NEW DELHI: The Centre will soon set up an inter-ministerial task force, headed by the Prime Minister's principal secretary, Nripendra Mishra, to look into the issue of Delhi's air pollution and find ways and means to deal with it in a comprehensive manner.
The task force, comprising of Union secretaries of environment, agriculture, earth sciences, transport, power and petroleum and principal secretaries of Delhi and NCR states, will also coordinate with representatives of other states on the issue, said sources.
"Severe air pollution situation in Delhi and neighbouring states prompted the government to look for the need to have such a high-level task force which can coordinate with different ministries and agencies like the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) to find a permanent solution to this problem", said an official.
It is learnt that experts from outside the government will also be part of the task force.
Though the issue is currently being looked after by the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority - a body constituted by the Supreme Court - in coordination with the governments in Delhi and NCR states, the need of a high-level task force has been felt for long in view of constant inter-ministerial coordination.
"Immediate handling of the issues like stubble (post-harvest bio-mass) burning in neighbouring states through technological and financial intervention and strengthening public transport system in long-run need more concerted efforts. Direct involvement of the PMO through the task force will certainly help", said the official.
