As pollution chokes NCR, govt looks to high-level meetings

New Delhi: A series of high-level meetings is slated in the next few days in the Environment Ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to review the rising air pollution in the NCR of Delhi.
A review meeting by a panel, led by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), is also on the cards. The panel, comprising various ministries, states and departments, had a review meeting last week to chalk out an action plan till mid-November for tackling pollution in the post-Diwali period. The CPCB is expected to present the outcome of its 46 monitoring units, which are keeping tab on pollution causing activities in the NCR.
As some areas in Delhi recorded all-time high air quality index (AQI) of 1,000 on Sunday, social media is abuzz with netizens seeking immediate government intervention.
According to some experts, this level of pollution is equivalent to smoking 33 cigarettes a day. In the highest pollution reading yet this season, the US embassy recorded PM-2.5 level of 802 at 1 p.m. The pollution level has been rising since 1 a.m.
Meanwhile, the slugfest between the central government and the Delhi government continues.
EESL, a joint venture of public sector undertakings (PSUs) in the Ministry of Power on Sunday criticised the Delhi government for not exempting electric vehicles from the odd-even scheme. (IANS)