Pollution: Traffic police issues new guidelines for entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles in Delhi

Pic courtesy: IANS

New Delhi: The Delhi Traffic Police said on Thursday that all borders entry points from where heavy and medium goods vehicles enter into Delhi shall be sealed with effect from 11.00 pm of 9th November to 11.00 pm of 12th November.

"All borders entry points from where heavy and medium goods vehicles enter into Delhi shall be sealed by Delhi Police with effect from 11.00 pm of 9th November to 11.00 PM of 12th November which can be further extended depending upon air quality in Delhi in coming days," it said.

"All neighboring districts and states have been requested to deploy adequate manpower on their part at all border entry points in their respective areas of jurisdiction and help Delhi Police in implementing the directions in true and letter and spirit," Delhi Traffic Police added.

"The concerned authorities of the neighbouring have also been requested to ensure that flow of other motorists is not affected due to stoppage of entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles into Delhi from border entry points," it further said, as per ANI.

Meanwhile, the odd-even traffic rationing plan returned to the national capital and will be in place for five days from November 13 as people continued to inhale toxic air for the third day on Thursday, with the situation expected to be even worse on Friday.

The traffic plan was announced on a day the Delhi High Court said there was an "emergency situation" vis-a-vis pollution in Delhi-NCR and asked the Delhi government to consider implementing cloud seeding to induce artificial rain apart from vehicle rationing on roads. 

The Environment Ministry formed a seven-member committee headed by the Environment Secretary to find long and short-term solutions to the worsening problem.

AIIMS on Thursday reported a 15-20 percent rise in cases of respiratory problems being received, which was also the case with Safdarjung Hospital across the road, as per IANS.

The NGT (National Green Tribunal) asked the pollution control boards of NCR to ban all industrial and construction activities in the region till November 14 and directed the Delhi government to sprinkle water on the hot spots using helicopters. It also banned entry of trucks carrying construction material into the NCR. 

On the other, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who inaugurated 20 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations, blamed stubble burning for the "severe" air quality and said the neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab should come together with Delhi to find a solution.

(With Agency inputs)