 5,000 on persons found burning leaf/waste/plastic material in the open and fine upto Rs 5 lakh on the owners/builders who are found not following the dust control measures while carrying out construction activity.
In the meeting, Hussain observed that people need to join fight against pollution and emphasized the need for active public participation for effectively combating pollution.
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