Minister for Environment, Forest, and Wildlife and Industries, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, has directed District Magistrates to develop a coordinated strategy at the district level to identify and address pollution hotspots. Emphasizing the impact of dust pollution on Delhi’s air quality, he urged officials to proactively pinpoint sources of dust generation and implement effective mitigation measures.
Sirsa highlighted the importance of addressing various sources of dust, such as damaged roads, construction activities, and poor maintenance, through collaborative and results-driven actions. The meeting focused on initiatives like improving traffic management, strengthening dust mitigation measures, removing encroachments, enhancing park maintenance, monitoring polluting industries, and ensuring seamless coordination among relevant departments.
District Magistrates were instructed to conduct thorough mapping of pollution hotspots in coordination with key agencies like Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD), and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). They are required to submit progress reports regularly and participate in review meetings to track the implementation of action plans for timely outcomes.
Highlighting the need for inter-departmental coordination in the fight against pollution, Sirsa stressed the importance of collaborative efforts with various agencies to identify and address pollution hotspots effectively. He also mentioned the preparation of an inventory of parks needing restoration due to damaged walls or inadequate maintenance by the District Magistrates.
In terms of industrial pollution, Sirsa directed officials to identify polluting industries in collaboration with DPCC and recommend regulatory actions as necessary. He underscored the government’s commitment to enhancing compliance mechanisms to ensure industrial units adhere strictly to environmental norms. Additionally, he mentioned the government’s initiative to bolster Delhi’s air quality monitoring infrastructure by deploying AQI sensors across the city for more accurate identification of pollution sources.
