NEW DELHI , 15 Oct , 2024 : In response to the recent spike in air pollution levels, the Delhi Government will be strictly implementing a series of stringent measures under GRAP-1 to improve air quality in the national capital. The development came after Chief Minister Atishi took stock of the situation in a high-level meeting with Environment Minister Gopal Rai and senior officials, on Tuesday.
As part of the measures, 99 teams will inspect construction sites for dust control, while PWD will deploy 200, MCD 30, NCRTC 14, and DMRC 80 anti-smog guns. Similarly, Delhi Police will deploy additional personnel at traffic-prone spots and Home Guards will be on standby if needed. CM Atishi has also appealed to Delhiites to carpool, avoid burning crackers and garbage, and report pollution incidents on Green Delhi app.
Addressing a press conference after the review meeting, CM Atishi highlighted the improvements made in air quality this year. She said, “if we look at AQI levels and pollution levels in Delhi from January 1 to October 12 this year, we’ve had 200 good AQI days. This is a higher number compared to the last few years. This year, Delhi residents have experienced better air quality, which has been achieved through their efforts and the pollution control measures adopted by the Delhi Government.” She, however, noted the dip in air quality over the last two days, saying, “on October 13, the AQI reached 224, and on October 14, it reached 234, which puts the air quality in the poor category. Due to two consecutive days of poor AQI, GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) Stage 1 restrictions have been imposed in Delhi from yesterday evening.”
The Chief Minister then outlined the outcomes of a high-level review meeting. The meeting saw the presence of officials from all departments of the state, including PWD, MCD, DMRC, NHAI, Revenue Department, Industries Department, and Power Department. A key focus of the meeting was dust mitigation at construction sites. “33 teams have been formed by the DPCC, 33 teams by the Revenue Department, and 33 teams by the Industries Department. These 99 teams will conduct inspections on a day-to-day basis,” CM Atishi explained. “The team will ensure that dust control measures are being followed at both government and private construction sites. Specifically, they will focus on the removal of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste, which increases PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels, contributing to dust pollution,” she added.
Addressing the issue of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste, CM Atishi announced that 79 MCD teams will work during the day, and 75 teams will work at night to remove this waste. She emphasized the importance of this measure in reducing PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels. “Another important mandate for the MCD is to prevent open biomass burning. For this, 116 teams will be deployed during the day, and 116 teams will be deployed at night to stop any form of open biomass or waste burning,” she added.
Talking about road dust control, the CM mentioned that one of the major causes of road dust is damaged roads. “PWD is repairing 1,400 kilometers of roads, on a war footing, and the timelines for repairing roads under NCRTC and DMRC have been set for October 30. Last week, we held a review meeting with MCD, where it was agreed that MCD would repair potholes on its damaged roads,” she said.
To control road dust beyond just repairs, anti-smog guns will be deployed this season. In today’s meeting, CM Atishi gave directions to PWD for deploying 200 anti-smog guns on its roads and major pollution hotspots. In line with this, DMRC will deploy 80 anti-smog guns, some of which will be static and others mobile, to be used at construction sites. MCD will deploy 30 anti-smog guns, and NCRTC, which is handling the RRTS construction, will deploy 14 anti-smog guns.
CM Atishi further informed that directions have been given to the Traffic Police for proper traffic management. “They will identify traffic jam-prone locations and deploy extra personnel. Especially since during the festive season, traffic tends to increase, and there have been traffic jams over the last 3-4 days. The Delhi Traffic Police will also send a requisition to the Delhi government by tomorrow if they need home guards. The home guards will be deployed at traffic jam hotspots to ensure proper traffic management,” she said.
The CM also announced the government’s plans to clampdown on generator use, especially at banquet halls and events, where diesel-based generators are often used instead of temporary power connections. “Our campaign to shift away from diesel-based generators has been ongoing for a year, but with rising pollution levels, teams from the Power Department will ensure that diesel generators are not used anywhere. The Power Department has also been directed to explore reducing temporary connection charges in coordination with DISCOMs and DERC for the next three months, as higher temporary connection costs often lead people to use diesel generators,” she said.
CM Atishi also informed that an awareness drive will be launched to encourage the public to carpool as much as possible. “We will also appeal to the public not to use fireworks during Diwali. RWAs will be encouraged to provide electric heaters for security guards to avoid wood burning. The Delhi government is committed to controlling pollution, and wherever teams need to be deployed or enforcement is required, it will be done. However, my appeal to the people of Delhi is that the government alone cannot stop pollution. Without the cooperation of Delhiites, we cannot control the rising pollution levels in the city. So, my appeal to all Delhiites is to carpool as much as possible and report any polluting activities on the Green Delhi app so that we can take immediate action,” she said.
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