To curb the threat of air pollution, the Delhi government has decided to establish a ₹20 crore “smog tower” in Connaught Place, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday.
He said the tower will be up in 10 months. This tower will suck in air from the top and release filtered air close to the ground, said the CM.
This tower will be added to the central government smog tower that will be erected in Anand Vihar.
The Delhi government is also creating a panel of transplant agencies nationwide whose services can be used for tree relocation. Local committees with RWA members and residents will monitor the transplanted trees, Kejriwal said.
Under the tree transplant policy, the agencies involved will have to transplant 80 percent of the trees affected by their projects to a new location, he said.
Kejriwal said the government would establish a dedicated tree transplant cell under the new policy.
Stubble burning has started in Haryana and Punjab, contributing significantly to rising pollution levels in Delhi and the National Capital Region.
As the air quality in Delhi-NCR reaches a low level, a body ordered by the Supreme Court announced on Thursday the implementation of the Gradual Response Action Plan (GRAP) starting on October 15 and the ban on the use of diesel generators, except for essential and emergency services in Delhi and the neighboring cities of Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad and Gurugram.
Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the “poor” category on Thursday and is likely to deteriorate further due to unfavorable weather conditions and an increase in agricultural fires.
The city posted a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 208, which falls into the “poor” category.
Air quality in the national capital deteriorated on Wednesday, the first time since June 29, and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 215.
The AQI was 230 on June 29.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor” and 401 and 500 “severe”.
The air quality monitor of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, SAFAR, said the AQI is also likely to be recorded in the “poor” category on Friday. However, it is expected to upgrade to the “moderate” category thereafter.
With PTI inputs
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