New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) Reiterating the need for strengthening enforcement, the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) said that between August 24 and September 7 as many as 150 inspections were reported by the Enforcement Task Force (ETF), an official said.

The 139th meeting of the ETF held on Monday, officials reviewed enforcement actions, inspections and compliance status across the NCR for the 15-day reporting period, the official said on Tuesday in a statement.

Reviewing the updated cumulative enforcement status as on September 14, the CAQM said that the Flying Squads of the Commission have so far carried out inspections at 28,547 units/projects/entities across the NCR.

Based on these inspections, 1,829 closure directions have been issued, of which 1,479 resumption orders have been issued after verification of compliance, the statement said.

As many 126 cases have been transferred to the respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for final decision, while 224 entities remain under examination for issuance of resumption orders, it added.

The Commission reiterated the need for continued strengthening of enforcement, timely verification of compliance and close coordination among implementing agencies for effective implementation of the prescribed norms, the statement said.

It also emphasised expeditious enforcement action, strict compliance monitoring and continued inspections across priority sectors, including Industrial Units, Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities and Diesel Generator (DG) sets, to ensure effective mitigation of air pollution across the NCR.

During the 15-day reporting period between August 24 and September 7, a total of 150 inspections were reported, including seven inspections at C&D sites, 98 inspections in the Industrial Sector and 45 inspections related to DG sets.

As part of the reporting period, a special inspection drive was conducted in Haryana’s Nuh on September 3.

Eight teams of the Commission’s Flying Squads, along with district administration and police personnel and officers of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), inspected a total of 35 premises, the statement said.

“Of these, 13 were found compliant, while seven units were found locked and are to be re-inspected by the concerned State Pollution Control Board in six cases,” it said.

–IANS

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