Delhi pollution: Ban on entry of trucks, construction work removed

New Delhi: Despite pollution levels in the National Capital Region (NCR) still dangerously high, the Environment Pollution Control Authority on Thursday removed the ban on entry of trucks into Delhi and also on construction work in the city.

Issuing directions for the ban to be removed, the EPCA also ordered doing away with the four-time hike in parking fees. These measures has been put into place earlier this month after Delhi and adjoining areas registered alarming levels of pollution.

Air quality in NCR and several other parts of northern India have spiralled since last month and touched extremely high levels beginning November. While several measures were considered to tackle the problem, ban on trucks carrying non-essential commodities and a ban on construction work in Delhi were some of the major moves. The Delhi government even considered bringing in the odd-even road management rule before it was shot down by EPCA on grounds of exemptions given.

While schools were shut last week, they once again opened this Monday despite air quality being harmful. Medical experts have declared a health emergency while environmental experts too have repeatedly sounded alarm bells. Having blamed crop burning in adjoining states in the past, CM Arvind Kejriwal met Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Both politicians in a joint statement said they would take all possible steps to ensure that pollution levels in 2018 is kept under check. The prevailing situation though remains grim.