After meeting with 28 departments to curb air pollution, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said 13 hotspots have been identified in Delhi and a special plan will be made for them.
He further announced that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will announce the winter action plan on October 1 to check pollution in the capital.
“We held a meeting with 28 departments today and all have been directed to give their winter actions plans by September 25. There are 13 such hotspots that have been identified and special plan will be made for them,” Rai said.
He further stated that 13 teams have been formed for the 13 hotspots and 15 points have been listed that the government will work on.
“The 15 points that we will focus on are — hotspots, stubble pollution, vehicular pollution, open garbage burning, industrial pollution, green war room, realtime apportionment study, complete ban on firecrackers, tree plantation, urban farming, eco waste park, public awareness, communication with the Centre, neighbouring states and implementation of GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan),” he said.
The Minister said the massive success of the Delhi Government’s efforts to curb pollution; in the last 9 years, PM 10 levels fell by 42 per cent, PM 2.5 by 46 per cent.
The good, satisfactory, and moderate category days increased from 109 to 163 days between 2016 and 2022. In addition, between 2016 and 2022, the number of days falling into the severe category days declined as well; from 26 in 2016, it was only 6 in 2022.
Anticipating high pollution levels during winter, Rai on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale and bursting of firecrackers in the capital city.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) enforced a complete ban on firecracker in 2021 and 2022, and the same measure will be in force this year too, Rai had earlier said.
The ban comes ahead of the winter season, a period which has been routinely marked by a spike in air pollution over the past several years.
Despite relatively low air quality index (AQI) figures from January to August, it typically worsens during October as humidity and particulate matter accumulate in the atmosphere, the minister had said earlier.