Delhi: Jung orders hefty fines, work suspension for polluters

Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Friday asked authorities to heavily penalise those failing to pay challans for flouting pollution norms.

Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Friday asked authorities to heavily penalise those failing to pay challans for flouting pollution norms.

Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Friday asked authorities to heavily penalise those failing to pay challans for flouting pollution norms.(Hindustan Times)

The L-G has formed a committee, comprising the three municipal commissioners, to prepare a comprehensive plan for cleanliness and to check unauthorised constructions. This plan report has to be submitted by December 2.

The decisions came at the third review meeting to discuss the condition of air pollution where the L-G said PM2.5 levels and PM 10 level have come down by 1/4th and 1/3rd from November 15 to 24 respectively.

The meeting was attended by PWD minister Satyendar Jain, environment minister Imran Hussain and other officials.

During the meeting, Jung asked the MCDs and Delhi Police to ensure that Delhi Pollution Control Committee guidelines are strictly followed to wherever construction was going on and violators strictly dealt with and penalised.

“Those failing to pay challans should be penalised and their work should be stopped by the agencies concerned,” Jung said.

The DPCC has been asked to share the database of construction sites with agencies concerned so that they can be monitored.

All three municipal commissioners were also asked to hold meetings on air pollution every month and to work out a plan to regulate entry of construction material in their areas.

In the meeting, CSE director-general Sunita Narain said that there was no evidence to suggest that construction sites are the primary cause of pollution in Delhi, a release stated.

“Narain made the comment in the context of NGT’s recent observations of a possible ban on construction in the region. The lawyer for Delhi government, who was also in the meeting, said construction was the cause for nearly one-third of Delhi’s pollution.

“Narain said that it is not true and the focus should be on dust control measures, as dust may also emanate from combustion,” Anumita Roychowdhury of CSE, who was also present in the meeting, said.

Action taken so far

27,798 vehicles have been checked at the Delhi borders, out of which 6,051 have been turned back from November 7 to 24

4,464 vehicles have been challaned for not carrying Pollution Under Control Certificates between November 7-24

55 diesel vehicles, which are more than 15 years old, have been impounded

32 units of polluting factories in industrial areas and 163 in redevelopment areas has been closed by DPCC