Circle wise nodal officers have been assigned responsibility of coordinating with sanitation, horticulture and civil department
By SHRI RAM SHAW
New Delhi: Come one, come all! Join hands and make a collective and consolidated effort to create a cleaner India. Prime Minister’s national call to action for Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Sath will take centre stage on Sunday, 1st October 2023 across the nation. Every city, every block, every street is gearing up to make way for one hour of shramdaan for swachhata on 1st October. The national capital is all set to contribute its own bit to the mega swachhata drive.
The Delhi civic body is planning to organize a minimum of two events in each of the city’s 250 wards 500 sites have been adopted for cleanliness. The preparations are in full swing with a number of lead organizations coming forward to adopt sites for swachhata. NGO Sri Sri Art of Living has adopted slum areas in Delhi and to spread awareness through a Pad Yatra, Nukkad Natak etc. NGO Chintan will align with citizens from local communities to clean nearby areas.
Meanwhile, stickers to create awareness regarding ongoing Swatchta Hi Sewa (SHS) campaign have been placed on all garbage vehicles, swachhata jingles are being run on all door-to-door collection vehicles, circle wise nodal officers have also been assigned responsibility of coordinating with sanitation, horticulture and civil department for carrying out sanitation drive at identified areas in form of plog runs, sweeping of roads/colony parks areas. 2,000 school students have visiting Garbage transfer station and MRF centers where waste management demonstrations have been arranged for them for invoking a sense of responsibility towards waste and its management. Apart from this, hotels, clubs, hostels, old-age homes, RWAs, financial and religious institutions have also been carrying out sanitation drives in NDMC areas in the run up to the 1st October extravaganza.
The dissemination of the programme details is being done through door-to-door campaigns, garbage collection vehicles etc. All public representatives including ministers, mayor, MPs, MLAs, local councillors and MCD brand ambassadors will be invited to join the cleanliness drives and motivate common citizens to join the campaign and make it a milestone in India’s swachhata journey. Over 7 lakh sites have already been adopted across the nation for swachhata drives on 1st Oct.
As part of the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS), 2023 campaign, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Pankaj Kumar administered “Swachhata Pledge” to the officers/staff of the department in the Committee Room, Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi. The officials of the Department pledged to keep the country neat & clean and would undertake various activities including devotion of two hours per week to voluntary work for cleanliness.
Further, on a specific ‘Call for Action’ given by the Prime Minister for engaging people in Shramdaan for cleaning drives on 1st October as a prelude to Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2nd October, DoWR, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti and its organisations would be actively participating in special cleaning drives on the day with the slogan of ‘Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Saath’ at 10 AM for one hour. The senior officers/staff of DoWR, RD & GR, in association with National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its aligned organisations as well as NGOs, Schools/Colleges, RWAs, Youth Groups, etc would be undertaking mass cleaning drive at Chhath Ghat, ITO, New Delhi on 1st October.
Regulated operations of Diesel Generator sets in NCR
The Commission, from time to time, observed and has sensitized all stakeholders that amongst other contributors, large-scale use of Diesel Generating sets is a major contributing factor for deterioration of air quality in the region.
To this end, the Commission, since February, 2022 and from time to time, thereafter, has issued Directions, Orders, Advisory etc. for control of emissions from such DG sets and their regulated operations.
Arising out of a review in the matter related to progress made in the field level implementation, the Commission issued a comprehensively revised Direction No. 73 dated 02.06.2023 for regulated operations of DG sets across all sectors in the NCR including Industrial, Commercial, Residential and Office establishments etc., w.e.f. 01.10.2023, with a view to derive the benefit of abatement of air pollution, owing to this vital sector, in the ensuing winter.
While some preparatory actions were initiated / reported by various stakeholders towards emission control from DG sets through retro-fitted ECDs and / or dual fuel system, following concerns were highlighted to CAQM:
Issues related to availability of certified RECDs and agencies for all capacity ranges and vintages of DG sets.
Issues related to availability / delays in PNG infrastructure and supply, purely for DG sets.
Techno-commercial issues, logistics and time involved for fitment of RECDs / conversion to dual fuel mode.
Issues related to availability of DG sets to the latest standards as in MoEFCC notification No. GSR 804(E) dated 03.11.2022 (CPCB-IV).
Issues related to use of DG sets for emergency services.
The regulated schedule for operation of DG sets issued vide Direction No. 73 dated 02.06.2023 was to take effect from 01.10.2023. The revised schedule as above further eases out the means of implementation and addresses practical difficulties and techno-commercial concerns of various stakeholders and thus the revised schedule for regulation of DG sets would be in force in the entire NCR w.e.f. 01.10.2023.
