Finally, graded response plan to tackle pollution rolled out

The Delhi government will have to begin cracking down on visibly polluting vehicles, eateries using coal or firewood, and garbage burning and augment transport services as the Graded Response Action Plan to tackle pollution has been rolled out, the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) said on Friday.

The Supreme Court-empowered EPCA held its first meeting on Friday and said Delhi’s air quality was in the “very poor” category, and thus measures outlined in the action plan should be enforced immediately. 

The National Capital Region (NCR) states — Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan — will have to enforce measures to tackle “moderate to poor” levels of air quality, including cracking down on polluting brick kilns, mechanised sweeping of roads, control of dust from construction sites, and monitoring of pollution from thermal power plants. 

Earlier this week, the Centre had notified the Graded Response Action Plan, as part of which a set of fixed measures will kick in when pollution reaches specific levels. According to sources, top officials of the NCR states and Delhi government, and Member Secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) were present in the meeting.

During the meet, EPCA members made several suggestions regarding the enforcement of the action plan. They included an intense two-week drive against visibly polluting vehicles, and a fine of Rs 1,000 for the violators.

The EPCA has also asked the Delhi government to buy smoke detectors with the air ambience fund, so that traffic police can crackdown on visibly polluting vehicles. 

Further, as per the action plan, diesel generator sets will have to be shut down and parking fees will be enhanced when the air quality becomes “very poor”. The EPCA has granted the government some more time to prepare for the measures, and has also suggested that the Centre can enhance fines for illegal parking under the Motor Vehicle Act. It also asked the NCR states to prepare an action plan to stop the use of coal and firewood in the eateries. 

During the meeting, the Delhi government officials said the Badarpur thermal power plant had been shut for the last one month and it will remain shut till January end, unless there was a severe power shortage. 

“Delhi’s air has been better this winter as the Badarpur plant was shut. We are glad that the state officials have already held a meeting to chalk out the enforcement of the plan. It was also discussed that more meetings will be held in NCR districts, such as Ghaziabad or Greater Noida, where all district officers will be invited as well,” said Sunita Narain, EPCA member and Director-General, Centre for Science and Environment. 

Meanwhile, CPCB Member Secretary AB Akolkar informed that a task force has been formed comprising the India Meteorological Department officials, which will issue daily air quality forecasts to EPCA. It will also start three-day forecasts and advisories.

How does the plan work

Emergency category:  When PM10 and PM2.5 — particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometres and 2.5 micrometres, respectively — cross the 500 µg/m3 and 300 µg/m3 marks, entry of trucks into Delhi will be stopped, construction activities will be halted and the Odd-Even scheme for the vehicles will begin. The task force may even ask for shutting down of schools, if required.

Very poor category: When PM10 is from 350-430 µg/m3 and PM 2.5 is from 121-250 µg/m3, use of DG sets will be stopped, parking fees will be increased and use of coal or firewood in hotels and open eateries will be stopped.