‘Impose standard penalty on units causing pollution’

New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas (CAQM) has asked DPCC and state pollution control boards in NCR districts in UP, Haryana and Rajasthan to impose a standard penalty as environmental compensation (EC) on units flouting norms and causing pollution. CAQM came up with a standardised list of EC charges for violations of guidelines or orders related to industrial sectors, DG sets and C&D activities as the amount of penalty was varying in states. The commission said the standardised list is for days when GRAP is not in force, but during the GRAP period, the amount will be doubled. The EC charges will also be doubled if there are repeated violations.An EC is a penalty imposed by DPCC and state pollution control boards on polluting units in Delhi-NCR for violating closure directions or guidelines issued by CAQM or for not meeting pollution norms. An EC is also imposed when air, water or other acts are violated.“While processing the resumption of the activities in units to whom closure directions have been issued, it is noted there are wide ranging state-wise and sector-wise variations in the amount of EC charges being levied by the pollution control boards concerned or committee in Delhi-NCR for similar violations,” stated a Feb 6 order.According to CAQM, ineffective dust mitigation will attract a fine of Rs 7,500 for a plot size below 500 sqm per day while for a plot area of over 500 sqm, it will be Rs 15,000 per day. EC of Rs 1 lakh will be imposed for non-registration of C&D projects on the web portal if the construction area is below 20,000 sqm while the penalty will increase to Rs 2 lakh if the area is above 20,000 sqm. CAQM said the EC will be Rs 7,500 for each anti-smog gun not deployed on-site. It is mandatory for C&D sites to have one anti-smog gun for every 5,000 sqm.“If self-audit reports are not uploaded on the web portal of the state govt or video-fencing of the project boundary has not been carried out, EC will be Rs 20,000 for projects with area less than 20,000 sqm and Rs 40,000 for projects with area over 20,000 sqm,” said CAQM.For violations of DG set norms, EC amount will vary from Rs 7,500 to Rs 25,000 per day, depending on the size of DG set.