Delhi News: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday presented the 21-point Winter Action Plan to reduce pollution in the national capital in the coming months with steps like the odd-even scheme and artificial rain. Announcing the measures to be taken by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Rai said for the first time, drone technology will be used this year to monitor pollution at 13 identified hotspots across Delhi.
Rai further said that the Delhi government is starting its campaign today against air pollution. "The theme of the winter action plan is ‘Mil Kar Chalein, Pradushan Se Ladein’. If every agency and government will work together then only we will be able to overcome the issue of pollution,” the Minister said.
"This time we have formed a 21-point Winter Action Plan on the basis of which we will start working. For the first time in Delhi, it has been decided to have drone monitoring of hot spots. This will be done in real-time to find out the cause of the pollution," he said while addressing the media in Delhi.
The Environment Minister also announced the formation of a 6-member special task force (STF) to stop several causes of pollution. "To control dust pollution, the anti-dust campaign will begin in Delhi from October 7...All agencies - private and government have time until then, if they do not meet the parameters by then, action will begin against them...Guidelines have been issued for this," he stated.
Regarding firecrackers, Rai said that this year too there will be a ban on all kinds of crackers. "As of today, there is no prohibition on firecrackers. The day a notification is issued, the prohibition comes into effect. So, the notification has not been issued yet. So, in Delhi, the day a notification is issued, the prohibition will come into effect and continue till 1st January," he said.
Further, the Minister said that in the coming months, all construction sites over 500 meters would have to be registered on a government portal. Moreover, 85 road-sweeping machines are being deployed and 500 water-sprinkling machines are also being used to curb dust pollution. "This time, 200 mobile anti-smog guns will be launched. This time, it has been decided that in November-December, water sprinkling will be increased three times so that pollution level can be controlled," he added.
In a big move, the Minister said whichever agency, "private construction agency, company, or government employee," performs the best to control pollution will be awarded with 'Harit Ratna Award' to encourage them. "The bad performers will be punished," he added.