The High Power Committee on Air and Water Pollution, set up by Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung earlier this month, has asked Secretaries of various Ministries as well as noted environmentalist Sunita Narain to attend its second meeting, scheduled for May 28.

The committee was set up days after World Health Organization (WHO) released a report categorising air pollution here as one of the worst in the world. The committee will submit its report on vehicular pollution and effluence levels in the Yamuna within four weeks (by mid-June).

“We dispute some of the air pollution data in the WHO study. However, the data from our monitoring stations also shows that air pollution in Delhi is extremely high. In the case of the Yamuna too, it is known and accepted that the river is highly polluted. Both matters require examining of multiple issues and hence we have invited Secretaries from various Ministries as well as other experts,” said Additional Secretary (Environment) Sandeep Mishra, one of the five members of the committee.

The other members include the Delhi Government Chief Secretary (who chairs the committee), the Traffic Police Special Commissioner, the Delhi Government Secretary of Environment, and the Transport Commissioner.

On its second meeting on Wednesday, besides the Secretary of Urban Development of the Delhi Government; Member Secretary of the National Capital Region Planning Board; Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council; Commissioner of the Department of Industries of the Delhi Government; and the Secretaries of the Ministries of Earth Sciences, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Environment & Forests are among those invited for the May 28 meeting. Among members of non-governmental organisations is Dr. Narain, who is the Director-General of the Centre for Science and Environment.

A senior official said the committee was looking to adopt a multi-pronged approach.

“Though it is established that air pollution in Delhi is very high, tackling it will not be a simple matter. Even if we put curbs on vehicular traffic, industrial pollution too is part of the problem,” said a committee member.

The panel has to recommend short and long term measures to reduce pollution by mid-June.

The WHO report is based on a study of air quality in 1,600 cities. According to the study, Delhi has an annual average of 153 micrograms of small particulates of 2.5 micrometers per cubic metre. The Capital’s levels were put at nearly three times that of Beijing, which recorded an annual average of 56 micrograms of small particulates per cubic metre.

Organisations monitoring the Yamuna welcomed the committee’s mandate.

“The 22-km stretch of Yamuna flowing through Delhi is the most polluted portion of any river anywhere in the country, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s data. Even though the WHO report triggered the setting up of this committee, it will be praiseworthy if it identifies and takes long-term action for treatment of sewage flowing into the Yamuna,” said Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.