Dust control measures to be adopted for reducing Delhi’s air pollution

NEW DELHI: System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) reports that the air quality in Delhi is forecasted to improve from Tuesday, October 13, after six continuous days of “poor” air quality.

Gopal Rai, Minister of Environment, Government of Delhi, on Monday, October 12, asked all big and small construction sites to adopt dust control measures and said that strict actions will be taken against violators. He added that all construction sites in Delhi have to assure compliance to the following measures:

1. Installation of a 10-metre-high metal sheet around the boundary of the site
2. A tarpaulin to cover the wall, construction materials and material-transporting vehicles, and
3. Water has to be sprinkled at the site

He further said that if all Delhiites do not work together at this difficult time, the situation can worsen as the PM10 and 2.5 levels have already increased in contrast to their levels 15 days ago. He also said that nine Deputy Commissioners of the municipal corporation have been appointed as nodal officers of the red zone areas. Micro- monitoring of 13 air pollution hotspots has also been started by the government.