The Delhi government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has created a Winter Action Plan to tackle pollution in the upcoming winter season. To ensure the plan’s effectiveness, the government has established 14 guidelines and implemented the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan). As part of the Winter Action Plan, an anti-dust campaign has been launched, which will run from October 7th to November 7th. Construction sites have been instructed to adhere strictly to the set standards during this period.
A joint meeting was held at the Delhi Secretariat, chaired by Environment Minister Gopal Rai, to discuss the anti-dust campaign. Minister Rai announced that 591 teams from 13 different departments have been deployed across Delhi to monitor and prevent dust pollution. The teams will regularly report their findings to the Environment Department and the DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee). Dust pollution from construction sites poses a significant health risk, and to address this issue, the Construction and Demolition Portal has been established. All construction sites larger than 500 square meters are required to register on this portal.
Minister Rai emphasized that all construction sites must adhere to the 14 construction-related standards. Authorities have been instructed to closely monitor building and demolition sites, and action will be taken if any violations are found, as ordered by the NGT (National Green Tribunal). To combat dust pollution, 82 mechanical road cleaning equipment, 530 water sprinklers, and 258 mobile anti-smog guns will be deployed.
Minister Rai also announced that it is now mandatory to install anti-smog guns on construction sites larger than 5,000 square meters. The number of guns required varies based on the size of the construction site. For example, a site measuring 5,000 to 10,000 square meters must have one anti-smog gun, while a site measuring above 20,000 square meters needs at least four anti-smog guns.
Furthermore, Minister Rai conducted a surprise inspection in the Wazirpur hotspot zone as part of the anti-dust campaign. During the inspection, officials from various departments, including the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), DPCC, Jal Board, DSIIDC (Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation), Delhi Traffic Police, and PWD (Public Works Department), were present. The inspection revealed that illegal parking, traffic congestion, and construction work near the road were the main causes of increased pollution in the Wazirpur area. Instructions have been given to continuously spray water on the roads in the morning and evening to address this issue.
