CAQM pulls up DPCC, SPCBs over poor GRAP enforcement

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has flagged serious deficiencies and wide gaps in the implementation of pollution control measures by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) across the National Capital Region during StageIII and Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

- AIMAN FATIMA

Reviewing performance reports monitored daily by its GRAP Monitoring Control Room, the Commission observed that shortfalls ranged from 7 per cent to as high as 99.6 per cent across key mandated actions, raising concerns over enforcement at a time when air quality remained in the 'severe' and 'severe+' categories.

CAQM noted that "such recurring gaps and failure in implementation of actions under the extant GRAP seriously compromises the collective efforts towards abatement of air pollution in Delhi-NCR."