To deliberate upon the various factors impacting the air quality in the entire NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) in association with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), kicked off its dedicated interactive session “Dialogue Towards Clean Air” today in Gurgaon.

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, Sh. Bhupender Yadav chaired the event and discussed upon steps that all citizens should take to ensure a waste-free and pollution-free environment. The two-day interactive session involved stakeholders from Central Government, State Governments, Pollution Control Boards, Municipal Bodies, NGOs, Private Sector, Academia, and Industry Associations.

Constructive discussions along with resourceful insights gave a significant push in the successful implementation of interactive dialogue. Technical Sessions of the 1st Day of the Dialogue involved discussions on National Mission for Clean Air (NMCA) with city-specific plans, Urban Solid Waste Management under Swachh Bharat Mission, and an Open Interactive Session with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with a way forward towards clean air in the NCR. About 20-22 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working in the field of air pollution participated in the dialogue. Individuals from the NGOs interacted about the issues impacting the air quality in the entire NCR and put forward their valuable inputs to Sh. Yadav. The Commission and MoEF&CC ensured continued support and cooperation to all the stakeholders in a joint fight against the air pollution menace in the NCR.

Highlighting the efforts taken by the Commission towards significant improvement in the air quality scenario in the entire NCR, the Minister appealed to the citizens to look after their surroundings and take the sole responsibility towards disposal of waste contributed by us. He said, “whatever we take from our Mother Earth, we return that back in different forms of waste. If every citizen of the country becomes committed to work towards sustainable management of the waste generated by them, then it will serve as a great service towards the environment.”

Shri Yadav said that there is a common misconception among the general public that ‘Environment’ means the closure of everything impacting Mother Nature. We don’t want closure, we want regulation. Our team including the Members of the Commission is committed to working towards providing a healthy and pollution-free atmosphere to the citizens of the entire NCR. PM2.5 and PM10 dust particles present in the air goes into our lungs only. So, if we as citizens of India don’t work towards enhancement of the environment, then who else will?”, he added.

Further Shri Yadav appreciated the concerted efforts of CAQM towards the abatement of the air pollution menace in the entire NCR. Persistent efforts of the Commission supplemented with close monitoring and inspection drives in various sectors contributing to air pollution has shown remarkable improvement in air quality in the NCR. The Commission has so far issued 61 directions and 7 advisories, besides executive orders to various agencies concerned in the NCR including State Governments, GNCTD, State Government of Punjab, and various bodies of the Central and State Governments in the region, laying down responsibilities and concrete steps to abate pollution and ameliorate air quality in the region.

Whether it is about vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, stubble burning, roadside dust generation, solid waste management, vehicular pollution, use of DG sets, etc. the Commission is taking up every issue with utmost concern and it has pulled out all the stops to issue necessary Directions and Advisories to tackle it effectively. The 2nd Day of the “Dialogue towards Clean Air” will follow more insightful interactive sessions with a view to ameliorating the air quality of NCR and Adjoining Areas.

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 IG