The AAP government banned all construction activities as the quality of air turned “hazardous” in Delhi on Wednesday. Construction workers will be given Rs 5000 per month, announced CM Arvind Kejriwal.
As per pollution data, the air quality slipped into the hazardous category with the air quality index reaching up to 517.
“Construction activities have been stopped across Delhi in view of pollution. I have directed Labour Minister, Sh Manish Sisodia, to give Rs 5000 pm as financial support to each construction worker during this period, when construction activities are not permitted,” Kejriwal said on Twitter.
The government has also requested people not to take out private vehicles, arguing that vehicular pollution contributes 50 per cent to air pollution in the national capital.
Soon after the Diwali festival, the Delhi government announced the imposition of the third phase of its Graded Response Action Plan where construction activity was banned barring government-related projects.
Despite a ban on firecrackers on Diwali this year, the AQI had slipped into the very poor category a day after and now.
Meanwhile, environment minister Gopal Rai said he has requested the residents of Delhi to use public transport as much as possible.
“The fuel from private vehicles produced 50 per cent of pollution in the city, therefore I request to the people to use fewer private vehicles and use public transport,” said Rai.
He also said that Delhi Pollution Control Committee along with other departments has been deployed to keep a tab on construction activity in order to curb pollution levels.
On Tuesday, Rai inspected a site in Central Delhi and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the construction company for continuing work.
On the issue of stubble burning, a major pollution constituent, Rai said that the Delhi government could not implement its stubble burning management plan, and alleged that the Central government is responsible for crop residue burning in neighbouring Punjab and other neighbouring states.
Earlier, the government had said that it suggested a plan to give Rs 2500 to farmers for the management of stubble but the Centre never gave nod to give its share of the amount of Rs 1000.