CM Rekha Gupta new panel activates aggressive GRAP enforcement. Get the full details on strict Delhi pollution fines: up to ₹5 lakh for construction, C&D dust, and garbage burning violations.
Delhi Pollution Fines
The capital city of Delhi is yet again grappling with a severe environmental crisis as the Air Quality Index (AQI) repeatedly slips into the ‘Very Poor’ and ‘Severe’ categories, forcing citizens to breathe toxic air. In a decisive move to address the spiraling pollution levels, a high-powered panel, led by CM Rekha Gupta, has been constituted and deployed with a mandate for zero-tolerance enforcement and the immediate levying of heavy fines on all identified polluters. This new, coordinated action marks an aggressive shift in the government’s approach, prioritizing strict compliance with the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) guidelines.
The new panel’s mandate comes directly in response to the invocation of GRAP Stage III and sometimes Stage IV, which imposes stringent restrictions across the Delhi-NCR region. The committee is comprised of ministers and senior officials from critical departments, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), and Transport wing, ensuring a unified crackdown where previous efforts were fragmented. The message is clear: whether it is an individual, a private construction firm, or a government agency, no entity will be spared from the massive Delhi pollution fines.
One of the primary contributors to the city’s thick smog is fugitive dust. The new enforcement drive is focusing intensely on Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris violations. Teams are instructed to levy massive environmental compensation charges on construction sites found non-compliant with dust mitigation norms. Fines can reach up to ₹5 lakh for major infractions, such as not covering debris, failing to install anti-smog guns, or continuing work illegally during the GRAP ban. The committee is actively sealing violating sites and issuing “show-cause notices” to over 200 projects, emphasizing that profit cannot come at the cost of public health.
Simultaneously, the panel is addressing polluting industries. The central directive demands that all highly polluting industries in Delhi-NCR install real-time emission monitoring systems. Industries failing to meet this deadline face immediate closure, signaling a firm stance against manufacturers that continuously degrade the air quality.
