Delhi govt launches anti-dust campaign

The Delhi government on Monday launched a month-long anti-dust campaign, as part of its ‘summer action plan’ which was announced earlier this month to tackle air pollution.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that under the campaign, 235 patrolling teams comprising 629 personnel and 165 patrolling teams with 433 personnel at night from 13 departments are being deployed across the Capital.

These teams will operate round the clock to observe and minimise dust pollution, with their reports being shared with the Delhi Environment Department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) from time to time.

Rai said 84 mechanical road sweeping (MRS) machines, 609 water sprinkler machines and 185 mobile anti-smog guns have been deployed to prevent dust pollution. He added that 70 new integrated MRS machines and 250 integrated water sprinkler machines will be procured soon.

The Minister said that there was a rule earlier to install anti-smog guns only at construction sites with area above 20,000 square meters. However, now, on the basis of the new rules, installation of anti-smog guns has been made mandatory at construction sites of an area of 5,000 square meters and above.

“This anti-dust campaign will provide relief to the people of Delhi to a great extent from the pollution caused during the summer season. Moreover, it will play a crucial part in enhancing the environment and curbing pollution in Delhi,” Rai said. (With inputs from PTI)