In a bid to rid the city air of pollution, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has deployed several sprinklers and mist cannons on city streets.
Following the orders of Mayor Firhad Hakim, the civic body has deployed mist cannons on the roads which are expected to help rid pollution from dust that hovers in the air.
Two of such machines have been deployed for now.
These machines are largely effective in places where a huge amount of dust is present and the spraying of water from these canons helps settle the dust on the road.
In addition to these, vehicles fitted with sprinklers have also been deployed. These are also spraying the water on the roads to prevent the dust from flying in the air. This, according to KMC, will help combat the pollution in the city to an extent.
KMC sources said that the recent rainfall, rather a drizzle, after the Kali Puja had helped to some extent in clearing the air but soon the pollution built up as crackers were burst during the World Cup matches and the Chhath Puja. These contributed to the existing pollution in the air, it was remarked.
Mayor Firhad Hakim has said: “We have increased the number of sprinklers to 40. Trees are being regularly watered, apart from the roads to prevent the dust from floating around. Also, potholes on roads have been repaired while construction waste is being managed efficiently which has helped reduce the quantity of pollution in the air. The Building department is ensuring that construction waste is managed appropriately.”