Truck ban extended, industries yet to go clean to be shut till Dec 12

New Delhi: Even as the air quality in the Capital improved to the "poor" category on Tuesday — for the first time in days, the Delhi government extended its ban on trucks entering Delhi — barring CNG and e-trucks and those carrying essential commodities.

Moreover, intensifying its stance against polluting industries, the Commission of Air Quality Management in the NCR and Adjoining Areas directed the immediate closure of all such industries in the NCR that have not yet switched to cleaner fuels despite having the capacity to do so.

As for the truck ban, the Delhi government had extended the ban till December 7 but now government officials have said that the CAQM directions have banned trucks till further notice and so the ban would be extended until further orders. And even as builders plead for a hearing in the Supreme Court against the ban on construction activities — barring a few non-polluting ones — this ban too will continue in the NCR until further orders of the Commission for Air Quality Management. In its official statement, the CAQM expressed concern over the 'very poor' air quality in the capital and NCR. "Despite the measures taken in different sectors towards improvement of air quality in Delhi-NCR, the air quality still remains in the 'very poor' to 'severe' category," it said.

"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," the CAQM added.

The CAQM said violating industries/industrial units will not be permitted to operate till December 12, 2021 and the position will be reviewed for further decisions.

"There is an emergent need for preventive measures, as a matter of extreme emergency, to prevent further deterioration in air quality. Flying Squads of CAQM will launch special drives and inspect sites to ensure compliance," the commission said. "Strict enforcement of the commission's directions to be ensured and closely monitored by the respective state governments and government of Delhi," it said.

Note: An earlier version of this story and the print version in the Dec 8 edition was mistakenly headlined that industries will be shut from December 12. The industries are meant to be shut till December 12. The inadvertent error in the headline has been corrected and is deeply regretted.