Keeping with the practice over the past many years, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on September 29 announced a ‘Winter Action Plan’ on how the Delhi government plans to reduce air pollution during winter months.
Air pollution spikes in Delhi and other north Indian States during every winter mainly due to meteorological factors and pollution from stubble burning.
The Delhi Chief Minister said that the winter action plan will focus on 15 points, including controlling stubble burning, vehicular pollution, open burning, and dust pollution among others, to reduction air pollution in the national capital in winter months.
“We have identified 13 hotspots where air pollution is high and a special action plan has been made for each of the hotspots and 13 special teams too have been formed. There will be special focus too in these areas,” CM Kejriwal said.
“To reduce stubble burning in Delhi, we have been using a bio decomposer made by PUSA (Indian Agricultural Research Institute). The bio decomposer will be used in 5,000 acres of (farm lands) this year,” he added.
The CM said that to control dust pollution on roads, 82 mechanical road sweeping machines, 530 water sprinkling machines and 258 anti-smog guns will be deployed on roads during winter.
Mr. Kejriwal claimed that compared to 2014, there is a 30% reduction in air pollution in Delhi. “In 2014, PM2.5 (one of the chief pollutants) used to be 149, today it is 103. In 2014, PM10 (one of the chief pollutants) used to be 324, today it is 223, so there is about 30% reduction in air pollution,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said that the Central government should call a meeting of north Indian States to form a joint plan to fight air pollution as it is a regional problem.
