New Delhi, Jul 1 (PTI) To tackle air pollution, the Delhi government has notified a set of annual restrictions that will come into force every year from November 1 to February 28.
As mentioned in the Delhi Gazette, all petrol, diesel and CNG/LPG retail outlets across Delhi will supply fuel only on production of a valid PUCC throughout the year. Vehicles found taking fuel without a valid certificate may be penalised, with verification to be carried out through physical certificates, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems and electronic databases such as VAHAN.
From November 1 to January 31 every year, motor vehicles registered outside Delhi and below BS-VI emission standards will not be allowed to ply in the national capital. The restriction will not apply to CNG and electric vehicles, emergency services such as ambulances, fire tenders and police vehicles, and other categories specifically exempted by the Environment Department.
The notification issued on Wednesday also provides for doubling parking charges at authorised parking sites from November 1 to February 28 to discourage the use of private vehicles. Parking facilities owned and managed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation have been exempted.
Measures such as staggered office timings and work from home have also been taken for the national capital to reduce traffic congestion.
During winter, offices under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will function from 8.30 am to 5 pm, while Delhi government offices will operate from 10 am to 6.30 pm between November 1 and February 28.
From November 1 to January 31, Delhi government and private offices will function with no more than 50 per cent physical staff attendance, while the remaining employees will work from home. Essential and emergency services, including hospitals, public transport, power, water supply, sanitation, disaster management and pollution-control agencies, have been exempted.
The directions impose a ban on dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction activities from November 1 to January 31, except for essential public infrastructure projects. A complete ban on construction and demolition activities, barring urgent government projects and emergency works, will remain in force from December 10 to January 20.
During the same period, vehicles carrying construction material such as sand, stone, bricks, cement and debris will not be allowed to enter Delhi, except those engaged in projects of national importance, essential public infrastructure, emergency works and other exempted categories.
The notification further mandates installation of anti-smog guns or mist systems in all commercial high-rise buildings with a built-up area exceeding 3,000 square metres, including malls, hotels, office buildings and institutional buildings of G+5 height and above. Such installations must be completed by August 15 and remain operational throughout the year except during the monsoon and peak summer period from May 1 to September 15.
Mist systems have also been made mandatory at under-construction sites with a plot area exceeding 1,000 square metres.
To tackle open burning, the notification makes resident welfare associations, housing societies, institutions, contractors and establishments responsible for preventing burning of waste, biomass, leaves, garbage, plastic and other materials within areas under their control. Authorities have also been directed to strengthen enforcement, including drone-based surveillance during night hours.
These directions, issued by the Department of Environment and Forests under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, consolidate all previous winter pollution-control orders into a single framework. In case stricter measures are invoked under the Commission for Air Quality Management’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), those measures will prevail.
Violations will attract penal action under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, including prosecution, environmental compensation, sealing or closure of premises, and other action permitted under law. PTI AHD AHD AMJ AMJ
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.