Anti-Road Dust Campaign to start for a month from 15th April: Gopal Rai
Kejriwal Government’s Summer Action Plan discussed at high level joint meeting with the all the officials of Environment department, DPCC, MCD, DDA and other concerned departments today: Gopal Rai
500 teams of 10 departments will be deployed 24×7 under Anti Open Burning Campaign: Gopal Rai
Expert level meeting with all concerned departments & agencies at Delhi Secretariat on 21st April to resolve the incidents of fire on landfill side
78 Mechanical Road Sweeping Machine and 587 Water Sprinkling Machine will be working on the roads of Delhi under Anti Road Dust Campaign: Gopal Rai
NEW DELHI:
The Kejriwal Government announces the Summer Action Plan, taking its fight against pollution to the next level. Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai declared that the Anti Open Burning Campaign will run for one month starting from 12th April and the Anti Road Dust Campaign from 15th April. Along with this, many important decisions were also announced regarding the execution of all 14 points under the Summer Action Plan.
Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said, “Today a meeting was held in the Delhi Secretariat with the high officials of all the departments concerned regarding the Summer Action Plan. In this meeting, the Environment Department, DPCC, MCD, DDA, NDMC, Revenue Department, Delhi Fire Service, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Officials of Delhi Jal Board and other concerned departments were present. The implementation of all 14 elements relating to the Summer Action Plan was discussed at this meeting.”
He added, “Out of 14 points under the Summer Action Plan, two immediate action plans have been prepared and the remaining 12 will be released as long-term plans. Under two immediate action plans, the Kejriwal Government is launching the Anti-Open Burning and Anti-Road Dust Campaign for a month on April 12 and April 15 respectively.”
Anti-Open-Burning Campaign
Under the Anti-Open-Burning Campaign, 500 teams from 10 departments will be deployed to monitor and prevent open-burning incidences in Delhi. Its report will be sent to the Department of the Environment on a regular basis. MCD has also been given orders to control fires at the landfill site and to take all necessary actions related to the incidents. On April 21, a high-level meeting with all experts from relevant departments, including DPCC, MCD, IIT Delhi, Environment Department, TERI, DTU, and CSE, will be convened at the Delhi Secretariat to resolve the incidents of fire on landfill site.
Anti Road Dust Campaign
Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said, “The Anti-Road Dust Campaign will also run for a month from April 15. Under this campaign, 78 mechanical road sweeping machines and 587 water sprinkling machines will be used for sprinkling and cleaning the roads of Delhi. Its report will also be given by the Environment Department and all other related departments in the ministry.”
Tree Plantation
Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai also shed light on all the other 12 long term elements of the Summer Action Plan. Talking about tree plantation, he said, “To increase the green cover in Delhi, a high level meeting will be held at the Delhi Secretariat with all concerned departments on 12th April in which a mega plantation drive will be announced. The Forest Department has been made the nodal agency for this tree plantation campaign.”
Urban Farming
In addition, given the scarcity of land in Delhi, the Environment Minister advocated the notion of urban farming, under which it was determined to expand the green cover of the city while simultaneously creating 5,000 jobs. It has established a nodal agency, the Director of Horticulture, which would disseminate all relevant information to the general public.
Road Side Green Cover
Emphasizing on increasing the roadside green cover in Delhi, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, “PWD has been tasked to form a special task force to deal with this. This task force will compile a list of areas with no green cover along the roadside, and after completing its report, action will begin to increase green cover as soon as feasible.”
Development of Green Parks
The Environment Minister said, “A survey is being conducted all over Delhi for this purpose. All RWAs, NGOs, and other interested organizations will work together to create the parks. Its nodal department is Delhi Parks and Gardens Society. For this, DPGS will grant a 2 lakh 55 thousand rupees per acre annual maintenance fund to RWA/NGO.”
Industrial Pollution
Shri Gopal Rai added, “All of Delhi’s registered industrial units, a total of 1607, have been converted to PNG. From April 20 onwards, the DPCC will conduct a special drive, and action will be taken if environmental standards are broken. DPCC Orders have been issued to collect the data in this case.”
Development of Delhi’s Lakes
He continued, “Wetland Mitra and the Wetland Authority have been established as a result of this. The DPGS will be its nodal agency, and will be responsible for mapping of Delhi’s lakes, and on the basis of that lakes will be developed.
Development of City Forest
The Environment Minister further said, “In Delhi, there are a total of 17 city forests. Out of them, four city forests located in four different parts of Delhi, will be built using world-class criteria. The Forest Department is its nodal agency.”
Eco Club Activities
The Environment Department will be preparing an annual calendar and on the basis of this, various awareness campaigns will be launched through the children of different eco clubs formed in the schools. The Environment Department will be the nodal agency for this.
Real Time Apportionment Study
Shri Gopal Rai told the media, “IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur are working together so that real time pollution related causes can be studied. The report for this has been directed to be submitted by August 2022.”
E-Waste Eco Park
Shri Gopal Rai explained, “An 18-acre E-Waste Eco Park is being developed at Holambi Kala. This is the first eco park in India which is being built on zero waste policy. Its nodal agencies are the Environment Department and DSIIDC.”
Monitoring of Tree Transplantation
Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said, “Tree transplantation policy has been made in Delhi, under which big trees will be transplanted and kept alive. Agencies has also been empaneled for this. A team has been formed by the Forest Department for its monitoring, which has been ordered to submit the monthly report. The nodal agency for this is the Forest Department, in which instructions have been given to conduct a third party audit.”
Replacement of Single Use Plastic
Under this, Shri Gopal Rai elaborated, “About 19 types of single use plastic will be banned from July onwards. Also, Green Delhi Startup Scheme has been started with IIT Delhi to develop an alternative to single use plastic. Under this, funds will be given to old startups as well as new startups.”
The Environment Minister concluded by saying that this Summer action plan will play an important role in Delhi’s environmental improvement and pollution control.