Delhi to have 10 ‘Namo Van’ to combat pollution: CM Rekha Gupta

Pollution: Delhi government will develop 10 “Namo Van” across the city to enhance green cover and combat air pollution, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday.

Speaking at the ‘Aadhar Infra Confluence 2025’ hosted by Panchjanya, she said her government’s vision was to develop Delhi as a hub of education, tourism, IT, and healthcare, so that pollution is kept at a minimum while creating jobs.

“This year, we started planting 70 lakh saplings. We will also develop 10 dense wooded areas as ‘Namo Van’,” she said, detailing initiatives of her government related to urban infrastructure.

The chief minister stated that her six-year-old government in Delhi inherited many “legacy” issues left pending by previous administrations.

The Delhi government under her charge took various initiatives, such as introducing for the first time a dust mitigation plan, aiming to provide cleaner air to the people of Delhi.

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One thousand water sprinklers are being deployed across the city, and it has been made mandatory for all high-rises to have smog guns, she said.

The government has also planned to convert the entire public transport fleet in the city into electric vehicles, while work is underway to come up with an updated EV policy, she added.

The Delhi government is also working on a scheme to address the issue of wood burning by security guards during winters to keep warm, she said.

The BJP, after coming to power in Delhi, focused on Yamuna pollution and ensured that floodwater did not enter the city, she said. “As a result of the government’s efforts, the floodwater of the Yamuna this year did not spread beyond its floodplains,” she stated.

Special attention was paid to desilting major drains like the Barapulla and Shahdara drains, removing 25,000 metric tonnes of silt from them and focusing on major waterlogging points in the city.

All these efforts not only prevented major waterlogging issues but also ensured that rainwater as well as discharge from Hathnikund barrage did not cause any flooding in residential areas, she said.

The chief minister also highlighted her government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare and road infrastructure in the city, as well as the upliftment of slum clusters.

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Lack of sewer connections and water supply in nearly 700 slum clusters is a major challenge. Also, people in 1,800 unauthorised colonies in the city are forced to live in pathetic conditions, she pointed out.

The chief minister said her government’s priorities included strengthening basic infrastructure, like providing sewer lines and water pipelines in all parts of the city, along with good quality roads and transportation facilities, healthcare, and education for all.