NEW DELHI: Delhi Fire Service has been pressed into action for sprinkling water at pollution hotspots as an emergency measure to curb increasing air pollution in the city.
According to officials, 20 fire tenders have been deployed at 13 areas across the national capital where sprinkling of water is underway. Usually this is conducted by the civic bodies to settle the dust on the roads.
The hotspots are Rohini, Dwarka, Okhla Phase 2, Punjabi Bagh, Anand Vihar , Vivek Vihar, Wazipur, Jahangir Puri , RK Puram , Bawana, Narela, Mundka and Mayapuri. After a short-lived relief from air pollution, Delhi’s air quality is slipping back to the ‘severe’ category. The Delhi government implemented its Odd-Even road rationing scheme earlier this month to reduce pollution.
An Air Quality Index between 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 to 400 is ‘very poor’ and 401-500 is ‘severe’. According to the India Meteorological Department, very low wind speed due to a western disturbance and high humidity due to shallow fog in the morning has led to the accumulation of pollutants in the air.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar earlier said that a comprehensive air plan for Delhi NCR had been developed, identifying timelines for abating and controlling air pollution.
A debate was held in Parliament specifically to discuss air pollution.
Stepping up to the challenge
According to officials, 20 fire tenders have been deployed at 13 areas across the national capital where sprinkling of water is underway. Usually this is done by the civic bodies to settle the dust on the roads