Delhi: NBCC told to stop construction at Pragati Maidan
What's the story
Seeking to curb Delhi's pollution level, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) yesterday asked the state-run NBCC to "immediately halt" all construction and demolition activities at its project site at Pragati Maidan, officials said.
The SDMC said it has taken several measures in view of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital over the last one week.
Here are more details.
The building
NBCC is building a world-class convention-cum-exhibition center at Pragati Maidan
"SDMC Sunday hired 22 additional water tankers for water sprinkling in open areas, taking the total number of such tankers to 62," the SDMC said.
"The NBCC has been told to immediately stop all construction and demolition activities of Pragati Maidan project," the civic body added.
The NBCC is building a world-class convention-cum-exhibition center at the site of the Pragati Maidan.
Steps taken
SDMC started ground-level monitoring to reduce pollution level
"SDMC has also started ground-level monitoring on a continuous basis to ensure that the common objective of reducing pollution level is achieved and air quality does not deteriorate further," SDMC Commissioner PK Goel said.
He said the civic body was committed to strictly enforce the directions of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), including the instructions it had received from it on Saturday.
EPCA's role
EPCA takes various measures to tackle air pollution
The SC-empowered EPCA is tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
The EPCA is also mandated to enforce Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi as per the pollution levels.
In November, the EPCA had enforced several measures, including the closure of Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers, and construction activities.
Delhi's air quality
Air quality in Delhi remained poor with drop in wind-speed
The air quality in Delhi remained poor yesterday with a drop in wind speed even as authorities predicted further fall in air quality index of Delhi in the coming days.
The overall air quality index (AQI) recorded at 10 am yesterday stood at 208 which falls in the 'poor' category, according to Center-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
DMC Act
Stop construction or face music under DMC Act: SDMC
"The SDMC has told in plain words to NBCC/Shapoorji Pallonji, working on Pragati Maidan project, to immediately stop all construction or demolition activities at the site or face the music under DMC Act 1957," the SDMC said.
"A communication has been issued to stop construction activities as NBCC ignored earlier request to this regard and NGT's guidelines," it added.
Sanction plan
NBCC has been asked to produce project's sanction plan
The NBCC/Shapoorji Pallonji has been asked to produce a sanction plan of the project issued by any competent authority or obtain the same from the SDMC and stop all construction activities till the submission of sanction plan, the SDMC said.
The order to stop the construction will, however, remain in effect till the air quality level is brought to a satisfactory level, it added.