New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority has urged Delhiites to use public transport for the first 10 days of November when the air quality of the national capital is likely to further deteriorate.
Noting that private vehicles contribute to 40 per cent pollution in Delhi-NCR, the EPCA urged people to reduce use of private vehicles during this period and use public transport or other means.
Delhi's air quality has been recording alarming trends in the last two weeks. The pollution level nosedived to severe level on Tuesday, prompting authorities to intensify measures to reduce pollution. An EPCA member on Tuesday said in case of further deterioration of air quality, they are even contemplating regulating the use of private vehicles from November 1.
The EPCA also urged people to not use private diesel vehicles in this period, as this will add to the pollution burden. "Ensure that we do not burn garbage and we report all instances of garbage burning and other pollution carefully and responsibly on the CPCB Facebook/Twitter accounts. It is essential that we control local sources of pollution at this time so that the crisis is managed," it said in a statement.
The EPCA earlier accepted the recommendation of a Central Pollution Control Board-led task force for the period between November 1 to 10 when further deterioration of air is expected due to festival season and stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Warning that the pollution level could spike in the coming days due to western disturbances and stubble burning, the EPCA said all construction activities involving excavation and civil construction will be stopped in Delhi and other NCR districts from November 1-10
“All stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution will stop functioning in Delhi and other NCR districts from November 1-10, 2018. All industries using coal and biomass as fuel will stop functioning in Delhi and other NCR districts from November 4-10, 2018," the EPCA said.
It also said used of diesel generator (DG) sets in Delhi has been banned as of October 15 and the Badarpur Power Plant in Delhi has been closed as of October 15.
The EPCA has also written to state governments of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi to close down brick kilns in NCR from November 1-10.
The industrial area of Mundka will remain closed from November 1-10 so that all the debris such as plastic, rubber and other waste is removed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, based on the EPCA's inspection and directions, it said.
The national capital has been grappling with dangerous levels of pollution for the last two weeks.
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