CAQM directs agencies not to issue Completion or Occupancy Certificate to any project against which it has given closure direction in NCR and adjoining areas
Onsite inspections of the Construction & Demolition
projects undertaken by the Flying Squads constituted by CAQM, indicate the need
to significantly improve levels of compliance and effectiveness of
implementation of various statutory directions/ rules/ orders/ guidelines by
the project proponents at their project sites regarding dust mitigation
Municipal bodies/ ULBs and all related departments/ bodies of the NCR State
Govts. / GNCT of Delhi also advised to ensure that all building plan sanctions,
tender notices, contract documents, agreements, etc. in these sectors
incorporate the provisions of rules, directions, guidelines and safeguards, for
compliance towards effective mitigation of dust during execution of such
projects
Towards better/
effective compliance of the statutory directions/ rules/ regulations issued for
abatement of dust pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), the
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) vide
Direction No 79 has now mandated and directed all agencies in NCR responsible/
in-charge for issuance of Completion Certificate (CC)/ Occupancy Certificate
(OC)not to issue CC/OC to any project against which "Closure"
direction issued by CAQM is pending.
Further, while
considering applications for grant of CC/OC, agencies concerned have been
advised to rely to the list of entities, whose resumptions orders are yet to be
issued (list updated on a weekly basis) at the Commission's official website,
i.e. https://caqm.nic.in/
before considering applications for grant of CC/OC.
Dust from
Construction & Demolition (C&D) activities is a major and consistent
source of air pollution in NCR and contributes adversely to the PM10 and PM2.5 levels,
consistently throughout the year, particularly during the summer season and
thus needs to be addressed at all levels by various stakeholders concerned in
NCR.
Onsite inspections
of the C&D projects undertaken by the Flying Squads constituted by CAQM,
indicate the need to significantly improve levels of compliance and
effectiveness of implementation of various statutory directions/ rules/ orders/
guidelines by the project proponents at their project sites regarding dust
mitigation.
Instances have also
come to the notice of the Commission, where proponents, in total disregard of
the of directions of closure and Advisory dated 06.04.2023 issued by CAQM, were
found to be continuing with the C&D activities without due
corrective/preventive measures to abate dust pollution and without resumption
orders being issued by the Commission.
Serious concerns of
dust levels attributed to C&D activities need to be addressed at all levels
by various stakeholders concerned in NCR. In this context, building layout plans/
permissions/sanctions issued by various regulatory bodies thus need to strictly
ensure inclusion of the provisions of directions, policy guidelines and other
measures to mitigate dust pollution during the execution of the work. The level
of compliance of such measures also need to be monitored from time to time by
the officers concerned of regulatory/ inspecting/ certifying agencies.
Many of the
infrastructure development activities including C&D projects are outsourced
to various agencies. It thus becomes imperative that implementation and
compliance of all the statutory directions, rules and guidelines is carried out
effectively even through such executing agencies.
Accordingly,
Municipal bodies/ ULBs and all related departments/ bodies of NCR State Govts/GNCT
of Delhi have been advised to accordingly ensure that all building plan
sanctions, tender notices, contract documents, agreements etc in these sectors
incorporate the provisions of rules, directions, guidelines and safeguards, for
compliance towards effective mitigation of dust during execution of such
projects. These agencies may also consider stipulating quality benchmarks in
respect of this attribute in the contracts, duly calling for appropriate penal
provisions and measures for environmental compensation in case of non compliances.
Regular inspection during execution of projects should monitor and ensure
compliance of dust control rules, guidelines and directions issued by the
Commission in this regard.