Night patrols set up to monitor compliance to pollution control norms in Delhi

Each team will have three-four members drawn from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), and action will be taken if violation is found, Rai said

Separate night patrols have been set up for each of the 11 districts of the national capital to monitor compliance to pollution control norms for construction-related activities, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said Saturday.

He also said his department has received applications from multiple agencies seeking resumption of construction and demolition activities in Delhi.

Applications have been received by the transport department also for plying of trucks, he said. "Only after approval by Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), phase-wise resumption of activities will be considered."

"Besides regular teams doing inspection, separate district-wise teams for night patrolling have been set up for all 11 districts to check compliance to pollution control norms in connection with construction-related activities,” Rai told reporters.

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Each team will have three-four members drawn from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), and action will be taken if violation is found, he said.

Rai had said on Friday the DPCC fined the National Buildings Construction Corporation Rs 1 crore for violating the ban imposed on construction activities to curb air pollution in the city.

The pollution body had also ordered the construction agency to stop work at its Netaji Shubhash Nagar site immediately.

Pollution level after Diwali has increased, but there has been continuous improvement in air quality lately so as per the guidelines of the CAQM, schools for students in classes 6 and above have been opened, he said on Saturday.

For children in classes 1-5, decision will be taken according to the situation, he said.

The CAQM had on Friday said the ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR will continue, with some exceptions, till further orders.

Railway and metro services, airports, interstate bus terminals, national security-related activities, projects of national importance, healthcare facilities, linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, power transmission, pipelines, and sanitation and public utility projects have been exempted.

The CAQM had said the exemptions are subject to strict compliance to dust control norms.

On a question on the resumption of plying of trucks, he said, "We have received a request from the transport department, and it has been sent to the CAQM, which is the decision-making body. We will decide our action plan accordingly as per the decision of the commission."

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