‘Winter is coming…’: Delhi govt identifies 13 pollution hotspots, sets up panel

As concerns over the air quality of Delhi and its surrounding regions mount, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday announced that the government has set up a coordination committee to identify and address local sources of pollution at 13 locations in Delhi where air quality has touched the “very poor” mark.

The minister mentioned that while the air quality is “poor” throughout Delhi, it is particularly “very poor” at these 13 hotspots, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) in these areas has exceeded 300.

“Winter is coming and the level of air pollution is increasing. The level has reached the poor category in Delhi,” the minister said.

Delhi air pollution: 13 hotspots

According to Gopal Rai, the identified areas are Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, Rohini, R K Puram, Okhla, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Mayapuri, and Dwarka Sector-8.

“In Delhi, the air quality has reached in poor category but the pollution has been on the rise in 13 hotspots. A coordination committee has been set up for these 13 hotspots, the sources there have been identified and MCD DCs have been made in charge of the same,” Rai said.

What will pollution coordination committee do?

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said that the committee will be led by the deputy commissioners of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and DPCC engineers have been assigned to all hotspots to provide daily reports to a ‘Pollution War Room’.

“Tomorrow they will visit the ground. Mobile anti-smog guns will be deployed by the PWD so that the dust pollution there can be controlled,” the minister said.

He also highlighted that dust has been identified as a major factor contributing to the 300-plus AQI at these 13 hotspots, and mentioned that 80 mobile anti-smog guns have been deployed to reduce dust levels in these areas.