Daijiworld Media Network – Gurugram
Gurugram, Oct 15: Haryana Forest, Environment and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh on Thursday directed officials to ensure visible and effective pollution-control measures across the National Capital Region (NCR), including Gurugram, even before the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) comes into force.
Singh reviewed the ongoing pollution-control measures at a meeting with officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board from Gurugram, Rewari, Nuh and Mahendragarh districts. He also issued directions to strengthen existing arrangements and ensure stricter implementation of the prescribed norms, news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
The minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently called for improvements in civic amenities in Gurugram during a meeting with Haryana MLAs. Emphasising his accountability to the public, Singh said effective measures were necessary to control pollution and improve civic facilities not only in Gurugram but throughout the NCR.
According to an official statement cited by PTI, Singh directed pollution control board officials to regularly monitor all measures being implemented to curb pollution and ensure that the results were clearly visible on the ground.
He instructed officials to submit weekly reports detailing the steps taken and the progress achieved. These reports would facilitate regular reviews and help identify areas requiring corrective action. Based on the findings, municipal corporations and the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) would also be directed to take appropriate measures.
To strengthen enforcement, Singh called for an increase in the number of pollution control board officers and staff deployed across NCR districts. Additional personnel would help identify pollution sources more effectively, conduct regular inspections and ensure compliance with environmental standards.
The minister asked officials to pay particular attention to construction sites, ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants and road-cleaning arrangements, which require close monitoring to prevent dust and other pollutants from worsening air quality.
He stressed that the departments concerned must work in coordination and ensure that all prescribed pollution-control standards were followed. Officials were also directed to collect samples from different locations experiencing varying levels of pollution to assess conditions and identify potential sources.
Singh further called for regular monitoring of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and extensive sampling and testing of organisations generating large quantities of waste. He emphasised the need for effective oversight to ensure that such facilities complied with environmental requirements.
The minister cautioned that action undertaken merely as a formality would not help control pollution. He called for continuous monitoring, time-bound reviews and effective implementation of the measures, while also inviting suggestions from officials to improve the existing pollution-control system.
The directions come as authorities prepare for the seasonal deterioration in air quality across the NCR. GRAP provides for a graded set of restrictions and emergency measures that are activated according to air pollution levels, with stricter curbs introduced as conditions worsen.
Singh's directions seek to ensure that pollution-control efforts begin well before the imposition of GRAP restrictions, with greater staffing, regular inspections, weekly progress reports and coordinated action among government agencies.
The emphasis, he said, must be on measurable results and sustained enforcement rather than routine compliance on paper.