As GRAP kicks in, civic bodies intensify anti-pollution drives

The south corporation has intensified its anti-pollution drive and issued 134 challans to violators in the last couple of days amounting to over Rs 6 lakh, officials said.

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) that prescribes ways to combat pollution came into force in the Delhi-NCR region on October 15.

"Since the start of GRAP, the SDMC has intensified its efforts to curb violations. In the last two days, strict action been taken and challans issued for burning of solid waste, garbage, dry leaves, and plastic, rubber and construction activities in all four zones," the SDMC said in a statement.

In South Zone of the SDMC, 93 challans were issued for violations under solid waste management laws and construction and air pollution under NGT Act amounting to over Rs 4.55 lakh, it said.

Ninety-eight sites have been inspected to check burning of garbage and dry leaves, the corporation said.

In all, total 134 challans amounting to Rs 6,05,700 were issued in the four zones.

In East Delhi, BJP MP and city unit chief Manoj Tiwari and MP Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday flagged off 40 water sprinkling tankers, two super-sucker machines, six suction-cum-jetting machines, four auto-mounted litter picker machines, in an attempt to reduce pollution levels in the city.

The machines have been purchased from funds allocated under Swachh Bharat Mission by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the EDMC said.

The cost of one water sprinkling system with the capacity of 9000 litter is Rs 24.40 lakh. More than 50 different machines have been declared operational, it said in a statement.

Chairman Standing Committee of the NDMC, Jai Prakash also on Wednesday launched a water sprinkling drive of the corporation to check dust pollution, at Ramlila Maidan.

Meanwhile, at the EDMC function, some of the teachers, whose appointments have reportedly been cancelled crowded around Tiwari and expressed their grievances.

Tiwari also said that the entire case is "doubtful" and either some officers are hatching conspiracy to defame BJP or scope for corruption is being created, Delhi BJP said in statement.

He also demanded intervention of the Lt Governor so that all the teachers may get appointment letters, the party said.