APD | India: Plan to check pollution in Delhi enforced

By APD writer Rishika Chauhan

NEW DELHI, October 15 -- On Monday an action plan, called Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) was put in force to control pollution.

According to the plan, if the capital’s pollution level reaches ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ level, certain steps would be followed to abate the pollution rise.

The steps would include certain public measures including a ban on the use of diesel generator sets.

Speaking to a daily, Sunita Narain, a member of Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority said, “Measures listed under Grap to fight ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories of air pollution will be rolled out from October 15. This will continue till March 2019.”

“With Grap being rolled out from Monday, there will be a ban on diesel generator sets in Delhi. DG sets will, however, be allowed to operate in NCR towns because it would be impractical to ban them outside the national capital, where there is still a problem of power supply,” she further said.

Earlier, the World Health Organisation (WHO) listed Delhi among the world’s most polluted cities. In this situation it has become imperative for the government to take action.

Pollution in Delhi and the surrounding areas increases every winter as rains decrease and crops are burnt in surrounding provinces. This year the government is following various steps to control the pollution levels.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)