Delays in deciding whether to lift the construction ban and reopen schools are acceptable to the Delhi-National Capital Region’s Air Quality Commission
The Commission for Air Quality Management has told the Supreme Court that it has allowed industrial processes that make milk, dairy products, drugs, life-saving medicines, and medical equipment to run 24 hours a day in the Delhi-National Capital Region.
The Supreme Court told the Commission last week to make a decision about loosening restrictions on construction and industrial activities in the Delhi-NCR area in order to keep the air clean.
Industrial operations have been allowed in this way by the Commission, the Court has been told.
- Milk and dairy processing units in the NCR have been allowed to run their businesses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Industries and processes that make medicines, drugs, and life-saving medical equipment can also keep working around the clock, 24 hours a day.
- Paper and pulp processing, distilleries, and captive thermal power plants will be able to run without any restrictions on the number of hours they work each day from Monday to Friday. They will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Industries that deal with paddy and rice processing will also be able to run their businesses for five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday. They can’t run their businesses on Mondays and Tuesdays, though.
- Industries that make textiles, clothes, and other things like that, like dyeing processes, can run for as long as they want, but only for five days a week, from Saturday to Wednesday. They can’t run on Thursday or Friday, though.
- The industries and units that were closed because they didn’t switch to PNG have been given a break by an order dated December 11, 2021. They can only work for eight hours a day from Monday to Friday, and they have to stay closed on the weekends.
- In the case of some businesses and organizations, the Commission has allowed them to get back to work again, with the State Pollution Control Board or Committee in charge of the area in charge of the business or organization making sure that the pollution is kept under control and that the businesses or organizations aren’t breaking the law. Orders have been made to restart the use of DG sets in 44 residential, commercial, and industrial establishments until December 14, 2021, unless there are new orders.
Decisions on lifting the construction ban and reopening schools have been put off.
Decisions on whether to lift the construction ban and open the schools again will be made by the Commission before December 17. They will take into account changes made to other rules, such as letting people work from home.
Restrictions on the entry of trucks
The Commission has continued to limit the number of trucks that can come into Delhi, except for those that run on CNG or electric and those that carry important goods. The restriction will stay in place until the Air Quality Index is looked at again.
Plants that use heat to make power
The Ministry for Power told the commission that “the number of thermal power plants that can be shut down can’t be increased.” Even shutting down the six plants in a 300-kilometer radius of Delhi would not be possible after December 15, 2021.
It took this response to heart: The Commission made this decision after taking it into account.
“Based on a detailed review and technical discussions with the Ministry of Power, the power plants have been allowed to schedule their operations based on power demand and their merit order dispatches. This is because extreme winter conditions have caused a spike in demand for electricity. However, it has been suggested that you try to run the thermal power plants to their bare minimum needs “In this case, I would say:
An “Invisible Flying Squad”
The Commission has said that it has been meeting with all of the stakeholders on a regular basis and having detailed discussions to look at all of the different requests that have been made for the restrictions to be taken into account.
In the same way, the same has been done to look at where and how restrictions imposed could be eased in order to keep air pollution from rising.
Dozens of Flying Squads, or Inspection Teams, are doing incognito and surprise checks at different places in different industries, such as factories and construction and demolition sites. The Commission told the court that 40 teams are doing these checks. Set up operations in commercial and residential complexes, as well as open waste burning and other sources, in all of the NCR districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the NCT of Delhi.
Aditya Dubey vs. Union of India: The Commission filed an affidavit in the case. A bench led by the Chief Justice of India has been passing a series of orders to improve the air quality of the national capital.
Writ petition: Nikhil Jain, an advocate, filed the writ petition in 2020. It asked the court to take action to stop air pollution in Delhi-NCR right away.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
