New Delhi, Sep 19 — Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday chaired separate review meetings with four district magistrates on measures to combat air pollution, focusing on improving air quality in the coming months.
The Minister discussed district-level strategies with officials, identifying pollution sources, ensuring coordinated remedial action, and delivering sustainable improvements in air quality, a statement said.
The meeting outlined a multi-tiered enforcement strategy involving dedicated ground-level monitoring teams, round-the-clock vigilance, hotspot-specific interventions, and coordinated action against dust pollution, biomass burning, unauthorised industrial activities, and other localised pollution sources, it said.
Sirsa directed district administrations to identify and map pollution hotspots based on data emerging from AQI monitoring stations.
These locations will be assessed for sources including road dust, traffic congestion, vehicular emissions, construction and demolition activities, unauthorised parking, open or uncovered areas, biomass and waste burning, and other localised causes, the statement said.
Officials will examine each hotspot using a source-specific approach, including pollution-generating activities within a 3-km radius, wherever applicable. A source-wise action plan specifying remedial measures, the responsible agency and timelines will be prepared accordingly, it said.
The departments and agencies concerned were also told to submit Action Taken Reports (ATRs) covering measures taken, present status, locations, supporting evidence, pending issues and timelines for completion. The Minister will review the progress within the next 15 days, it said.
Sirsa chaired separate review meetings with officials of East, North-East, South-East and South Districts, it said.
In the meetings, area MLAs, District Magistrates (DMs), Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), MCD Deputy Commissioners and senior officers of concerned departments were also present.
During the meetings, officials discussed preparing district-wise roadmaps and strengthening ground-level action to address localised sources of air pollution.
Sirsa directed all departments and agencies to work in close coordination, fix responsibility and ensure that pollution-control measures are implemented effectively and within defined timelines. The Government is all set to strengthen winter pollution-control measures and ensure comprehensive preparedness.
The Minister asked the agencies to ensure strict compliance with dust-control norms during construction and demolition activities.
He stressed that the ban on biomass burning be enforced without exception. Agencies will strengthen preventive measures against the open burning of biomass and combustible waste, including garbage, plastic and rubber waste, textile and fibre waste, industrial residues, organic residues and scrap.