Latest news with #Sirsa
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi plans joint action with Punjab, Haryana to curb farm fires
The Delhi government has decided to engage with the state governments of Punjab and Haryana for joint action to control paddy stubble burning. Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday said he would seek to jointly meet the chief ministers of both states to formulate an action plan and dissuade farmers from burning stubble. Both states have, in the past, objected to the Delhi government placing the blame on them for smog formation in Capital in the months of October and November when paddy fields are cleared for the next crop. The Centre has spent over ₹3,200 crore on subsidised machinery since 2018 to check the menace, but little change was seen on ground as farmers continued to set fields on fire. 'All the states including Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are making efforts to curb pollution, but they are working in silos. A joint plan that covers the larger geographic area would bring good results,' said Sirsa. In 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had proposed that ₹2,500 per acre should be given to farmers in the state to stop them from stubble burning. The Punjab government had sent the proposal to the commission for air quality management (CAQM), stating that Delhi and Punjab should give ₹500 each while the Centre should provide ₹1,500. The Centre had rejected the proposal, stating that cash incentives are already given to farmers under the crop residue management (CRM) plan. From 2018 to 2024, 1.49 lakh machines, costing ₹1,650 crore, were given to farmers in Punjab for in-situ management of paddy stubble. This year, a sum of ₹500 crore will be spent to provide 4,367 machines for in-situ management of paddy stubble and ₹300 crore for ex-situ management of stubble.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt orders commercial, office buildings to put anti-smog guns on rooftops
The Delhi government has mandated the installation of rooftop anti-smog guns in all high-rise commercial, hotel, and institutional buildings across the city, in a unique directive aimed at tackling urban air pollution. The order, issued by the environment department on May 29, applies to commercial complexes, malls, and hotels with a built-up area greater than 3,000 square metres, and to office and institutional buildings that are at least ground plus five floors houses, apartment complexes, and group housing societies have been exempted. 'The directive applies to all commercial complexes, malls, and hotels with a built-up area greater than 3,000 square metres, as well as all institutional and office buildings that are ground plus five floors (G+5) or higher,' an official said. These buildings must install and operate anti-smog guns within six months and run them year-round, excluding the monsoon period from June 15 to October 1, according to the order issued on directions of environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa. The order is part of a push to integrate pollution control into everyday urban infrastructure. 'For the first time, Delhi has acted to curb a long-ignored pollution source. This is accountability in action. Delhi is the first city to mandate anti-smog guns throughout the year in all high-rise commercial buildings such as malls, hotels, and institutional buildings,' Sirsa said. The so-called anti-smog guns are effectively large fan-powered installations that throw air enriched with tiny water droplets over long distances in an attempt at capturing pollutants and bringing them aground. According to the directive, the number of anti-smog guns to be installed will depend on the building's size. Three anti-smog guns are to be installed on buildings with built-up areas below 10,000 square metres and additional one gun with every 5,000 square metre added. The guns must be permanently affixed to the parapet wall using fixed brackets rather than mobile trailers. 'The equipment must be mounted to the building's parapet wall using fixed brackets and not mobile trailers. Each smog gun should be capable of a horizontal mist throw of 75 to 100 metres and produce droplets between 5 to 20 microns in size to effectively target airborne particulate matter such as PM2.5 and PM10. Operation must not exceed 1,200 litres per hour or 10,000 litres over an eight-hour day,' an official aware of the matter explained. Further, only treated water should be used, with the maximum usage capped at 1,000–1,200 litres per hour, the official added. Officials said the directive comes after alarming deterioration in air quality observed during from October to January every year. 'This government will no longer tolerate half-measures. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of chief minister Rekha Gupta, we are ensuring that pollution control becomes embedded in urban infrastructure—not just in paper policies,' the environment minister added. The smog guns are to be operated intermittently during peak pollution windows — 6.30am to 9.30am, 5.30pm to 8.30pm, and 1.30am to 4.30am—in short bursts to maximise effectiveness and conserve electricity and water. Buildings between 7 and 10 storeys are considered optimal for generating effective ground-level mist dispersion. Implementation and enforcement responsibilities have been assigned to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Public Works Department (PWD), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), and other construction-approving or land-owning agencies. These agencies have been asked to ensure full compliance and submit quarterly reports to the Department of Environment detailing actions taken, monitoring outcomes, and penalties imposed where necessary. Meanwhile, experts said the move will only affect the dust locally and is not a long-term solution. Sunil Dahiya, analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said the order shows the government is serious in tackling pollution in the city. 'This is a visible move. One that can help bring down pollution locally. However, it is not a long term solution as it will only manage dust locally and in a small space. For long term reduction in pollution, we need to tackle the actual sources themselves,' Dahiya said.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Year-long smog guns made compulsory for Delhi's commercial high-rises: Minister Sirsa
