Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday said the city government will do more than what has been prescribed by the Centre’s air quality panel to curb air pollution in the capital in winter.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting with officials from around 30 concerned departments, he said specific tasks have been given to each department and they have been asked to submit a final plan to fight air pollution in Delhi in winter by September 15.
The Department of Environment will oversee the implementation of the interventions to mitigate winter pollution.
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The action plan will focus on stubble management, dust pollution, vehicular emission, open burning of garbage, industrial pollution, green war room and Green Delhi mobile application, pollution hotspots, real-time apportionment study, smog tower, e-waste parks, plantation, eco-farming, public participation, firecrackers and joint action with neighbouring states.
"We have also started working on the implementation of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). We will do more than what has been prescribed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)," Rai said.
The CAQM had recently released a comprehensive policy to manage air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
The revamped GRAP — a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in Delhi and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation — will come into force from October 1, 15 days before the usual date, according to the CAQM.
The revised plan focuses on proactive implementation of curbs based on forecasts and restrictions can be imposed up to three days in advance.
Rai further said the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been asked to submit a report on the working of the Connaught Place smog tower which became operational in August last year.
