These will typically be group housing projects, plotted residential colonies and commercial projects like malls, IT parks and industrial units. The EPCA, which has been appointed by the Supreme Court, believes construction sites are major dust polluters in NCR. It has identified a nodal officer to inspect these sites twice a month. In Haryana, the Huda administrator will be the nodal officer for the development authority, municipal commissioners for civic bodies and senior town planners for private developers.

EPCA chairman Bhure Lal told TOI on Thursday pollution control boards, development agencies and civic bodies have been asked to provide a list of projects over 20,000 sqm, along with details of ownership, location, construction status, date of inspection and status of compliance with dust control guidelines. "Priority action needs to be directed towards these construction sites," he said.

Lal said though there are environment ministry and National Green Tribunal orders on dust control at construction sites, there are wide variations in the parameters used by each government agency in enforcing them. "In order to streamline and standardise construction dust control parameters, EPCA will study existing rules and practices in the region and will issue model guidance to be adopted for inspection and monitoring of construction sites," said Lal.

For effective enforcement of the guidelines, EPCA has also identified a nodal officer in each agency. "All nodal officers will have to submit a detail compliance report with details of inspections and challans separately for construction dust and garbage burning every 15 days," said Lal.

Huda claims they comply with all guidelines of MoEF and NGT. "Building plans and occupation certificates are issued as per the guidelines," said estate officer-I Omprakash. He added till now, five challans have been issued with a penalty of Rs 5,000 each for illegal dumping of building waste and burning of garbage in the open.