Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Saturday said the civic body is taking all possible measures to curb air pollution in the city. She made the statement after inspecting the air pollution hotspot near the ITI building in the Jahangirpuri, Bhalswa area, to assess the situation regarding the recent rise in pollution levels in Delhi. She also checked the Air Quality Index (AQI) level of the area at Ambient air quality monitoring station at the ITI building.
During her inspection, Ms Oberoi instructed officials to conduct large-scale water spraying with dust suppressant powder in heavily polluted areas. She emphasised that strict action would be taken against individuals who engage in open burning of garbage or violate construction and demolition (C&D) waste regulations.
“The MCD is committed to taking all necessary measures to combat air pollution. The MCD has mobilised 372 surveillance teams, involving 1,295 officers working in shifts, dedicated to pollution control. Across the 15,500 kilometers of roads under MCD’s jurisdiction, 57,000 sanitation workers conduct manual sweeping,” she said.
She informed that the civic body has deployed 52 mechanical road-sweeping machines, 195 water sprinklers, jetting machines, and 30 anti-smog guns at pollution hotspots identified by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
The Mayor said to support these efforts, the MCD has allocated Rs 20 lakh to each of the 12 municipal zones for pollution-curbing measures.She also instructed officials to prevent activities related to open burning of garbage, illegal debris dumping, and dust pollution at C&D sites and roads within MCD’s jurisdiction.
The Mayor highlighted the collaborative efforts between the MCD and the Delhi government to reduce pollution and urged residents to support these initiatives in the fight against air pollution.
Local Councillor Ajeet Yadav, Zonal Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, and other senior officials were also present during the inspection.