India News | NDMC Launches Comprehensive Action Plan to Combat Air Pollution in Lutyens Delhi
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. NDMC has announced a series of new measures aimed at improving air quality across Lutyens Delhi as AQI breaches the "severe plus" category.
New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) NDMC has announced a series of new measures aimed at improving air quality across Lutyens Delhi as AQI breaches the "severe plus" category.
New Delhi Municipal Council Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal on Monday unveiled a detailed action plan focusing on advanced monitoring, stricter enforcement of pollution control regulations, and increased public awareness initiatives, an official statement said.
The NDMC has introduced drone surveillance to monitor pollution hotspots in real-time, enabling swift intervention to address areas of concern, the statement said.
Additionally, a special Pollution Control Task Force, comprising three teams of officials, has been set up to oversee compliance with environmental guidelines such as improper garbage disposal, construction waste and open burning of solid waste. They will operate around the clock to enforce the regulations, it added.
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As per the statement, to combat dust pollution, NDMC has expanded its fleet of mechanical road sweepers (MRS) and deployed nine anti-smog guns (ASGs), including eight mobile units, across the city.
Water sprinkling is also being carried out regularly using treated sewage water with 18 tanks covering key areas to help suppress dust, it read.
The NDMC has also intensified its monitoring of construction and demolition (C&D) waste with strict inspections being conducted at construction sites, and over 50 challans have been issued, amounting to penalties worth Rs 25 lakh.
To curb vehicular pollution, the NDMC is rapidly expanding its electric vehicle (EV) charging network, with over 100 stations already operational and 450 more planned. The council has also initiated a shift towards cleaner fuels, gradually converting its fleet to CNG and EV models.
In response to health concerns among its workforce, the civic body will distribute N95 masks to over 2,000 ground-level employees, including sanitation workers and staff from the Horticulture and Civil Departments.
Chahal emphasised the importance of public participation, urging residents and businesses to adopt eco-friendly practices.
He appealed for reduced use of private vehicles and encouraged the use of public transport during the high-pollution season as the NDMC has fully implemented the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and is working closely with stakeholders to enforce bans on firecrackers and open burning.
Delhi's air quality worsened to the 'severe plus' category on Monday, with the city recording an AQI of 484 with a dense toxic smog that caused visibility to drop sharply in the morning.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)