150 pollution hotspots identified in Delhi: Gopal Rai
New Delhi, Oct 5: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday said the city government has identified 150 pollution hotspots in the national capital based on complaints received through the ‘Green Delhi’ application.
The city had launched the ‘Green War Room’ last year to monitor and coordinate anti-pollution efforts and the ‘Green Delhi’ application to effectively address complaints related to pollution-causing activities.
“More than 23,000 of the 27,000 complaints received on the application have been resolved,” the minister said while launching an IOS version of the app.
Most of the complaints are related to the municipal corporations, Delhi Development Authority and the Public Works Department, he said.
“We have also identified 150 pollution hotspots in Delhi based on the complaints received on the app in the last one year. Maximum complaints have been received from these areas,” Rai said.
“We will closely monitor these 150 pollution hotspots and take preventive action with the help departments and officials concerned,” he added.
An official said more hotspots could emerge based on the ongoing analysis of the complaints.
The Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Authority had earlier identified 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi Rohini, Dwarka, Okhla Phase-2, Punjabi Bagh, Anand Vihar, Vivek Vihar, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, R K Puram, Bawana, Mundka, Narela and Mayapuri.
Rai said the government has also strengthened the ‘Green War Room’, which is the most important factor in Delhi’s anti-pollution campaign .
A project management unit has been added to the ‘Green War Room’. The unit has experts from the University of Chicago and GDI Partners.
The war room will remain functional 24×7 from October to February.
The minister said the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has also started the process to recruit 50 environmental engineers.
On Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a 10-point “winter action plan” that focuses on dust control using the Pusa bio-decomposer and more smog towers, and by checking waste burning and vehicular emissions.
He also urged the neighbouring states to retrofit thermal power plants in NCR areas with new technology and ensure the use of CNG-operated vehicles and cleaner fuel in industries in the region.
As part of the plan, the Delhi government has formed 75 teams for the inspection of construction and demolition sites to control dust pollution and 250 teams to keep a check on waste burning.
Steps will be taken to address traffic jams on 64 identified roads to reduce vehicular pollution. Around 500 teams have been constituted to check Pollution Under Control certificates.
