MCD deploys 517 surveillance teams to combat air pollution in Delhi

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has taken a number of steps to combat air pollution in the city, as part of its Winter Action Plan (WAP).

The WAP includes a number of measures to reduce dust pollution, open burning, and C & D waste violations.

The Public Work Department has provided 60 Anti-Smog guns (ASGs) to assist MCD in combatting dust pollution in Hotspot areas.

"To implement the Winter Action Plan (WAP) MCD has constituted 517 Surveillance Teams constituting 1119 officers to check the open burning, illegal C & D waste dumping, checking of C & D sites and dust on roads under its jurisdiction," read the MCD release.

Zonal Officers have been directed to strictly implement the revised GRAP guidelines issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

MCD has deployed 52 Mechanical Road Sweepers to carry out sweeping on PWD roads. Their frequency and timings have been increased as per the various stages of the GRAP.

225 water sprinklers including 30 mobile Anti-smog guns (ASGs) have been deployed on main roads to abate dust pollution.

Rs 20 lakhs have been provided to each zone to buy dust suppressants, maintenance of machinery, hiring of drivers, to operate ASGs efficiently and other measures to combat air pollution.

MCD has installed 20 Anti-smog Guns at various facilities of MCD like C & D plants, SLF, Waste to Energy etc. All have been directed to operate them for an extended time.

15 AGSs have been installed at identified high-rise buildings of MCD in compliance with the direction of Hon'ble LG and are currently functional.

On 35 construction sites, 71 ASGs are installed by project proponents and are regularly inspected by dedicated teams.

DPCC has identified various micro sources of air pollution related to different agencies for hotspot areas. Accordingly, all actions are being taken by Nodal Officers (Deputy Commissioner of zones) along with various stakeholder departments to combat air pollution in the vicinity of Hotspots.

504 sites have been registered on the DPCC C & D web portal and these sites are being regularly monitored by zonal teams constituted to check construction and demolition activities. MCD has designated 146 sites for dumping of C & D waste/ debris in various wards. 34 numbers of big dump sites are being under construction in coordination with the C & D plant concessionaire to cater to C & D waste in the proper manner to stop illegal dumping of the C & D waste.

MCD has planted 75505 numbers of trees and 221338 numbers of shrubs in its jurisdiction for the period April 2023 to October 2023 against the target of planting 200000 (trees) & 325000 (Shrubs), which will help in reducing air pollution.

During the period from April 2022 to October 2023, roads in a length of 214 km have been resurfaced/repaired.

MCD has repaired approx 68,000 potholes covering an area of 1,05,775 sqm from April 2022 to October 2023. Moreover, it is a routine process to check newly occurred potholes and repair the same on priority.