Air Quality panel orders immediate closure of NCR industries not running gas or cleaner fuels despite having infrastructure

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 7

The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Wednesday issued directions for immediate closure of all industries where PNG infrastructure and supply are available but they have still not switched over to the PNG.

As per the directions of the Commission, these violating industries/ industrial units will not be permitted to schedule their operations till December 12. 

The position will be reviewed for further decisions, according to an official statement.

“Despite measures taken in different sectors towards the improvement of air quality of Delhi-NCR, the air quality still remains in ‘Very Poor’ to ‘Severe’ category. Keeping in view the need to enforce strict actions against the deteriorating air quality of the region, the commission believes that there is an urgent need to take further preventive measures, as a matter of extreme emergency and abundant caution,” it said.

The CAQM has also deputed flying squads for field visits and rigorous inspections of different sites contributing to the deteriorating air quality of Delhi-NCR and reporting their compliance of the directions.

The Commission is reviewing the progress on daily basis by holding the review meetings with the flying squads to take stock of the situation and take necessary punitive actions against the violators, it said.