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Pollution body gets 3k complaints on social media, app in 10 days
Most complaints relate to violation of norms at construction and demolition sites, dumping of garbage, open burning of waste.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the country’s apex pollution control body, has received more than 3,000 complaints through its social media accounts, email and mobile app, from citizens relating to violations of green norms that is adding to the deteriorating air quality of the national capital.
We have received more than 3,000 complaints on our social media accounts, through emails and the Sameer app between November 1 and November 10. More complaints are pouring in everyday,” said a senior CPCB official.
Most of these complaints relate to violation of norms at construction and demolition sites, dumping of garbage and open burning of garbage.
The social media accounts were opened from November 1 after Supreme Court directions. The Supreme Court had on October 29 directed the Central Pollution Control Board to create a social media website or account where people could give information and file complaints about air pollution.
“The complaints which were lodged during the 10-day period were forwarded to the Centrestate joint teams that are moving across Delhi and four NCR towns for taking action. Out of the 3,116 complaints, at least 1,776 have already been resolved. The rest are being resolved with the help of government agencies, such as civic bodies,” said the official.
The Central Pollution Control Board has been sending out 41 teams between September 15 and October 31 across Delhi and in the four NCR towns – Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Gurugram – to flag violations of green norms at least twice a week. From November 1 till November 10, when the Union environment ministry organized the Clean Air Campaign, joint teams were formed and their number was increased to 52. The frequency of visits was also raised from two days a week to at least five days a week.
From November 11, the number of teams deployed was again brought down to 41.
Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan had recently said that even though complaints against violations of green norms were pouring in, the agencies had failed to take action in most cases. He even said that the “implementation score” was less than 10% in Delhi. The minister had asked to initiate criminal proceedings against any government agency that failed to take action even after being informed.
“We have deployed 41 teams across Delhi. Plans are on to increase the frequency of visits. Government agencies have also been asked to initiate actions against polluters and address the complaints. Each and every complaint is being tracked and monitored by the senior official of the CPCB,” said the official.
