Delhi Pollution: Day after Supreme Court's stern warning, Centre comes up with 'task force'

A day after the Supreme Court's strong worded directions on taking measures to control pollution in Delhi, the Centre on Friday said it has set up a five-member 'enforcement task force' to ensure that air pollution is brought under control.

In an affidavit filed before the top court, the government informed that the five-member task force “will exercise powers of taking punitive and preventive measures against the non-compliant/defaulting persons/entities”.

The affidavit stated that industrial units in NCR which are not running on PNG or cleaner fuels shall be allowed to operate for only upto 8 hours a day during weekdays and remain shut during weekends.

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Also, only 5 out of the 11 thermal power plants situated within 300 km of Delhi will remain operational till December 15, 202 at least.

The Centre also said that all schools and colleges in NCR shall remain closed till further orders. Entry of trucks, except those running on CNG or electric power and carrying essential commodities, has also been banned.

Earlier, the inspections were carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board and the pollution control board of the respective state governments.