E-Paper
Dust emission from construction activities, garbage dumping major culprits
New Delhi
New Delhi
Dust emission from construction and demolition activities, garbage dumping and unpaved roads and pits were found to be the major causes of pollution as air quality in Delhi plunged into the ‘severe’ zone on Wednesday.
New Delhi district topped construction and demolition-related complaints accounting for 10.6% of the total such violations while Northeast was highest in terms of dumping of waste at 18.3 %.
East district accounted for the highest complaints of unswept roads at 21.8% and Southwest reported the most complaints of unpaved roads and pits at 10.7%, according to data collated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) during a drive undertaken between October 7 and October 27.
Measures such as mechanised cleaning and sprinkling of water on major roads to curb dust emission came into effect in Delhi on October 15 as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap).
Of the total 1,452 complaints of violations lodged with CPCB during the drive, at least 446 were construction-related. Open dumping of waste followed with 335 complaints, unpaved roads and pits with 196 and road dust accounted for 133 violations.
South district was the second major violator in terms of unpaved roads and pits, reporting 10.2% of the total such complaints followed by the Northwest and East districts, which together accounted for 8.2%.
A total of 108 complaints were of waste burning. Of these, the maximum instances were from North district at 11.1% followed by Northwest and Northeast districts, together contributing to 10.2%.
As many as 46 teams from CPCB have been carrying out inspections across Delhi-NCR against polluting activities. “This is the second year in a row when construction-related activities as well as dumping of construction debris were found to be the major violators. We have been issuing notices to such agencies and taking necessary action,” said a senior CPCB official.
Last year, the inspection teams found that nearly 50% of the total violations were of open storage of construction material and dumping of demolition debris.
According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a penalty ranging from Rs 5,000 to 50,000 could be levied for violation of dust-control norms at construction sites depending on the area.
“We pick up 600 metric tonnes of C&D debris daily anyway, even when it is not winter or Grap is not in force. As per rules, project managers at big construction sites like Pragati Maidan must arrange for disposal of their own C&D debris, including making recycled products like bricks and tiles. Those generating smaller amounts of C&D waste have to deposit it at our 87 authorised sites or JE (Junior Engineer) stores or at the Burari C&D recycling plant. While government agencies like the DSIIDC, PWD and Irrigation and Flood Control are depositing debris at our legal sites, the public is still not doing it,” said Pradeep Bansal, senior engineer, North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
