EPCA lifts ‘emergency’ measures as quality of air turns better : The Tribune India

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EPCA lifts ‘emergency’ measures as quality of air turns better

NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) today withdrew the ban on construction activities, entry of trucks and enhanced parking fees from across Delhi-NCR as air quality remained out of the ''emergency'' category for the second straight day.

EPCA lifts ‘emergency’ measures as quality of air turns better

Foreign tourists wearing pollution masks in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: Mukesh Aggarwal



New Delhi, November 16

The Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) today withdrew the ban on construction activities, entry of trucks and enhanced parking fees from across Delhi-NCR as air quality remained out of the 'emergency' category for the second straight day.

The measures, part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), were enforced on November 8 after pollution levels had spiked, hitting the emergency category, accompanied by thick smog.

The hike in parking fees to discourage use of private vehicles was rendered "ineffective" due to lack of public transport and laxity in acting against illegal parking, says the EPCA.

But the EPCA lifted the measure today citing "problems" in its effective enforcement, which has led to parking on the roads, adding to traffic congestion.

EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal wrote to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana this morning, directing them that the measures be lifted with "immediate effect" as the prevailing air quality does not warrant such tough action.

However, measures enforced under the GRAP's 'severe' category including the closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers will remain, the EPCA said.

"We are watching the situation very carefully and we have been informed by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology that pollution may rise again because of increased moisture in the air in the coming days.

"However, if the conditions continue to improve and air quality stabilises, we will review the measures under the 'Severe' category and inform you accordingly," Bhure Lal wrote. 

The National Green Tribunal today directed the Delhi Government to submit data of ambient air quality in the national Capital and said it would consider its ban on construction and industrial activity in the NCR on that basis.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said it would take up the matter tomorrow and till then its order would be in force.

During the brief hearing, the AAP government told the bench that water was sprinkled at ITO area according to its direction and PM 2.5 levels had come down as detected by the monitoring centre of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

The bench refused to pass any order, saying there was no urgency and no builder would be starting construction activity tonight. 

Implement measures under GRAP: Govt  

The Delhi Government has written to the EPCA requesting to "advise" cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) to implement measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including the odd-even scheme.

Implementation of the action plan measures within the city would not be of much effect unless similar measures were adopted by NCR, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot wrote to Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) chairman Bhure Lal yesterday.

The air pollution levels in NCR, that assumed alarming proportions last week, also affected millions of residents in cities, including Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, besides the national Capital.

"Unless the GRAP is implemented across all the NCR towns, pollution levels in Delhi as well as the neighbouring towns cannot be brought down," Gahlot said, asking the EPCA to "advise" the implementation of the action plan measures by them.

The measures, part of the GRAP, were enforced on November 8 after pollution levels spiked, hitting the 'emergency' category, accompanied by thick smog.

The Delhi Government was eager to implement the odd-even scheme from November 13, but it is unable to do so in view of the National Green Tribunal order not exempting women and two-wheelers, the minister said. — PTI 

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