Delhi: DPCC issues SOP for EC on C&D sites violating norms

According to the SOP, developers will now have to submit inspection reports signed by senior officials

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for calculating environmental compensation (EC) on construction and demolition sites that are violating norms, following directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), officials said on Thursday.

Construction and demolition (C&D) sites are a major source of dust pollution in the region, leading to a spike in PM 10 levels. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

The move comes after CAQM’s June 5 and July 29 orders which asked pollution boards to assess the actual number of violation days before imposing penalties and to consider credible evidence provided by project developers for a fair calculation.

The commission had previously pushed Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to adopt a common structure for penalties, pointing out that fines varied widely for the same violation. It had also directed states to double charges when the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was in effect.

According to the SOP, developers will now have to submit inspection reports signed by senior officials, email or postal correspondence with DPCC and CAQM, geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs, verified invoices and logbooks, along with a notarised undertaking.

“Once the documents are filed, DPCC will carry out a site inspection within three days to verify the claims,” the SOP, dated August 25, said.

DPCC said it also plans to use IT-based tools for random checks and conduct forensic audits of digital submissions. “DPCC shall endeavour to develop IT tools for random validation of documents/proof submitted by the project proponent. The IT Cell of DPCC shall conduct forensic audit of the soft copy,” the order added.

Construction and demolition (C&D) sites are a major source of dust pollution in the region, leading to a spike in PM 10 levels.

Till last year, norms for violating C&D norms varied sharply across the National Capital Region. For instance, for sites larger than 20,000 sqm, the fine ranged from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore in Haryana, compared to ₹5 lakh in Delhi. CAQM had called for standardisation in that regard, too, resulting in a common EC rate list for violations being issued.