Targets of Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas

Why is in news? CAQM finalizes ambitious targets of plantation for the entire NCR during 2023-24

• Working to increase the overall green cover of the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has held a series of consultations and review meetings to draw the roadmap and further finalize Greening/ Plantation Action Plan for the year 2023-24, the target of plantation (including trees, shrubs, bamboo, etc.).
• Additionally, separate meetings have also been held with different agencies of the Central Government to discuss and finalize Greening/ Plantation Action Plan for the year 2023-24.
• Greening is one of the major steps for mitigation of air pollution and the Commission has been laying special emphasis on large-scale greening/ dense plantation/ urban foresting initiatives including the Miyawaki Technique across the entire NCR.
• The implementation status of plantation activities to increase green cover for the year 2022-23 was also reviewed in the meetings held with the concerned NCR State Governments/ GNCTD.
• Educational institutions including schools, colleges and research institutions in NCR have been involved during current year to promote large-scale greening/ dense plantation initiatives in their surroundings. These institutions have been advised to develop dense plantation barricades along the boundaries of their institutions.
• Industrial units have also been advised to develop dense plantation barricades along the boundaries of their industrial units.
• The Commission has also taken up with the University Grants Commission (UGC) to have special budget provisions particularly for institutions in the NCR districts for increasing the green cover in view of the shortage of funds to conduct large-scale plantation drive and to carry out its maintenance.
• Promoting greening as a long-term solution to combat air pollution in the region has been highlighted in the Commission's Comprehensive Policy to Curb Air Pollution in the NCR. The strategies include:
• Expanding the net of "Nagar Van" and "Nagar Vatika", wherever feasible, in urban agglomerations and cities in NCR, including adoption of Miyawaki technique for dense plantation in limited urban spaces.
• Mass plantation drives focusing on proper nurturing and better survival rate, prioritizing native species and protection of all categories of forest areas.
• Target oriented action plans for Greening/ paving of central verges and sidewalks along the entire road network.
• While finalizing the Greening Action Plan, the need to focus greening along the central verges and roadsides has been stressed upon.
• The Commission has advised dense plantation using Miyawaki technique along the boundaries of the institutions/ industries and patches of land and gap filling between the conventional plantations along with post plantation care of the plants. The progress of implementation of Greening Action Plan will be monitored by the Commission on a regular basis.

Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas:

• The Commission was first formed by an ordinance in October 2020.
• The erstwhile Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, or EPCA had been dissolved to make way for the Commission.
• The Commission will be a statutory authority.
• The Commission will supersede bodies such as the central and state pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan.
• In 2021, the Parliament approved the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill.
• Composition:
• Chairperson: To be chaired by a government official of the rank of Secretary or Chief Secretary.
• The chairperson will hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.
• It will have members from several Ministries as well as representatives from the stakeholder States.
• It will have experts from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Civil Society.

Powers and functions:

• It will have the powers to issue directions to these state governments on issues pertaining to air pollution.
• It will entertain complaints as it deems necessary for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the air in the NCR and adjoining areas.
• It will also lay down parameters for control of air pollution.
• It will also be in charge of identifying violators, monitoring factories and industries and any other polluting unit in the region, and will have the powers to shut down such units.
• It will also have the powers to overrule directives issued by the state governments in the region, that may be in violation of pollution norms.