Pollution control: Delhi govt tells construction companies to provide locations of large sites
New Delhi: In a proactive move to address the escalating concerns of air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government has called upon construction companies and agencies to provide the geographical locations of large construction sites.
This initiative aims to verify the installation and usage of anti-smog guns on high-rises while ensuring the implementation of pollution control measures.
The government has mandated that construction companies share Google coordinates of their sites, subject to periodic inspections by ground staff from environmental and regulatory agencies.
Adhering to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) guidelines, the requirement for anti-smog guns varies based on the built-up area of the construction site, ranging from at least one for sites of 5,000-10,000 sqm to a minimum of four for those exceeding 20,000 sqm.
Additionally, the government is expanding its efforts by increasing the coverage of mechanised road sweeping. The environment department has set a target of mechanised sweeping for 7,963 km per day, a significant increase from the current average of 2,705 km per day, covering 34 per cent of the city’s road length. The collected road dust, currently standing at 136 metric tonnes per day, is expected to see further reduction with the procurement approval of 18 additional mechanised road sweeping machines.
‘More than 90 high-rise buildings have been identified as potential locations for anti-smog guns, with directives extended to hotels and shopping complexes to deploy these devices,’ an official stated.
Presently, 56 government buildings, including those of MCD, PWD, and 233 other large construction sites, have anti-smog guns installed.
The initiative also involves placing 50 anti-smog guns on private buildings, with an additional 24 in progress. The environment department has allocated funds to the PWD for the procurement of 200 more mobile anti-smog guns.
To address pollution hotspots, 60 mobile anti-smog guns have been allocated to the MCD for areas like Anand Vihar, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Wazirpur, Rohini, RK Puram, Okhla, Jahangirpuri, and Punjabi Bagh.
An official asserted that, ‘The latest air quality data indicates an improvement in Delhi’s air quality this month. Construction and demolition-related activities remain a primary contributor to pollution, constituting the highest number of complaints.’ The government has laid down specific guidelines for construction sites, requiring fully covered vehicles transporting construction material and debris, the use of tarpaulin or green nets around construction areas, and regular water sprinkling to control dust pollution.
