Delhi's Department of Environment issues anti-pollution guidelines

The Department of Environment, Delhi on Monday issued guidelines for the strict enforcement under relevant provisions of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1981 in the national capital to curb the rise in air pollution covering the city post Diwali celebrations.

According to the guidelines, if any garbage or dry leaves burning is observed, the officer of the concerned jurisdiction will be held personally responsible for such an act.

All land owning agencies and local bodies have to take necessary steps to comply with the directions regarding the stoppage of all construction and demolition activities for five days. All agencies have to submit daily reports on it.

Senior district magistrates and officers of local bodies have been told to comply with the directions for not using generators run on diesel, petrol and kerosene for the next ten days.

On Monday, the Public Works Department (PWD) began sprinkling water on roads to curb rising pollution levels.

With visibility on roads showing some sign of improvement on the first day of the week after dust and smog choked the capital, weather and pollution experts hoped that there will be some improvement on Tuesday. Although the ambient air quality measurement showed no significant change in the levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10.

Schools have been shut in the capital and all construction work has also been put on hold in view of dangerous pollution levels.

Following the severe crisis in the national capital which has left residents gasping, the Supreme Court will hear a plea tomorrow on the alarming pollution levels in Delhi.

The Delhi Government has announced several emergency measures to tackle the unprecedented level of pollution plaguing the national capital.