Smog tower in Connaught Place improves air quality by 10-15% within 500-m radius, it is learnt. Other measures by MCD & Delhi govt to to mitigate pollutants also falling short.
The 2 smog towers — one in Connaught Place and the other in Anand Vihar — became functional in September. Delhi Environment Minister said the towers filter out 80% of particulate matter in the air.
A smog tower installed near the Shivaji Stadium Metro station by the Delhi govt has been touted by it as the first in India. But there are already such towers in India.
Tata Consultancy will be responsible for installing smog towers, which are air purifiers, while National Buildings Construction Corporation will construct them.
Supreme Court order to install smog towers in Delhi can be an experiment, but engineering solutions are just band-aid. The real problem is state capacity.
According to a statement by the airport, commercial operations likely to begin next year 'in view of the current construction status'. It was supposed to commence operations by 2024 end.
At interaction in Delhi Monday, Ambassador of Philippines also highlighted talks over possibility of high-level delegation visit later this year to mark 75 yrs of diplomatic ties.
Changed reality for Modi govt in its 3rd innings is by no means rise of a new phenomenon. It's a return to old normal where even majorities had to routinely wrestle with storied million mutinies.
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