Kejriwal to announce Winter Action Plan on Sep 29 as Delhi tries to fight pollution

New Delhi: The Delhi Government on Tuesday said that it was tightening its grip on air pollution by intensifying its efforts towards implementing a comprehensive plan to combat pollution in the winter months.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will announce the Winter Action Plan on September 29.

Providing further information, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, “We are preparing a Winter Action Plan to curb winter pollution in Delhi on the basis of reports given by departments concerned.

“A joint meeting regarding the Winter Action Plan of all the 28 departments was held on September 14 in the Delhi Secretariat and different responsibilities were assigned to the officers. Instructions have been issued to all construction agencies to strictly follow the norms related to dust pollution.”

In the meeting, officers from the Department of Environment, DPCC, Development Department, Delhi Cantonment Board, CPWD, DDA, Delhi Police, DTC, Revenue Department, DSIIDC, Education Department, DMRC, PWD, Transport Department, NHAI, Delhi Jal Board, DUSIB and NDMC were present.

All departments were instructed to submit detailed action plans under the Winter Action Plan to the Department of Environment by September 25.

Rai said, “In that meeting, all the departments were given a unique goal, to be included in the Winter Action Plan.”

He added that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would present this Winter Action Plan in front of Delhiites on September 29.

All the government departments will act in unison in the implementation of the Winter Action Plan to curb the rise of pollution in ensuing winters.

“Last year, we worked together with all the agencies involved in the construction business in Delhi to keep a grip on pollution. Today, I am appealing to them to follow the norms related to dust pollution.

“Action would be taken against all those agencies that violate the law. After Arvind Kejriwal announces the Winter Action Plan on September 29 we will start implementing it on the ground," Rai stated.

He added that separate action plans would be made for 13 hotspots to reduce pollution. This time special monitoring would be done on hotspots to reduce pollution.