Tuesday, Apr 16, 2024 | Last Update : 09:26 PM IST
Delhi: As smog is less severe, emergency steps eased
The NGT, which had separately issued an order banning entry of trucks, has posted the matter for hearing on Friday.
New Delhi: As Delhi’s air quality improved marginally and remained out of the “emergency” category for the second straight day on Thursday, the Supreme Court-mandated EPCA withdrew the ban on construction activities, entry of trucks into the city and reversed the parking fee hike from across Delhi-NCR on Thursday.
“In light of the improvement of air quality, the EPCA has lifted the emergency plus measures in Delhi NCR,” Environment Pollution Control Authority chairperson Bhure Lal wrote to chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
However, steps like the closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers will remain in force, the EPCA said.
The EPCA lifted the ban on construction activities as well but Mr Baijal kept it in abeyance as the matter was pending with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The NGT, which had separately issued an order banning entry of trucks (except those carrying essential commodities), has posted the matter for hearing on Friday.
The transport department issued a notification lifting the ban following the L-G’s nod, thereby allowing thousands of trucks, which were stuck at the entry points, to enter the city.
The civic bodies and the Delhi Metro restored the quadrupled parking rates to normal with immediate effect. The EPCA separately wrote to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana informing them that hot mix plants can now be allowed to operate.
However, measures enforced under the GRAP’s “severe” category, including the closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, and stone crushers will remain in force.
The measures, part of the Graded Response Action Plan, were enforced on November 8 after pollution levels spiked, hitting the emergency category, accompanied by thick smog.
The NGT directed the Delhi government to submit data of ambient air quality in the national capital and said it would consider its ban on construction and industrial activity in the National Capital Region (NCR) on that basis. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said it would take up the matter on Friday and till then its order would be in force.
