Delhi Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said that in view of the problem of increasing pollution in Delhi, it has been decided to implement the restrictions of Phase-III of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi. Construction and demolition works have been banned. Also, the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (4-wheelers) has been banned. Teams of the concerned department will carry out frequent inspections to monitor the ban on construction works.
Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai addressed an important press conference at Civil Lines on Saturday. He stated, “During winters, the air slows down. When there’s a change in meteorological conditions, the airspeed decreases, and due to the drop in temperature, pollution in Delhi increases. Due to this the AQI of Delhi and NCR go above 400, which is the severe category. Therefore, the CQAM held a meeting yesterday and issued an order that the third phase of GRAP should be implemented.”
“As per the order of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CQAM), it has been decided to implement the restrictions of Phase-III of GRAP in Delhi. A strong monitoring system has been prepared for its implementation. Teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Revenue will continuously inspect the construction and demolition sites. Some departments are being exempted from the ban on construction and demolition but they will have to follow the guidelines issued for construction and demolition.” The Environment Minister mentioned.
Shri Gopal Rai further added, “The ban on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (4 wheelers) has been implemented, if anyone violates it, a fine will be imposed under the Motor Vehicle Act-1988. Some departments are being exempted from the ban on construction and demolition but they will have to follow the guidelines issued for construction and demolition. If they do not do this, they will also be banned.”
Exempted departments:
Railway stations, metros, airports, construction and demolition sites related to national security, inter-state bus stands, hospitals, roads and highways, flyovers, electricity, sewer lines, and sanitation projects will be exempted from this ban. Along with this, the interior work which is going on inside Delhi, such as plumbing work, electrical fitting work, and furniture work will be exempted.
Banned Activities:
Boring, drilling, excavation, and stuffing are strictly prohibited on construction and demolition sites. There will be a complete restriction on all structural construction activities, including building activities. The act of demolishing will be prohibited. At construction and demolition sites, loading and unloading will be prohibited. The movement of raw materials, including manuals and flights, will be prohibited. Vehicle movement on dirt roads will be prohibited. Cutting of floor materials, stones, tiles, and other construction materials will all be prohibited, as well as any grinding operations.
