NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday launched a campaign to curb dust pollution, which is one of the major factors behind air pollution in the city in the summer season, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said. He said the government has deployed 84 mechanical road sweeping machines, 609 water sprinklers and 185 mobile anti-smog guns to suppress dust.
Seventy integrated road sweeping machines and 250 integrated water sprinklers are also being procured to improve the situation further. Patrolling teams have been set up to check dust pollution, open burning of garbage and dumping of waste in industrial areas.
The government will deploy 235 and 165 teams during days and nights, respectively, to monitor dust pollution in the national capital. Real-time source apportionment studies will be conducted at 13 air pollution hotspots and a mobile air lab deployed at each of these locations.
These studies help identify factors responsible for the increase in air pollution at any spot such as vehicles, dust, biomass burning, and emissions from industries so that preventive measures can be taken accordingly. Construction sites larger than 500 square metres will be closely monitored to check dust pollution, according to the summer action plan.