MCG issues fines over Rs 20 lakh for violation of anti-pollution emergency measures

GURUGRAM: The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) issued fines worth over Rs 20 lakh on the eleventh day of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for violations of the anti-pollution emergency measures on November 11, 2018.

The measures include ban on construction activities, coal and biomass-dependent industries and on the entry of trucks into Delhi.

Four violators were fined Rs 20,000 each for open burning of waste, 10 were fined Rs 65,000 each for the open dumping of waste and construction debris, seven challans of Rs 1,60,000 each were issued against builders carrying out unauthorised construction activities, while another seven challans of Rs. 40,000 were issued for improper management of construction materials. The civic body has recovered Rs 2,85,000.

The administration resumed the implementation of the SC-mandated anti-pollution measures. Four mechanised road sweeping machines were deployed on the stretches between Mahavir Chowk and IFFCO Chowk, Huda City Centre to Cyber Park, Star Mall to Sector 45, and Rajiv Chowk to Subash Chowk.

Water sprinkling was carried out in the areas identified with high generation of road dust including Civil Lines, Vikas Sadan, Sector 15, Atul Kataria Chowk, near Sheetla Mata Mandir, on the dividing road between Sector 31 and Sector 40, between Huda City Centre and Signature Towers, Vatika Chowk and others. At least four water tankers and two fire trucks were engaged in this effort, while tenders for another four water tankers have been floated by the MCG.

The 10-day vigilance campaign was launched on November 1 under the orders of the Supreme Court-mandated Environmental Pollution (Prevention& Control) Authority (EPCA). Originally it was planned for just 10 days. The campaign has been extended to 6 pm on November 13 due to no considerable improvement in air pollution.

Yashpal Yadav, commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) said, “Our teams have been patrolling day and night, and are penalising those who are not complying.”