Delhi govt directs immediate implementation of six measures to curb air pollution

New Delhi: Holding a high-level meeting, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday directed immediate implementation of six new measures to curb the menace of air pollution in the national capital.

The ideas and their proposals stem from scientific reports of Government of India by CPCB, CSIR and NEERI and orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a research institute, created and funded by Government of India, has been given the mandate to design and implement these solutions.

In collaboration with the PWD, NEERI will design and execute induced-draft creation units at five major traffic intersections in Delhi. The IDC at IIT Bombay will help NEERI design for these traffic intersections.

Such a unit has the potential to reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emission by 40percent to 60percent emission in 20-30 metres of radius during peak hours of traffic.

Pilot study executed in IIT Bombay on JVLR Road shows reduction of 55-76per cent for PM2.5 and 73-88 percent for PM10. Air quality sensors, anemometers, camera and counters will be mounted on these units for better mapping which will enable robust data assimilation and analysis.

This step will also execute directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to DPCC dated December 29 2015, which requires action on creating green buffers along traffic corridors, and reduce curbside pollution and intervene at road traffic intersections using different technologies, as per the directions.

The Deputy CM also ordered that DPCC conduct the five following studies regarding air pollution along with NEERI, which will result in concrete deliverables, which will help the Delhi Government to curb the menace of air pollution

High-level meeting attended Environment Minister Imran Hussain and officials from PWD, Environment and Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

CSIR NEERI, a science R and D institute of the Government of India, will design and implement the measures. Induced-draft air treatment systems to be installed at five major traffic intersections in Delhi by CSIR NEERI in collaboration with the Public Works Department (PWD)

Five design and technical studies for targeted solutions to be conducted CSIR NEERI in collaboration with DPCC.

Delhi is expected to witness dense to shallow fog over the next several days. Several flights were also delayed at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning due to dense fog.

As per the forecast, dense fog is expected across the city on Thursday as well, while both Friday and Saturday will see moderate fog.

On Sunday, while the fog is expected to be shallow, the minimum temperature is expected to reach 9 degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately, fog is expected to worsen the air quality of the city which has already touched “severe” levels at many places.