The Centre on Wednesday asked highly polluting industrial units such as metals, textiles and food processing in Delhi to install real-time emission monitoring systems and pollution control devices by the end of this year, even as air quality in the national capital worsened.
Around 2,254 industrial units have been categorised as high-potential, contributing to pollution in the National Capital Region.
These industries must install Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) and Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs) by December 31. The environment ministry warned that industries missing the deadline could face closure.
OCEMS is an air pollution monitoring device that provides real-time data after tracking pollutants and particulate matter. The device will be connected to the server of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to keep a tab on the industries so that no one breaches the emission parameters.
According to officials, around 1,246 industries have installed OCEMS.
APCDs are designed to reduce pollutants from industrial emissions by preventing them from entering the atmosphere.
The ministry is also keeping an eye on the market rates of such devices so that price hikes do not discourage industrial units from delaying device installations.
The decision was taken in a review meeting on air pollution chaired by Union minister for environment, forests and climate change Bhupender Yadav.
The minister requested stakeholders to prepare detailed annual action plans for the coming year to control pollution in the National Capital Region.
In the meeting, it was also discussed how to resolve issues at 62 identified traffic congestion hotspots in the national capital and directives were issued to remove encroachments and illegal parking, along with special police deployment during peak traffic hours. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) will set up an expert committee on vehicular pollution.
CAQM chairperson Rajesh Verma said Punjab and Haryana had been asked to prepare an action plan this year to curb stubble burning during the next paddy harvesting season, and a meeting would be held soon in Chandigarh.
Air quality in Delhi remained very poor on Wednesday, registering an air quality index of 342 against Tuesday’s 372, CPCB data show.
Opposition parliamentarians have been protesting against worsening air pollution in the national capital during the winter session, and some of them wore gas masks to draw attention to the toxic air quality.
