New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Friday said that the MCD will focus on illegal construction and demolition (C&D) dumping, open biomass burning, and dust from roadwork to combat the rising pollution in the city.
The air quality in the national capital shifted to the “poor” category, days after being in the “very poor” category. However, experts warned that this improvement may be short-lived.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Mayor Shelly Oberoi held a press conference to address the issue. She noted that pollution levels in Delhi tend to rise every year after September, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) has increased over the past few days.
She mentioned that a high-level meeting was held recently by the Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Environment Minister Gopal Rai, along with officials from various departments and agencies, to discuss strategies for controlling Delhi’s pollution.
The primary concerns in Delhi are air pollution and dust pollution, and to tackle these issues, there is a need to focus on controlling illegal construction and demolition (C&D) dumping, open biomass burning, and dust on roads, she said.
The MCD has formed 372 surveillance teams to monitor pollution, with 1,295 officials working day and night shifts. A total of 57,000 sanitation workers are deployed for manual sweeping on the roads. Additionally, 52 mechanical road sweeping machines have been stationed, along with 195 water sprinklers and jetting machines, she said.
Furthermore, 30 anti-smog guns have been installed at locations identified by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), she said. Twenty anti-smog guns have been installed at C&D waste sites and energy plants, while 15 guns have been mounted on high-rise MCD buildings and 32 at construction sites.
There are 612 registered sites monitored by the DPCC, including 106 designated C&D waste dumping sites managed by the MCD, of which 55 have been covered to minimize dust emissions, she added.
Oberoi urged the residents to refrain from burning crackers and to participate in activities to reduce pollution and ensure cleaner air. PTI NSM HIG
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.