New Delhi, October 23 – Delhi’s air quality is getting better, said Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday. The city’s winter crackdown on pollution has already lowered the Air Quality Index (AQI) by 50 points in a single day, dropping from 353 yesterday to 305 today.
Sirsa praised the coordinated effort by city agencies and said the city is now running a “24×7, year‑round governance model.” He urged departments to keep the momentum, focusing on the biggest pollution hotspots and using the Green War Room to coordinate actions.
About 2,000 teams are working day and night to clean streets and monitor dust from construction sites. The ministry plans to add 70 new mechanised sweepers, 70 more anti‑smog guns, water sprinklers and 140 litter pickers to cover 1,440 km of roads. Delhi is also running a Clean Air Challenge to encourage new technologies and is preparing to try artificial rain, or cloud seeding, with IIT Kanpur and the Indian Meteorological Department.
Open burning of garbage and biomass has been tackled with 443 teams patrolling both day and night. The Transport Department has deployed 578 teams, and the Tower Wing of the Delhi Traffic Police has sent 505 mobile prosecution teams to check vehicle compliance – from primary inspection certificates (PUC) to idling and smoke violations.
Industrial sites are under tighter scrutiny too. 65 dedicated teams—33 from the Department of Pollution Control and 32 from the Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation—inspect factories daily to ensure they use low‑nitrogen oxide (PNG) fuel and meet emission limits.
While the minister noted the current gains, he said the focus remains on long‑term improvement. With more sweepers, anti‑smog weapons, and smart monitoring, Delhi aims to keep the air cleaner and safer for residents.
Source: ianslive
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