Work From Home, Drones To GRAP: Delhi Armed To Fight Winter Air Pollution With 21-Point Action Plan

The Delhi government on Wednesday finalised its 21-point Winter Action Plan for the city that includes work from home (WFH) for officegoers to take private cars off the roads and control vehicular pollution. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that drones will also be deployed to check those contributing to air pollution.

Terming them emergency measures, Rai said that the odd-even scheme and artificial rain will also be used, if needed. “We will encourage work from home and a voluntary reduction in the use of private vehicles. If necessary, the odd-even scheme and artificial rains could also be implemented,” Rai said.

He also said that necessary guidelines will be issued to promote work from home, when the time comes.

To further control vehicle pollution, Rai said that 360 teams will check Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates and enforce the ban on 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles. In addition, traffic police teams will be deployed on 134 congested roads to reduce congestion, and alternative routes will be suggested to the public.

The minister emphasised that strict implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will be enforced if pollution increases, and efforts will be coordinated with the central government and neighbouring states.

Rai also said the fight against air pollution needs a collaboration between the government and people. With a tagline, ‘Mil Kar Chale, Pradushan Se Lade’ (Work together to fight pollution), Rai said that it should be a combined effort of everyone. Sharing the data, he said in 2016, Delhi experienced 243 bad air days which dropped to 159 in 2023. “Due to the hard work of Delhiites and the departments concerned, the level of pollution has decreased by about 34.6 percent. This time, too, Delhi is fully prepared to tackle winter pollution. Under the Winter Action Plan, for the first time, pollution in hotspots in Delhi will be monitored by drones. A six-member special task force has been formed to monitor and prevent pollution,” he said.

The environment minister shared that in 2013, Delhi’s green cover was 20%, which increased to 23.06% in 2021. Today, Delhi has the largest green cover among major cities in the country, he said.

GREEN WAR ROOM TO 200 ANTI-SMOG GUNS

Using drones to monitor pollution hotspots, a six-member special task force to fight air pollution, anti-dust campaign from October 7, Harit Ratna Award for excellence, use of 200 mobile anti-smog guns were the top five measures of the plan.

“For the first time, the Environment Department will use drones to monitor pollution at 13 hotspots in Delhi. Drones will identify the sources of pollution at these hotspots, and actions will be taken accordingly,” he explained. To prevent pollution from stubble burning, the government will spray the bio-decomposer on over 5,000 acres of both ‘basmati’ (a variety of paddy) and non-basmati farmland for free.

Starting from September 30, the Green War Room will be relaunched in an improved form to monitor various environmental indicators in Delhi 24×7. An eight-member expert team will analyse daily actions of all agencies and plan for the next day, Rai added.

The Green Delhi app, launched four years ago, has received 79,974 complaints, with 88% of them resolved. “We appeal to all Delhi residents to download the app and report any pollution-causing activity they observe,” he said.

To control industrial pollution, 58 teams will inspect 1,959 registered industrial units in Delhi to ensure they are not using unauthorised and polluting fuels. The teams will also take action against illegally operating industrial units. All these industries are now powered by piped natural gas (PNG).

In addition, a Real-Time Source Apportionment Study will be conducted under the supervision of the DPCC to identify pollution sources in real-time.

Rai added that just like in the past, there will be a complete ban on the production, storage, use and sale of firecrackers in Delhi, including online delivery. An official notification regarding this will be issued soon, he said. “To control Delhi’s pollution, the Delhi government, the Government of India, the CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management), and the NCR states need to work together,” Rai said, requesting for collective measures.