The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Monday issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) making inspection reports, compliance correspondence, geo-tagged photographs and site records mandatory evidence for calculating environmental compensation in construction and demolition projects, two months after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed pollution control bodies to verify the actual days of violation instead of treating the entire period between inspection and closure as non-compliance.
This is specifically for cases where closure or sealing orders are issued against construction and demolition projects by the Commission.
In its order of June 5, the CAQM had pointed out that in many instances pollution control bodies in NCR were treating the number of days of violation as the total period between the date of inspection and the date of closure of operations, instead of ascertaining the actual number of days of violation. The Commission directed that this figure must be determined after verification through inspections, evidence and related documentation. On July 29, it also directed the DPCC to consider credible documentary evidence provided by project proponents while calculating EC.
The SOP has laid down the procedure to be followed by DPCC officials, the body has also said that this would “ensure a fair and justified assessment”. It states that inspection reports signed by the inspecting officer and countersigned by a senior officer, correspondence made by project proponents with CAQM or DPCC regarding compliance, geo-tagged and date-stamped photographs certified by the proponent, and entries in logbooks or invoices signed by the site in-charge and vetted by the authorised authority will all be considered as evidence to ascertain the date of compliance or closure of activity. These records must be submitted along with a notarised undertaking.
One of the key directives in the SOP that could ensure speedy redressal is that DPCC officials have to inspect the site within three days of receiving such documents to verify the records, documents and photographs submitted by the project proponent.
As per the SOP, the IT tools need to be developed for random validation of documents or proof and the IT Cell of the DPCC has also been asked to conduct forensic audits of the evidence, including photographs, on a random basis.
The DPCC had also issued an SOP on June 3 to streamline the procedure for action to impose and realise the EC, which has laid out clear timelines for violators to respond to show cause notices by the department. After expiry of 90 days from the date of issue of order imposing EC, recovery letter would also be issued to concerned sub divisional magistrate, along with timely reminders to take action.
