Gurugram: CPCB recommends construction ban from Oct 26-30

Gurugram At a meeting of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) task force on Thursday, recommendations, including a partial ban on construction activities,

Gurugram At a meeting of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) task force on Thursday, recommendations, including a partial ban on construction activities, stone crushing, hot mix plants and earthmoving work from 6am to 6pm, were made to officials of Delhi and NCR towns from October 26 to 30.

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The task force also recommended that all coal-based industries (with the exception of power plants) be shut for the same period in industrial areas of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonepat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Bahadurgarh, while in Delhi, the closure of coal-based industries that have not yet switched over to cleaner fuels has also been recommended.

Other recommendations include impounding visibly polluting vehicles, strict enforcement of Supreme Court directives on firecrackers and deployment of additional manpower to control traffic in high-density corridors.

According to the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, the “next few days will be challenging and in addition to intense actions by implementing agencies, additional preventive measures may be required to check deteriorating air quality.”

An official present at the meeting said, “Air quality is bound to deteriorate sharply over the next few days as a combined result of meteorology and stubble burning, and state governments are advised to implement the task force’s recommendations.”

According to VK Soni of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind speeds will fluctuate over the next few days, with calmer winds in the morning and faster winds in the afternoon. Prevailing easterly winds are expected to change direction on October 27 and fog is expected on October 28.