Urgency of crisis demands quick action
Returning from a month-long holiday in the US, I was immediately struck by the urgency of the pollution crisis as I landed in Delhi, past midnight this week.
As Delhi’s air quality reeled under “emergency or severe-plus” category, the Union Environment Ministry on Thursday formed a seven-member committee to work out short and long -term measures to fight air pollution.
The Union Ministry held a meeting headed by Environment Secretary CK Mishra along with the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) chairman Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain, along with officials from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The seven-member committee which will be headed by Environment Secretary Mishra also includes Secretary Science and Technology Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary Department of Biotechnology Prof K. Vijay Raghavan, Chairman CPCB S.P. Singh Parihar, Chief Secretary, Delhi MM Kutty.
Advertisement
Besides, Additional Secretary, Niti Aayog and representative of Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy will also be part of the team.
“The team will meet at regular, short intervals to draw up a plan and ensure enforcement,” an Environment Ministry statement said here.
A decision was taken at the meeting to request respective state governments to fully implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) including control of road and construction dust, garbage burning, control of power plants and industrial emissions, entry of vehicles and several other related factors, the Ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry also decided to hold the respective implementing agencies accountable in case the directions are not enforced. CPCB has been asked to continuously monitor the situation.
Advertisement
