GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 18th Oct. Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on Friday the formation of coordination committees to address local pollution sources in 13 specific locations across the city, which are experiencing “very poor” air quality. These areas have reported Air Quality Index (AQI) levels above 300, placing them in the ‘very poor’ category.
The identified hotspots include Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8, Mundka, Jahangirpuri, Rohini, Narela, Okhla, Punjabi Bagh, R.K Puram, Vivek Vihar, Wazirpur, and Bawana. Speaking at a press conference, Rai emphasized that while Delhi as a whole faces ‘poor’ air quality, these hotspots require targeted intervention.
In a meeting, Rai directed officials to rigorously follow pollution control measures. “To reduce dust pollution, coordination committees have been established for each of these locations to identify and mitigate local sources of pollution,” he said. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) deputy commissioners will draft action plans for the affected areas within their jurisdiction.
To support these efforts, 80 mobile anti-smog guns have been deployed across the hotspot areas. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also assigned engineers to each location, who are required to submit daily updates to the city’s ‘Pollution War Room.’
Highlighting specific issues, Rai noted that construction activities by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and the influx of BS-3 and BS-4 diesel buses from Uttar Pradesh were significant contributors to the pollution in Anand Vihar.
The Delhi government implemented Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Tuesday, following a sustained period of poor air quality. Stage 1 focuses on controlling dust at construction sites, improving waste management, and ensuring regular road cleaning. It also includes measures like restricting polluting vehicles and enhancing emission controls in industries, power plants, and brick kilns.
These targeted actions aim to mitigate pollution levels and improve air quality in the capital, as the winter season brings heightened pollution risks.
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