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Citing heavy pollution in the city's air, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has put on hold all the construction activities across the eight zones of the city under its jurisdiction. The move comes on the heels of the district administration's order, on Thursday morning, banning all the construction activities going on in the city with immediate effect.
The ban on construction activities will remain in effect for a week, till November 6.
The authority has intimated all its officials to comply with the order. The officials are also told to keep a tab on their areas to ensure that no construction takes place. If any official is found violating the order or any construction activity is found taking place under their check, stringent action would be taken against him, said Kanchan Verma, vice-chairperson of the GDA.
Ghaziabad’s air quality index (AQI) has continued to remain in the ‘severe’ category on Wednesday touching a 478 mark. On Tuesday, the city's AQI measured at 459 making it the most polluted city in India, as per the data provided by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to officials, Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) has deployed 25 tankers, including 15 sewage jetting machines to spray water in several parts of the city in order to settle down the dust. The GDA has pressed 19 more tankers into action. Officials have been asked to share live locations and pictures of the spots where water has been sprayed to maintain a record of the places covered.
Besides, the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has entrusted a team of 28 engineers with the task of reporting on polluting activities being carried out in the city, such as waste burning, cracker bursting, bonfire, etc.