New Delhi: In a first, Delhi has become the first city-state to mandate the use of anti-smog guns round the year on all commercial high-rise buildings, including malls, hotels and office complexes, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Friday. He added that the Department of Environment has issued a directive under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, mandating the installation and operation of anti-smog guns on specified high-rise buildings across the city. "This is the first time Delhi has taken decisive steps using vertical infrastructure as part of its air pollution response," he said. The direction mandates that eligible buildings install anti-smog guns within six months and operate them throughout the year, except during the monsoon period from June 15 to October 1. The directive applies to all commercial complexes, malls, and hotels with a built-up area greater than 3,000 square metres, as well as all institutional and office buildings that are ground plus five floors (G+5) or higher. Residential houses, group housing societies, and individual residential buildings are exempt from this mandate, an official statement said. The direction is rooted in consistent observations for stringent measures to reduce suspended particulate matter and directed the use of anti-smog guns in high-pollution urban zones, said Minister Sirsa. "This step has been taken due to deterioration in air quality observed during the October to January months. The city endured prolonged periods of 'Very Poor' to 'Severe' air quality, significantly underscoring the urgent need for effective environmental interventions," he added. Minister Sirsa said, "For years, this aspect of pollution control was either been advisory in nature or seasonal. What we've done today is historic. For the first time, Delhi has acted with legal clarity to curb a long-ignored pollution source. This is accountability in action." He added, "This government will no longer tolerate half-measures. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the able guidance of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, we are ensuring that pollution control becomes embedded in urban infrastructure." The government direction said each eligible building must deploy a minimum number of smog guns in proportion to its built-up area -- starting from three guns for areas below 10,000 square metres and scaling up plus 1 with every 5000 square metre added to the size. The equipment must be mounted to the building's parapet wall using fixed brackets and not mobile trailers. Each smog gun should be capable of a horizontal mist throw of 75 to 100 metres and produce droplets between 5 to 20 microns in size to effectively target airborne particulate matter like PM2.5 and PM10. Operation must not exceed 1,200 litre per hour or 10,000 litre over an eight-hour day. The smog guns are to be operated intermittently during peak pollution hours -- 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 a.m. -- in short bursts to maximise effectiveness and conserve electricity and water, the official directive said. The equipment should have minimal sound output from blowers and, where feasible, include integrated air quality monitoring sensors. Buildings between 7 and 10 storeys are considered optimal for generating effective ground-level mist dispersion, it added. Implementation and enforcement responsibilities have been assigned to the Municipal Corporations of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority, the Public Works Department, the Central Public Works Department, NBCC, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, and other construction-approving or land-owning agencies. These agencies are required to ensure full compliance and submit quarterly reports to the Department of Environment detailing actions taken, monitoring outcomes, and penalties imposed where necessary, it said.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Yamuna, air pollution: How BJP govt in Delhi tackled major environmental challenges in first 100 days
In the runup to the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections earlier this year, the BJP centered much of its campaign on a green turnaround: a cleaner Yamuna in three years, no garbage mounds by 2027, and breathable air. Now, 100 days after taking office, the new government can point to several first steps — a Cabinet nod for Delhi's first cloud-seeding trial to curb air pollution; tighter deadline for decentralisation and enhancement of sewage treatment plants (STPs); mandatory anti-smog guns and dust monitors at major construction sites; and 24×7 waste processing at landfill sites. The BJP's poll manifesto called for nothing less than a revival of the Yamuna's 'former glory'. It pledged to clean up the river within three years in power, instituting a dedicated 'Yamuna Kosh' fund, and to develop a riverfront similar to the one in Gujarat at Sabarmati river. The party vowed full treatment of wastewater from major drains, like Barapullah, Shahdara, and Ghazipur, before they empty into the river, along with expanding sewage treatment capacity. The 2025-26 Budget has earmarked Rs 9,000 crore for water-and-sewer upgrades, including ₹250 crore to replace corroded mains in trans-Yamuna zones and funds for 13,000 JJ-cluster and 2.5 lakh colony household sewer connections. A third-party STP audit has also been ordered, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told The Indian Express during an interview this week. So far, five STP-upgrades inherited from the previous government have inched past the 90%-cent mark. