New Delhi, Nov 14 — Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday emphasised that coordinated efforts, field-level accountability and visible action on the ground are essential to effectively address the challenge of air pollution in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
Chairing a review meeting to assess measures undertaken by Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for mitigation of air pollution, the Union Minister stressed that real-time inputs from sensors, cameras and satellites must be used alongside physical inspections to identify violations and ensure swift enforcement.
He also called upon all NCR states and agencies to ensure time-bound completion of pending actions and undertake extensive Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns involving citizens, resident welfare associations (RWAs), transport associations and the construction industry.
The Union Minister directed all agencies to ensure strict implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and called upon NCR states to adopt Delhi's hotspot-focused winter action plan, covering traffic management, work-from-home measures, construction restrictions and prevention of open burning.
In accordance with The Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) order dated October 30, dust-generating Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities have been restricted across NCR from November 5 and 6.
Bhupender Yadav called for expediting the PARIVARTAN Scheme (Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions) for replacing pre-BS-VI trucks and buses with BS-VI, CNG and electric vehicles by 2028, particularly accelerating beneficiary registrations in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana by organising PARIVARTAN Melas at state level immediately.
The Union Minister called upon states to bridge the 6,747 Tonnes Per Day (TPD) gap in municipal solid waste processing capacity, strictly prevent open dumping and burning, and expedite remediation of legacy waste at Okhla, Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Bandhwari.
He also called for physical inspection of more than 3,000 active Construction and Demotion sites, timely lifting of waste from secondary collection points, ensuring functional recycling plants and digital tracking of waste from collection to processing through Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs).
Highlighting the need for targeted interventions, Yadav emphasised that all NCR states must identify pollution hotspots in major cities and prepare focused Hotspot Action Plans, particularly covering markets, schools, hospitals, railway stations and bus terminals.