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The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) filed an action taken report January 2, 2024 on the steps taken to prevent, control and abate air pollution in Delhi-NCR on order of the National Green Tribunal.
It stated that the schedule for Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was reviewed by the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) in 2023. On October 6, 2023, direction was issued for implementation with immediate effect, whenever orders were issued by the Commission for invoking actions under various stages in the entire NCR.
The Schedule of various preventive, mitigative and restrictive actions under different stages of the GRAP has been revised in October 2023.
In addition, key actions have been taken by the central government for combating air pollution at the national level including Delhi-NCR. These include: National Clean Air Programme; measures for control of industrial emission; measures for control of emission from stubble burning; measures for control of vehicular emissions and waste management.
The Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Board will be the nodal implementing agencies for relocation / installation of new continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) based on land use, population density, urban to regional scale and background levels, according to a report presented by CAQM January 1. The targeted timeline for relocation is by June 30, 2024 and installation of new CAAQMs as per plan is by December 31, 2024, it added.
Updating emissions inventory and source apportionment studies in the entire NCR will again be implemented by the CPCB / SPCBs / Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The targeted timeline for Delhi / nearby districts Gurugram, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad is June 30, 2024 and for other NCR districts by December 31, 2024.
Other action points to abate industrial pollution include formulating model guidelines for common boilers for industrial clusters, commissioning of gas infrastructure and supply in NCR, ensuring uninterrupted power supply in NCR to obviate use of DG sets among others.
Due to oil spillage in Ennore Creek area and the Buckingham canal during the recent Michuang cyclone, the impact of oil spill on avian birds were studied by the wildlife division, forest department. The team conducted a resonance survey of Ennore, Adyar, Kosathalai region and found no dead birds, according to the report filed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
The total quantity of oily water skimmed as on December 20, 2023 was 105,280 litres and oily sludge removed as on December 20, 2023 was 393.7 tonnes and the same was sent to the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd premises for further treatment and disposal. Based on the news about the spreading of the oily waste in the beaches of Pulicat area on December 16, 2023 through social media, the said areas were inspected by the authorities.
The team observed tar balls in the beaches adjoining Koraikuppam and Koonankuppam fishermen settlements. The tar balls were removed and about 12 kg of waste was collected.
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