Why shouldn’t you be fined? DPCC asks Parl, SC

The pollution panel of the Delhi government — Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), has issued notices to the construction projects of Parliament and the Supreme Court demanding explanation on why fines amounting to Rs 50,000 not be slapped on them for polluting the air in their ongoing construction activities. 

In a drive since last week of October, notices were issued to 38 major construction projects in the national Capital out of which eight had admitted the fault and deposited the penalty.

“The reply is yet to come from Parliament’s project while SC has denied the allegations of polluting the air,” said a senior officer of DPCC. 

The notice to Parliament’s project was issued in relation to the undergoing construction at Parliament House Annexe Building while that of SC’s is related to the proposed additional building complex adjoining Pragati Maidan.

“Coarse aggregate does not produce any dust and coarse sand alone is stacked at the site but not for more than one or two days consumption and stored sand cannot be kept covered for long as sand loaders keep on feeding the plant from the sand stack,” said the reply from SC’s ongoing project requesting to reconsider the penalty.

The construction projects which have admitted to the guilt and deposited Rs 50,000 fine include Redevelopment Scheme of Dev Nagar in Karolbagh, Slum Rehabilitation Project at Tikri Kalan (Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board), Group Housing Metro Park at Dwarka, A P Wonder MRTS at Rithala, DCM Group Housing Project at Kishangunj, La Tropicanna Complex at Kyberpass (Delhi Metro) and PNB Headquarters at Dwarka. Besides SC, British School in Chankyapuri also denied allegations while returned back in case of a project of Delhi Armed Police Line at Dwarka. 

Those famous organisations which have not replied in the given time frame include Deen Dayal Upadhayay College, Shaheed Sukhdeve College, Seven Seas Hospitality Hotel, Aloft Aerocity Hotel, Hindu College, JMJ Hotel, Vegas Mall in Dwarka, Parsvnath Mall in Rohini and seven housing projects of DDA.

In the high-level meeting on environment chaired by Delhi’s Environment Minister Imran Hussain on December 4, East MCD emerged as leader in civic bodies in prosecuting real estate projects polluting air with dust.