Penalise people violating building norms, says Najeeb Jung

New Delhi: Delhi lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung on Friday constituted a committee of three municipal commissioners to work out a comprehensive plan to ensure cleanliness and check unauthorised constructions in the national capital. The L-G has asked the committee to submit its report by December 2. He also flagged garbage-burning and violation of construction norms as “serious” component of air pollution in the national capital and directed the authorities to stop the work and “heavily penalise” such offenders.

The decision to constitute a panel was taken at a review meeting on air pollution in Delhi. “All three municipal commissioners were asked to hold meetings on air pollution every month and also work out a plan to regulate entry of construction materials in their respective areas,” an L-G office statement said.

Mr Jung held a third review meeting to discuss the condition of air pollution, wherein he was apprised that PM 2.5 level and PM 10 level have come down by 1/4th and 1/3rd respectively from November 15 to 24. The meeting was attended by Delhi PWD minister Satyendar Jain, environment minister Imran Hussain and officials of other departments concerned. He directed the MCDs and the Delhi police to ensure that Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) guidelines are followed where construction is on and violators are strictly dealt with and penalized. “Those failing to pay challan should be heavily penalised and the work should be stopped by agencies concerned,” Mr Jung said. DPCC was asked to share the database of construction sites with the agencies concerned so that those can be monitored. All the three municipal commissioners were told to hold meetings on air pollution every month and work out a plan to regulate entry of construction material in their areas. In the meeting, CSE director general Sunita Narain said there is no evidence to suggest that construction sites are the primary cause of pollution in Delhi. “Ms Narain made the comment in the context of NGT’s recent observations of a possible ban on construction. Someone in the meeting said construction is behind one-third of pollution in Delhi. She said it is not true and the focus should be on dust control measures,” Anumita Roychowdhury of CSE, who was also present in the meeting, said.