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB's) 100-day tracker lists the status of their upgradation: Rithala (40 MGD or milligram gallon per day ) – 100% Sonia Vihar adjunct (7 MGD) – 99 % Delhi Gate Phase III (10 MGD) – 98 % Najafgarh–Keshopur Phase II and III – 90 % Rohini-Narela-Coronation Pillar corridor – 95 % Meanwhile, the DJB has mapped its next tranche of the Budget allocation: a Rs 3,104-crore package of 40 decentralised STPs and 330 km of trunk sewers, which serve as the main artery for transporting wastewater to a treatment plant, aimed at 416 unauthorised colonies and 115 villages in the Najafgarh, Chhatarpur, Matiala, Bijwasan, Mundka, Narela and Bawana belts. The project's first-year outlay of Rs 613 crore has been booked under the Centre's AMRUT 2.0 scheme, while the remaining expenditure will be split over 2026-27, The Indian Express reported on on May 8. Similarly, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee rolled out a 14-point dust mitigation plan on May 22, focusing on water sprinkling, installing of particulate matter pollution monitors as well as proper disposal of construction and demolition waste. The body made it mandatory for projects equal to or larger than 500 square metres to register on its portal for monitoring. Sirsa also ordered in May for the vehicles inside forest and protected areas to be transitioned to electric-run. He also said that tendering of 70 mechanical road sweepers for cleaning of Public Works Department roads is in progress. In another key measure, the government has revised tree felling and pruning SOP. Intensifying its crackdown on end-of-life vehicles monitoring, AI cameras have also been installed at 90% of fuel stations. Sirsa in the interview with The Indian Express also said that preemptive notices have been sent to such vehicle owners in neighbouring states. From November 1, all transport or commercial goods vehicles not compliant with BS-VI, CNG, LNG, or EV (electrical vehicle) standards will be banned from entering Delhi. Following the Centre for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) directions, the government will stop fueling all end-of-life vehicles after July.
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Congress gives statements to be shown on Pakistan's TV: BJP's Manjinder Sirsa hits out at Jairam Ramesh
Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 29 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Delhi's Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa criticised Jairam Ramesh and Congress on Thursday, claiming that the party's leaders give statements which are only for broadcasting on Pakistan's TV channels. 'Congress has this disease, whether it is Jairam Ramesh or Rahul Gandhi they talk about things which will be shown on Pakistan's TV channels. This statement is not for airing on Indian TV channels, it is for Pakistan's TV channels,' Sirsa told ANI. Sirsa is in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district to visit the victims of cross-border shelling in the area, who were affected after Pakistan retaliated post Operation Sindoor. 'This is a very absurd statement of Jairam Ramesh ji. Shouldn't there be an Emergency discussion? We are not discussing the Emergency, not the Congress, how the Constitution was strangled, how people were imprisoned. To maintain the rule of one family, they imposed the Emergency and strangled the Constitution. If they feel discussing that is a sin, then doing this sin is important,' he added. Sirsa spoke in response to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's statement, where, with reference to the all-party delegation, the latter said that 'while our MPs roam around, the terrorists roam free too.' Ramesh had also criticised the Centre on the speculation of holding a special session on June 25 to remember the Emergency, while not holding one to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack. Further, hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Sirsa said that the Congress leader is not even ready to listen to the statements of Pakistan PM talking about India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. 'Their (Pakistan) Prime Minister is crying, is Jairam Ramesh not seeing that? Rahul Gandhi will not see it anyway, as he collects money from China, speak the language of Pakistan, they will never see it. But their (Pakistan) PM is crying and saying that 150 of our people were killed, they entered our house and killed them, turned off our water. Their CM is saying that he will not be able to bear the brunt of the damage suffered for many years,' Sirsa said. Earlier on Thursday, Ramesh took a jibe at the Central government for sending out parliamentarians across the world while the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack are 'roaming around.' 'It has been a month since the Pahalgam attack on April 22. Today, those terrorists are roaming around. They had a role in the December 2023 Poonch terror attack; the Ganderbal attack in October 2024; and in the same month, another attack took place--they had their role in that too. This means that the Pahalgam terrorists are responsible for four attacks in 18 months, and they are roaming around. Our MPs are roaming around, and our terrorists are roaming around too,' Ramesh told ANI. Seven groups of MPs have been sent to various countries to present India's stance against terrorism and expose Pakistan's links to it. The delegation of MPs is meeting various political leaders, think tanks and the Indian diaspora in various countries. On the speculation whether a special session of Parliament will be held, Ramesh added that an 'undeclared emergency' has been in place since 2014. 'It is being heard that a special session can be called on 25th and 26th June because it is the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Undeclared Emergency has been in force in our country since 2014. He wants to call a special session about what happened 50 years ago. To divert attention from today's questions.' On April 22, terrorists killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national in Baisaran valley in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. India launched 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7 in response to the attack, which targeted terror bases and led to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
