Environment Ministry ask states to strictly implement measures

Admitting that the enforcement of rules for tackling air pollution is "weak", the Environment Ministry today asked states to "strictly" implement a host of measures, including checking spread of fly ash from Delhi's Badarpur plant and shutting down of old brick kilns.
Faced with "severe" air pollution problem in Delhi, Union Environment Secretary A N Jha today held a review meeting with secretaries of NCR states, where the latter unanimously agreed that there is a "compelling" requirement to take immediate measures to control air pollution.
During the meeting, the possibility of imposing a condition during the environment clearance granted to major projects located in Punjab for contribution of funds under CSR towards control of stubble burning was also agreed upon.

Jha said crop burning has been controlled in almost all states except Punjab where large scale burning has been reported and during the meeting Punjab has assured that it will make efforts to check it.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will also develop an App immediately to report burning of garbage, biomass, dry leaves, including landfill fires and all states agencies will be linked to it which will provide information on fires arising from crop burning.
"Last year in December, CPCB had instructed states on 42 points (to tackle air pollution). There were short, medium and long term measures. After issuing these orders, five or six meetings have already been held at the ministerial as well as CPCB level. Many steps have been taken.

"There are many areas where much more needs to be done. Special focus needs to be given on enforcement of these orders. Because enforcement mechanism is still weak, states have been asked to make enforcement stricter and take whatever steps which needs to be taken," Jha told reporters.

Jha was referring to the directions issued by CPCB under Section 18(1)(b) Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 on December 29, 2015 and again on November 2 this year to 22 local bodies of NCR which the states agreed to strictly enforce.
The directions covered a series of action points, including control of vehicular emissions, road dust, air pollution from bio-mass burning, industrial air pollution among others.

"Delhi government has been asked to regulate and check the fly ash, accumulated over an area of 280 acre, coming out of the Badarpur plant. We will also issue orders to NTPC so that while transportation whatever fly ash is going into the atmosphere, it stops.
"Delhi government has also assured us that it will immediately come out with an plan of action to utilise the money available with it from the collection of environmental tax and one per cent cess for steps to improve the environment," Jha said.