Construction ban lifted, all trucks can enter Delhi but air now worse
New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday lifted the restrictions on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR and the entry of trucks in the national capital considering what it said was an improvement in the air quality in light of a favourable meteorological forecast.
The panel noted that the air quality index in Delhi has improved from the very poor category and has consistently been in the poor category for the last three days.
This came even as Delhi's air quality slipped back into the "very poor" category on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board Bulletin. The monitoring agency said that Noida (303) and Ghaziabad (324) also recorded "very poor" air whereas Faridabad (289), Gurugram (284) and Greater Noida (290) recorded "poor" air.
"Construction and demolition (C&D) activities in NCR shall now be permitted, with immediate effect subject to persons and agencies undertaking C&D activities strictly complying with dust control norms and directions issued under the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules and CPCB guidelines in this regard," an order issued by the air quality panel directed, adding, "Entry of trucks to Delhi, which hitherto was only selectively permitted, would be permitted with immediate effect till further orders."
Reasoning the lifting of restrictions, the CAQM said that the India Meteorological Department's forecast indicated that the favourable trend of wind speed would continue and climatic conditions to facilitate dispersion of pollutants from the region will be favourable.
The central air quality panel had on Friday last allowed authorities in Delhi-NCR to resume physical classes for students in classes 6 and above, colleges and other educational institutions with immediate effect. It had also said that physical classes for students up to class 5 can begin from December 27.
It had also more recently allowed more categories of construction and demolition activities from the ban. The Commission and the Delhi government have been receiving several petitions from those running construction operations asking for the ban to be lifted.
Announcing the lifting of restrictions, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday asked al construction and demolition sites to strictly adhere to the 14-point anti-dust and anti-pollution measures — which include installation of sprinklers, anti-smog guns, covering debris among others. He said that the Delhi government's night patrols and field teams will keep conducting physical checks of construction sites to ensure compliance with all norms and penalise them if found violating.
