Amid deteriorating air quality in the national capital, Congress president and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today on November 2 termed Delhi as filthy smog. She urged CM Rekha Gupta, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to act and seek “immediate intervention”.
“First coming back to Delhi from Wayanad and then from Bachwara in Bihar is really shocking. The pollution surrounding this city is like a gray cloak thrown over it,” Priyanka said.
She added: “It’s really time we all come together regardless of our political pressures and do something about it. Central and state governments must act immediately, we will all support and cooperate with whatever actions they decide to take to alleviate this terrible situation. Year after year the citizens of Delhi are exposed to this toxicity with impunity.”
Air quality in Delhi remained in the “very poor” category at some places on Sunday as slow wind speeds prevented the spread of pollutants across the city, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. According to CPCB’s Sameer application, 17 monitoring stations recorded “severe” air quality levels with AQI readings above 400, with Wazirpur recording the highest reading of 439. Another 20 stations reported “very poor” air quality and recorded readings of over 300.
The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) said wind speeds from the northwest dropped below 8 km/h during the evening and night, further limiting the dispersion of pollutants.
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An AQI between 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 satisfactory, 101–200 moderate, 201–300 poor, 301–400 very poor, and 401–500 severe.
Second Delhi RK Puram auto fogging project to tackle road dust
Meanwhile, as Delhi continues to grapple with smog-like conditions, the Public Works Department (PWD) has launched its second project to install automatic water misting systems along major city roads, officials said on Friday.
The project is designed to reduce dust pollution, a key contributor to the city’s poor air quality, by spraying a fine water mist along heavily traveled routes. Similar schemes have already been introduced in areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the report said.
In the latest initiative of PWD, Church Road in Sector 1, RK Puram will be equipped with this system after the first installation on Rani Jhansi Road.
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An official said, “The department has floated tenders for the project, which includes installation of fog nozzles along with supporting accessories. The work is expected to be completed within the next 30 days.”
An automatic fogging system will reportedly be installed on the street light poles at an estimated cost ₹2.5 million. According to the tender documents, the system will work with an RO water pumping unit with a capacity of 2000 liters per day. To secure the equipment, the procurement document also mandates the deployment of security personnel at the installation locations.
The tender stated: “The misting system will operate in two shifts – 6:00 am – 2:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm. The contractor will also be responsible for a one year warranty free from defects.”
