Construction and demolition activities across Delhi-NCR will face restrictions from November 5 to November 20. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the Commission for Air Quality Management issued this advisory to manage seasonal air pollution. The government also plans to track dust and vehicular pollution using real-time monitoring systems.
Construction and demolition activities across Delhi-NCR will face restrictions from November 5 to November 20 as the Centre prepares for the seasonal deterioration in air quality, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday.
Yadav said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had decided to issue an advance advisory to halt construction and demolition activities during the period, based on historical air quality patterns. The move comes as the region enters a period when multiple sources of pollution become more difficult to manage at the same time.
"Regarding construction and demolition waste, while Delhi has implemented a complete ban for the month of November, the CAQM, based on historical data, has reached certain conclusions regarding the period from November 5 to 20. In anticipation of challenges, the CAQM has decided to issue an advance advisory to halt construction and demolition activities in Delhi, and to ensure that road dust is managed effectively," Yadav said.
The Centre is also pointing to developments in crop residue management as part of its response to the pollution challenge. Yadav said around 50 per cent of the harvesting had been completed and the government was nearing its target of diverting 40 per cent of stubble towards ex-situ utilisation rather than burning.
"Fifty per cent of the harvesting is complete. We had set a target that at least 40 per cent of the stubble, instead of being burnt, should be utilised for other purposes, which would also provide additional income to farmers. This represents a positive step in that direction," he said.
Yadav said farmers in Punjab and Haryana had made progress in commercial utilisation of crop residue, arguing that such use could help address the issue beyond seasonal stubble burning while supporting a circular economy.
The government is also relying on real-time monitoring. Yadav said CAQM's Integrated Command and Control Centre, PAVAN, would track vehicular and dust pollution, hotspots and complaints from citizens, with grievances being routed to the concerned agencies.
He said real-time monitoring had also been established for 98 industrial units, with directions for formal notices where pollution levels exceed prescribed limits. Measures on vehicle pollution, including mandatory valid pollution certificates for refuelling in NCR, were also cited as part of the wider enforcement strategy.