Delhi govt to monitor 13 pollution hotspots through special campaigns Gopal Rai

New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said special campaigns for various pollution control activities would be launched through the Green War Room to monitor all 13 pollution hotspots in the city.
     Minister Rai said the environment department will convene an emergency meeting on Friday with other key departments, including the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), transport department, and Delhi Traffic Police.
     Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 'poor' air quality for the fourth consecutive day today, with pollution levels nearing the 'very poor' category.
     Rai emphasised the need for immediate action to control pollution, particularly in areas such as Anand Vihar, which has been severely affected, according to an official statement.
     "Special campaigns will be launched to monitor all 13 pollution hotspots through the Green War Room," Rai said in the statement.
     The urgency of the situation follows the AAP government's Winter Action Plan, introduced on September 25, outlining 21 strategies to combat seasonal pollution.
     Rai said implementation of the plan has already begun, with measures, including the establishment of a war room to oversee pollution control, bio-decomposer spraying to manage crop stubble, and an anti-dust campaign targeting construction sites, the release noted.
     Highlighting the government's commitment to improving air quality, Rai said Delhi has seen a 34.6 per cent drop in air pollution levels over the past nine years due to stringent measures.
     The minister stressed that all construction sites must comply with the 14 specific dust-control regulations, warning that strict actions will be taken against violators, the statement said.
     He also said 523 teams have been deployed to ensure compliance, along with 500 water sprinklers and 85 mechanical road-sweeping machines across the city, it added.
     "Instructions are being issued to the departments concerned from the War Room, and we are committed to resolving pollution-related complaints received via the Green Delhi App," Rai added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)