Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday made anti-smog guns mandatory at all construction and demolition sites larger than 5,000 square metres in and around the city in an attempt to improve the air quality in the national capital ahead of the winter season.
The move is a part of the Delhi government’s 15-point action plan to fight air pollution in winter. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will launch his government’s 15-point action plan to fight air pollution in the run-up to the winter season on 30 September, the environment minister said.
“Action will be taken against project proponents found violating the direction of installing anti-smog guns at construction and demolition sites which measure larger than 5,000 square metres,” Rai told the media at a news briefing.
Earlier, construction and demolition sites larger than 20,000 square metres were asked to install anti-smog guns to control dust pollution and curb a hike in bad air quality.
The Delhi government’s winter action plan will focus on stubble management, dust pollution management, vehicular emission, open burning of garbage, industrial pollution, pollution hotspots, smog towers, public participation, firecrackers and joint action with neighbouring states, the environment minister said.
According to Rai, the revised Graded Response Action Plan — a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in Delhi and its vicinity based on the severity of the situation will come into force as soon as the Commission for Air Quality Management issues orders in this connection.
After recording its cleanest air spell over the last three days, Delhi’s air quality dipped slightly on Monday and Tuesday even though it stayed well within the satisfactory category. Every year, just before the onset of winter, the Delhi-NCR region is choked with smog and the air quality index (AQI) touches alarming levels. Large-scale stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana as well as dust pollution emanating from several construction sites in the NCR region contribute to the rising air pollution in the national capital.
