In the week since the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) came into effect on October 15, the district administration has imposed a fine of Rs 2.23 crore on several real estate developers, construction material suppliers and factories as well as government agencies like National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC).
As many as 18 FIRs have also been registered against polluters during this period. An FIR was registered against eight persons for burning stubble in Masuri on Wednesday.
According to the district magistrate’s (DM) office, the fine collected in 2018 was Rs 1.79 crore. DM Ajay Shankar Pandey said due to strict implementation of the rules, the air quality index (AQI) during this period of the year is comparatively better than the previous year.
He added that the fines have been recommended by the recently-constituted Grap Implementation Squad (GIS). The squad, which has 28 government officials, including the DM, was formed on October 15 with an aim to minimise the pollution level in the district. The squad has been sub-divided into nine teams and has the mandate to ensure implementation of steps under the GRAP, besides conducting inspections of factories and recommend action against defaulters to UPPCB and the administration.
The establishments have been fined under three categories – air pollution, inadequate dust control measures and poor management of construction and demolition waste (C&D), and for burning municipal solid waste.
Under the air pollution category, a fine of Rs 1.14 crore has been levied on five establishments for allegedly using gensets. Likewise, 22 establishments were fined Rs 1.07 crore for improper management of C&D waste. A penalty of over Rs 90 lakh was imposed on NHAI for not adhering to green norms to contain dust pollution on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. GMC has been fined Rs 1.75 lakh for municipal solid waste burning at seven places in the city.
Meanwhile, the air quality in Ghaziabad on Wednesday was in the ‘poor’ category, with AQI being recorded at 288.