NCR resolved 50% pollution-related complaints: CPCB

Nearly half of the pollution-related complaints made to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) or logged by its monitoring teams across the National Capital Region (NCR) between October 15 and December 19 are yet to be resolved, with data from the pollution watchdog showing that only 1,100 of the 2,207 complaints have been addressed so far.

However, among the NCR states, Delhi is faring best, having resolved nearly 63% (761) of the 1,214 complaints filed during this period.

In comparison, UP (134 of 370 complaints) and Haryana (184 of 509 complaints) have resolved 36% complaints, and Rajasthan (nine of 53 complaints) resolved only 17% complaints.

A senior CPCB official, on the condition of anonymity, said most complaints were related to dust violations, construction and demolition waste and instances of open waste burning. “Data is collected each day from each agency and is being updated in real time. Agencies have been asked to ensure no complaints remain pending and are being asked to prioritise those complaints in particular which can be dealt with quickly,” the official said.

CPCB data showed that in Delhi, most complaints (403) were recorded in areas under the jurisdiction of North Delhi Municipal Corporation but the civic body has addressed only 189 complaints (47%).

South MCD received 359 complaints and resolved 232 (65%), whereas East MCD got 87 complaints, of which they have resolved 79 (91%).

In comparison, other agencies with a high pendency rate include the Delhi government’s flood control department, which has only resolved four of its 17 complaints (24%), and the Delhi Police, which has addressed only 10 of its 24 complaints (42%).

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Delhi Cantonment Board and the Delhi transport department have meanwhile resolved all the complaints received so far.

Among agencies in NCR which failed to solve a single complaint are the Central Public Works Department (56 complaints), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (40 complaints), Haryana Urban Development Authority (21 complaints) and the UP state pollution control board (56 complaints).

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said it is important to act swiftly on all such complaints during the winter to somewhat halt the spike in air pollution. “In winters, you cannot carry out infrastructure-based intervention and therefore strict enforcement is essential. The CPCB may also need to carry out a system audit and assign accountability to agencies failing to solve complaints,” she said.