Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reviews Ghaziabad, Noida action plans to curb air pollution

New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday chaired a high-level review of the action plans of Ghaziabad and Noida to curb air pollution, directing strict action against industrial units that fail to install online emission monitoring systems by the December 31 deadline.

This was the first review under a planned series of city-specific assessments in the National Capital Region, which will culminate in a state-level review in the coming days, the ministry said in a statement.

Senior officers from Ghaziabad and Noida made detailed presentations on steps taken so far.

The review focused on key areas such as traffic management to reduce vehicular emissions, compliance of industrial units with pollution norms, expansion of electric vehicle fleets and charging infrastructure, strengthening public transport and parking facilities and improving the management of construction and demolition waste and municipal solid waste.

The minister also reviewed measures to control road dust, including paving of roads, deployment of mechanical road sweeping machines, use of anti-smog guns and water sprinklers, and greening of pathways and open spaces.

Public participation initiatives, including awareness campaigns and app-based grievance redressal systems, were also assessed.

Yadav took an update from the Central Pollution Control Board on the installation of Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems in remaining industrial units.

He directed that the December 31 deadline be strictly enforced and said stringent action must be taken against non-compliant units.

Pollution control boards were also asked to inspect polluting industries in peri-urban areas and ensure corrective measures.

The minister requested the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR to further fine-tune the parameters used for implementing city action plans and to collate them for a comprehensive review of Delhi-NCR in the coming days.

He stressed the need to upgrade National Clean Air Programme parameters to enable more rational allocation of funds to better-performing cities.

He also called for integrated waste management plans through coordinated efforts of different agencies, avoiding siloed approaches and duplication.

The CAQM was asked to devise a standard operating procedure for greening and better use of urban open spaces. PTI GVS PRK PRK