MCD crackdown on violators of air pollution norms

A thick layer of smog covers the South Block and North Block as the overall air quality in the national capital (ANI Photo/Ishant)


In a crackdown on polluters amid unprecedented pollution in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has issued 77 challans against open burning of waste, imposing fines of up to Rs 65,000 during the last two days.

Coming down hard on those who violate air pollution norms relating to construction and demolition, the civic body has issued 91 challans and imposed a fine of Rs Rs 11.8 lakh.

Leaving no stone unturned in its effort towards containing air pollution, the MCD stepped up surveillance at pollution hotspots, with 517 teams manned with 1119 officers, the civic body said on Saturday.

The civic body is strictly implementing the Winter Action Plan (WAP)-2023-24 and taking stern action against the defaulters across Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has identified various micro sources of air pollution related to different agencies with respect to the air pollution hotspots.

Accordingly, actions are being undertaken by nodal officers, who are Deputy Commissioner of different zones, along with various stakeholder departments to combat air pollution in the vicinity of hotspots.

A total of 504 sites have been registered on the DPCC web Portal and these sites are being regularly monitored by zonal teams constituted to check construction and demolition activities.

During the last month, MCD teams have intercepted various violations on the ground that generated pollution.

In the month of October month, the civic body issued fines amounting to Rs 34 lakh at the construction and demolition sites for violating the norms.

The civic body informed about stern actions against violation of dust norms at construction sites, where fines to the tune of Rs 25 lakhs were imposed and activities put a halt by the corporation, under the anti-pollution drive.

At the same time, the civic body deployed a total of 60 anti-smog guns(ASGs) at different locations, including 12 at Anand Vihar, 6 at Mundka, 6 at Wazirpur, 6 at Punjabi Bagh and more of them at the pollution hotspots across the city.

The number of water sprinklers has also been increased across the city in view of settling dust that adds to the ongoing problem.