Delhi air pollution: Flying squads formed to check violations, Centre tells Supreme Court

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the national capital and adjoining states on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has constituted an enforcement task force to ensure compliance with its directions to curb worsening air quality here.

"We constituted an enforcement task force and 17 flying squads have also been constituted to act against violators," the CAQM said. Earlier, inspections were carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board, respective State Government and their State Pollution Control Board/committee.

The development comes a day after the Supreme Court slammed the Centre and the Delhi and other state governments over their failure to control the situation.

Also Read — SC slams Centre, Delhi government over rising air pollution levels in national capital

A special bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant is expected to conduct hearing at 10 am, half an hour before the normal sittings of the top court.

It also informed that all schools and colleges in NCR shall remain closed till further orders, allowing only online mode of education except for the purpose of conducting examinations and laboratory practical etc. Further, it said the entry of trucks in Delhi would not be permitted, except for CNG and electric trucks and trucks carrying essential commodities.

The enforcement task force would exercise powers of taking punitive and preventive measures against the non compliant/defaulting persons/entities, it said, adding the number of flying squads would be increased to 40 in next 24 hours.

Also Read — 'Why are schools open?': Supreme Court pulls up Delhi government on rising pollution

With regard industrial pollution, regarded as one of the major pollutants, the Commission said, it has directed that industrial operations and processes in NCR, where gas is not available and the said industrial unit is not running on PNG or cleaner fuels, would be allowed to operate only upto eight hours a day during weekdays.

The operation of thermal power plants within 300-hundred kilometres of radius of Delhi would continue to be regulated, whereby, only five out of eleven thermal power plants, have been permitted to schedule their operations and rest have been directed to remain inoperative till at least December 15, 2021, the CAQM in its affidavit said.

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