With the air quality refusing to clear after the festive week, the CAQM has escalated its anti-pollution offensive. The transition to GRAP Stage 2 (Very Poor category) mandates a shift from advisory to regulatory action to prevent the “Severe” smog from becoming permanent.
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Diesel Generator Crackdown: Use of DG sets for industrial, commercial, and residential purposes is now prohibited. Only emergency services such as hospitals, elevators, railway/metro stations, and sewage treatment plants are exempt. This is expected to hit high-rise societies in Gurugram and Faridabad that rely on DG backup during power fluctuations.
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Dust Control & Sweeping: Municipal bodies are now required to carry out mechanical/vacuum sweeping and water sprinkling with dust suppressants on a daily basis, particularly on high-traffic corridors like the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway and the Faridabad Bypass.
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Public Transport Push: To reduce vehicular emissions, parking fees at metro stations and public hubs are being hiked. Simultaneously, the Haryana Transport Department has been asked to augment bus frequencies and encourage off-peak travel through differential rates.
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Enforcement Teams: In Gurugram alone, 35 enforcement teams have been activated by the MCG to conduct surprise inspections at construction sites. Any site found without operational anti-smog guns or green netting will face immediate “Stop-Work” orders and heavy fines.
Community Sentiment
“Living in a high-rise, the DG ban is a major concern because we face frequent power trips. However, looking at the grey sky and the cough my kids have developed over the last two days, we understand that these tough steps are necessary to breathe,” said a resident of a condominium in Gurugram’s Sector 67.
