Mechanical road sweeping (MRS) trucks and the installation of revolving smog guns on high-rise structures were among the ideas made at a meeting hosted by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday. Amid declining air quality in the national capital, the Lieutenant Governor emphasized the importance of reducing domestic sources of air pollution.
After a meeting of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the Lieutenant Governor asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to collect construction and demolition trash, dried-up silt, and road dust.
During the meeting, Saxena revealed that MCD and DDA had collected 15,000 and 8,000 metric tons (MT) of dust, respectively, in the previous two weeks. Both Chief Minister Atishi and Environment Minister Gopal Rai have lauded
efforts to clean roadways. MRS vehicles and rotating smog guns on high-rise buildings have been adopted, with 300 of them already operational and 160 smog guns installed.
The Environment Minister expressed concern about vehicles entering the city, despite alternate routes via the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways. Additionally, concerns such as open fires, waste burning, and implementing Pollution Under Control (PUC) regulations were examined, with a focus on the shortage of enforcement personnel.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) predicted worsening air quality in the next months, warning of probable hazardous levels that might activate strict anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), potentially affecting the economy.
To alleviate labor shortages, the Lieutenant Governor proposed deploying Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) to combat air pollution from November 1 until the end of February. Lt Governor Saxena proposed that they participate in PUC centers and pollution hotspots under the supervision of district magistrates. The LG also suggested developing a clear plan for bus marshals and creating recruitment rules in the future to ensure proper enforcement of anti-pollution measures.