In a bid to tackle with the rising air pollution in the national Capital, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has sprung to action and issued challans worth more than Rs 3 crores in a period of six months for violations at construction and demolition (C&D) sites apart from constituting 372 surveillance teams in Delhi to implement the Winter Action Plan 2024-25.

At a time when the citizens are reeling with the health hazards associated with the worsening AQI, an official data by the MCD reveals that a total of 1,372 challans amounting to Rs 2,69,10,000 for violations at C&D sites for the period April to October in this year has been issued and a total of 16,85,000 has been realized while there has been no challan issued for open burning. The maximum challan has been issued in October (398), followed by August (195), April (176), September (173), May (159), July (152) and June (119).

The surveillance teams consist of a total of 1,295 officers to check the open burning, illegal C&D waste dumping, checking of C&D sites and dust on roads under its jurisdiction. In this, for inspection of C&D waste, a total of 75 teams consisting of 301 personnel are deployed in day and 71 teams consisting 261 personnel are deployed at night.

For inspecting open or biomass burning, 113 teams consisting of 350 personnel are deployed in day and 113 teams consisting 383 personnel are deployed at night.

An official data of the MCD also revealed that a total of 10,953 End of Life Vehicles (ELVs) have been impounded during the period April 2023 to September 2024 and further action of doing so has been expedited at zonal level.

Earlier, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had identified various micro sources of air pollution related to different agencies for 13 hotspots (Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, Rohini, R.K. Puram, Okhla, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Vivek Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Ashok Vihar and Dwarka).

Accordingly, the MCD, to combat air pollution in the vicinity of hotspots, has appointed Nodal Officers (Deputy Commissioner of zones).

“In order to strengthen ground level implementation, Monitoring Committee of each revenue District (11 Districts) has been constituted by Department of Environment, GNCTD, to coordinate all the specific measures for mitigation of air pollution during winter months to implement GRAP guidelines, conduct field visits and gap analysis of shortcomings,” a senior official of MCD stated, adding that 1,74,166 trees and 2,21,426 shrubs have been planted in the civic body’s jurisdiction for the period April 2024 to October 2024 against the target 2,36,000 trees and 3,83,000 shrubs.

It has a fleet of 195 Water Sprinklers or Jetting machines and 30 mobile Anti-smog gun (ASGs) which have been deployed on various roads to abate dust pollution.

“The frequency of water sprinklers deployment has been increased in the hotspots area as per the various stages of GRAP,” the officer said.

Further, the MCD has installed 20 ASGs at its various facilities, 15 AGSs at identified High Rise Buildings of MCD in compliance with the direction of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, and 95 ASGs at 32 construction sites.

To mitigate pollution occurring from the dust particles due to the broken roads, the MCD has repaired roads in a length of 90 km during the period from April to October, 2024.

A senior official also said that MCD has repaired approximately 11,398 potholes covering an area of 34,853 square meter from April to October.