Delhi Government has decided to install five air purifiers at sites with the worst air quality in the national capital; virtual chimneys and mist fountains are also being considered for the project
Having received unsatisfactory results from the two vehicle rationalising schemes, the Delhi Government has now planned a new experiment to combat the rising pollution this coming winter; air purifiers, virtual chimneys and mist fountains.
Working on a pilot project, the Delhi Government has decided to install five air purifiers at sites with the worst air qualities in the national capital.
As part of the ongoing Winter Action Plan, the Delhi Government has now announced a three-tier solution to air pollution on a pilot project.
Sources said that the government is now hopeful that its latest experiment will help in reducing the rising pollutant level in the city. According to officials, the air purifier will be installed at five major traffic intersections — Anand Vihar, ITO, Sarai Kalen Khan, Kashmere Gate, and IIT (Delhi) or AIIMS.
Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said that the government in collaboration with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and IIT (Bombay), will establish the pilot system within 45 days. "We also plan to install a mist fountain at one intersection, the water from which can be recycled. We can bring down PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the air by using mist fountain, and will soon identify its location," said Jain.
The latest experiment by the Delhi Government comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the government to convene a meeting of authorities concerned to come up with a solution to tackle the worsening air quality. The order came after Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) apprised the Green Court that there was no improvement in air quality in Delhi during the second week of the Odd-Even scheme in April.
Senior officials said that while air treatment system has potential to reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emission by 40%-60% in 20-30 meter radius if
the system works, all major intersections may soon flaunt air
purifiers.
Pollution levels in the national capital have constantly remained alarming, resulting in various experiments by authorities. Apart from the two Odd-Even stints by the Delhi government in January and April, earlier this year, the Supreme Court had also taken firm steps to check heavy commercial vehicles from entering Delhi. The apex court had also halted the registration of diesel vehicles with more than 2000 cc engine capacity. The court had also issued directions on enforcement of construction and road dust as well as garbage burning.
"Major roads of Delhi are facing congestion, due to various reasons like illegal encroachment, illegal car parkings, etc. We want that all heavy vehicles should travel only in the left lane, and if we succeed in doing that, we can get better results than those from Odd-Even scheme," said Jain.
Nearly all the monitoring stations active in the city had PM 2.5 and PM 10 (ultrafine pollutants) several times above the safe limit of 60 and 100 micrograms per cubic meter, keeping the air in a very poor category.
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