JOIN US500 buildings penalised for ignoring dust control
More than 500 properties have been penalised by the Delhi government for violating dust control norms in the last one and a half months.
The violators include 39 construction companies including government projects like Delhi Metro, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and National Buildings Construction Companies (NBCC). The action was taken during an inspection at 70 sites by six teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Commitee (DPCC) recently.
Besides this, the municipal corporations have taken action against a total of 507 properties for contributing to dust emission.
According to the figures with the Delhi Government’s Environment department, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), North Corporation (NDMC), and East (EDMC) have challaned 353, 143, and 11 such properties and submitted a total fine of more than Rs 59 lakh to the department.
A fine of Rs 50,000 was imposed on each of these, Environment Secretary Ashwani Kumar said.
“Dust from construction activity is one of the main contributors to Delhi’s toxic air. The department is serious about controlling pollution and the action was in pursuance with the guidelines issued to us by the National Green Tribunal,” he said.
Noting that dust emissions from rampant and unregulated construction activity, transportation of construction material, construction debris waste and mining activity could have “dangerous dimensions”, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in April ordered its complete halt in Delhi and the National Capital Region, including Gurgaon and Noida, that does not adhere to the environment norms.
The bench had ruled that any owner or builder who violates regulations would be fined Rs 50,000. Besides, those found violating norms while transporting construction debris or material would have to pay a penalty of Rs 5,000, it added.
According to the current environment impact assessment guidelines, storing of construction material on roads is banned, scaffolding around building is to be covered with tarpaulin, construction material must be covered on the site and also during transportation and workers should be provided dust marks during their working hours.
Also, acting tough against the construction companies, the environment department had recently decided to have “project specific” air quality norms, depending on the nature and size of the construction.
“The companies will be asked to form their own environment management teams to address the issue and also for water requirement and other environmental parameters of the project,” the official said.
Similarly, more than 50 people have been penalised over complaints of biomass/garbage and leaves burning in the capital in the last one month.
These cases are mostly from East Delhi as the department has not yet received data from the North and South corporations. The DPCC is planning to link these inspections and efforts with the Delhi government’s ‘swacch Delhi campaign’ where people can complain about leaves burning and violators of dust control norms.
The government has also decided to crack down on those operating batch mixing plants, thus contributing to dust emission.
An intensive drive in this connection has been started.