New Delhi: The Supreme Court-mandated EPCA on Thursday withdrew the enhanced parking fee, and ban on construction activities and entry of trucks from across Delhi-NCR as air quality remained out of the 'emergency' category for the second straight day.
The measures, part of the Graded Response Action Plan, were enforced on November 8 after pollution levels had spiked, hitting the emergency category, accompanied by thick smog.
EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal wrote to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana on Thursday morning, directing them that the measures be lifted with "immediate effect" as the prevailing air quality does not warrant such tough action.
However, measures enforced under the GRAP's 'severe' category, including the closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers will remain, the EPCA said.
"If the conditions continue to improve and air quality stabilises, we will review the measures under the 'severe' category and inform you accordingly," Bhure Lal wrote.
According to the EPCA, the hike in parking fees to discourage use of private vehicles was rendered "ineffective" due to lack of public transport and laxity in acting against illegal parking.
"EPCA (Environment Pollution — Prevention and Control Authority) believes this is because of lack of enforcement and that enhancement of parking fee is an important car restraint measure. However, this measure has been made ineffective because of the lack of public transport and partly because of poor enforcement of illegal and unauthorised parking," Bhure Lal wrote.
On Wednesday, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had written to Lt Governor Anil Baijal urging him to "reconsider" the hike effected to tackle alarming pollution levels, holding the move was proving to be counterproductive.
Hike in charges by municipal corporations has resulted in people resorting to roadside parking or using facilities at malls, Gahlot said.
"These problems will need to be sorted out urgently so that this measure can be reimposed with effective enforcement," Lal added.
(With PTI inputs)
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