Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, July 13

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has included clear energy and transport among the many fundamentals to take care of air air pollution within the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas. Besides, greening and plantation on a big scale additionally function in its new coverage to abate the menace of air air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

“High-level protection will have to be accorded to the entire stretch of Aravalli range in Haryana and Delhi, and its different categories of forest areas,” the CAQM mentioned in its report, calling for mud and air pollution mitigation by means of forest sinks to manage air pollution.

“This green walling is needed against desertification and ingress of dust and cleansing of toxic gases,” acknowledged the report geared toward general amelioration of air high quality by means of differentiated geographical method and well timed motion.

The coverage incorporates sector-wise suggestions for businesses and departments of the Central Government, NCR states, Government of National Capital Territory (GNCTD), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards.

It, nonetheless, has obtained a combined response from consultants.

Prof SN Tripathi, a steering committee member of the NCAP, mentioned the “comprehensive sector-wise policy developed by the CAQM is a welcome move to control and reduce air pollution”.

However, Dr Arun Sharma, president, Society for Indoor Environment, mentioned: “There is nothing new in this document. What we need is a compendium of actionable points and not a list of what should be done. In this document, the focus is more on monitoring and less on preventive measures. Having said that, it gives some hope.”

The coverage focuses on industries, transport, building and demolition (C&D), mud from roads and open areas, municipal stable waste burning and stubble-burning, amongst different issues. It additionally lays emphasis on thermal energy vegetation, clear fuels and electrical mobility, public transportation, street visitors administration, diesel mills and bursting of firecrackers.

The coverage, in its chapter on the administration of paddy straw by means of completely different in-situ measures, acknowledged: “By 2021, more than 13,100 Happy Seeders and 17,600 Super Seeders were available in Punjab, besides other categories of crop residue management (CRM) machinery, including combine harvesters. There is, however, a concern around the under-utilisation of such equipment.”