Ahmedabad’s civic body has warned developers of stringent action, including cancellation of building permissions, for failing to comply with pollution-control norms amid worsening air quality in the city.Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, taking serious note of rising Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, has directed estate department officials to initiate action against non-compliant construction sites. He cautioned that developers ignoring prescribed guidelines could face revocation of their permits.
AQI Concerns Trigger Stricter Enforcement
During a weekly review meeting with senior officials, Pani highlighted violations across several wards where construction sites were not implementing basic dust-control measures such as installing green nets.While officials informed that penalties were being imposed, the Commissioner stressed that fines alone were not enough if violations persisted. He instructed that repeated non-compliance should lead to cancellation of construction permissions and emphasised uniform enforcement across all zones to curb rising AQI levels.
‘Mission Million Trees’ Under Scanner
The Commissioner also flagged discrepancies in reports submitted under the ‘Mission Million Trees’ initiative. While plantation activity had been reported on a plot across the river, it was found that construction had taken place at the same location, where an urban health centre exists.Expressing displeasure, Pani warned officials against misreporting and directed that no work should be falsely shown on records. He called for strict action in such instances.
Focus on Grievance Redressal
On civic complaints, Pani directed that all issues registered under the Comprehensive Complaint Redressal System (CCRS) must be properly resolved before being closed.He emphasised that complaints should not be marked as resolved without actual redressal, signalling tighter monitoring and accountability within the civic administration.