DPCC issues SOP for fair calculation of environmental compensation in construction projects

New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has issued a standard operating procedure for officials to assess environmental compensation in cases where the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has ordered closure of construction and demolition projects for violations.

The move follows recent directives from the CAQM, which asked state pollution boards to verify the actual number of violation days through inspection and credible evidence before levying compensation.

On July 29, the Commission further directed that documentary evidence submitted by project proponents be duly considered to ensure realistic and fair calculation of charges.

According to the SOP, DPCC officials will take into account inspection reports signed by authorised officers, email or postal correspondence of compliance submissions, geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs certified by the project proponent and logbooks or invoices verified by site in-charges.

Project proponents will also be required to submit notarised undertakings along with their documents.

The DPCC has mandated that its officials verify such records through site inspections within three days of receipt.

The committee also announced plans to develop IT tools for random validation of evidence, including forensic audits of photographs and other documents in digital form. The committee's IT Cell will carry out such checks to detect discrepancies and strengthen compliance monitoring. PTI NSM NSM AMJ AMJ