At the Initiative on Climate, Energy and Environment (ICEE) at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), we have been closely studying the functioning of various environmental regulators, and for the past four years have been working specifically in the area of air quality regulation and governance. [...] Action points: • Develop and implement sectoral action plans for the NCR and adjoining areas to tackle the major sources of pollution in parallel o Convene sector-specific committees to develop sectoral action plans; o Prepare draft white papers on each sector/sub-sector, solicit public comments and invite subject experts to review the draft white papers; o Constructively engage with the feedback. [...] • Expand purview of CAQM’s work beyond identified non-attainment cities o Increase monitoring in rural and peri-urban areas; o Devise action plans to address rural and peri-urban air quality issues, particularly household and localized sources; o Coordinate with Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and other relevant stakeholders to rapidly expand access to PMUY in rural and peri-urban areas. [...] • Accountability for NCAP implementation o Create mechanisms to ensure accountability of agencies tasked with implementation of the goals and targets outlined in the NCAP and city action plans; o Coordinate with the National Task Force constituted by the National Green Tribunal to enhance accountability on submission and implementation of the approved city action plans of the region. [...] Action points: • Develop an enforcement protocol that systematically lays down the CAQM’s likely response to specific types of offences/inaction, and the procedure that will be followed; • Design graded enforcement responses that escalate depending on the nature of offence, scale and impact of pollution, etc., with the aim to credibly impose high-level penalties in the most serious cases, eventual.
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