From ban on electricity generators to launching green war room: Steps taken by Delhi govt to fight air pollution

Delhi’s air quality has been a worrying concern for years now. After showing notable improvement following the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, lockdown, the air quality index (AQI) has been hovering around the 'poor category' since October as the stubble burning season began.

In view of the deteriorating air quality, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) announced on October 14 that electricity generator sets of all capacities (diesel, petrol, kerosene) will be banned from October 15, except for essential or emergency services.

Last week, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital had launched a 'green war room' to aid in its battle against the smog blanket that shrouds Delhi every winter causing severe respiratory distress.

The green war room will be the nerve centre for all agencies trying to tackle the air pollution crisis in Delhi. It will also tracks the status of complaints received through the ‘Green Delhi’ mobile application that will be launched soon.

Earlier in October, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched the ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh (war against pollution)’ campaign. Under the campaign, an anti-dust drive will be started alongside installation of anti-smog guns. The Delhi government will also launch an action plan for 13 pollution hotspots under the ‘war against pollution’ campaign. The 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi are: Dwarka, Ashok Vihar, Okhla Phase-II, Rohini, Bawana, Anand Vihar, Narela, Mundka, Punjabi Bagh, Wazirpur, RK Puram, Vivek Vihar, and Jahangirpuri.

That apart, crop residue will be sprayed with a special solution that can decompose it and turn it into manure. A ‘tree policy’ to increase the national capital’s green cover is also in the offing. The AAP government is also planning to enforce its electrical vehicle policy soon, under which electric vehicles would be sold at a subsidised rate.