Coming at last, new study to identify sources of pollution in Delhi

The Indian Express had on November 27 reported that the data being relied to identify pollution sources is seven years old.  The report had highlighted that even as a new study to conduct a source-apportionment study was completed in 2023, the Capital’s clean-air action plan, which issues directions to various departments on anti-pollution measures, has not been updated since 2018.

The  2023 study was not accepted by the government.

“One important and unfortunate fact I want to highlight is that the last source apportionment study was done in 2018,” Sirsa said.

The Minister’s announcement comes after the Prime Minister’s Office had directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)– the top pollution watchdog– on October 23 to expedite preparation of a new emissions inventory and source-apportionment studies for Delhi-NCR.

Noting that earlier governments in the Capital carried out anti-pollution drives by relying on old lists, which had identified only 13 pollution hotspots, the Minister said that Delhi Police has now identified 62 “high-traffic” pollution hubs.

The Minister also announced that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) will hire 100 surveyors to carry out a year-long door-to-door audit of roads, potholes and understand dust-mitigation status. The survey will include a third-party inspection to verify whether departmental reports on road upkeep and dust control are accurate.

Alongside this, he said District Magistrates (DMs) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Divisional Commissioners have been instructed to carry out a seven-day survey of all industrial areas including legal, resettlement and non-conforming pockets, to list polluting units and identify industries operating illegally.

On action taken, the Minister said 750 construction-site inspections have been carried out, 556 notices issued and penalties worth Rs 7 crore imposed, with 48 sites ordered shut.

In the last two days, 230 inspections were conducted across departments including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), resulting Rs 1 crore in penalties even for government entities, he said.

Sirsa said challans for vehicle-emission violations under Pollution Under Control (PUC) rules have doubled compared to last year. “Last year till this time 4,33,000 challans had been issued. This year, we have issued nearly 7,97,000 PUC challans..approximately 8 lakh.”

A total of 1,823 enforcement teams are deployed for dust and burning violations, while 536 challans were issued for dust mitigation failures and 633 for open burning, the minister said.

According to him, thousands of heaters have also been distributed across 1,407 Resident Welfare Associations( RWAs), as part of a drive to distribute 10,000 heaters citywide so that labourers and security guards can keep warm and do not have to light bonfires.

He added that orders have been passed under the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s direction against biomass burning, with Delhi Police, MCD and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) instructed to take stringent action against defaulters.

Sirsa also said that the Environment department is additionally funding 1,000 litter pickers and 100 new Mechanical Road Sweepers (MRS), including compact machines for roads below 60 feet wide. According to a senior CAQM official, the move will democratise road cleaning and water sprinkling activities in unauthorised colonies as well as in areas with narrow lanes.