Repairs Start On Defunct Delhi Smog Tower Day After SC Rap On Rising Pollution

The apex court on Tuesday directed the non-functional smog tower in Connaught Place to be made operational immediately and also summoned the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) chairman Ashwani Kumar.

Following the Supreme Court's direction to repair the smog tower in Delhi, a team of technical and operational staff inspected a smog tower situated in the Connaught Place region on Wednesday. This development comes just four days ahead of Diwali. Almost every year, the national capital has observed the air quality decreasing as people celebrate Diwali by bursting firecrackers. The apex court on Tuesday directed the non-functional smog tower in Connaught Place to be made operational immediately, and also summoned the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) chairman Ashwani Kumar.

On October 25, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai had blamed the DPCC chairman for arbitrarily shutting down the smog tower after dues remained unpaid to IIT. Rai sought his suspension “for not implementing the decision of the council of ministers, arbitrarily stopping payment of ₹2 crore to IIT Kanpur that brought the source apportionment study to a halt and for acting upon unsubstantiated personal opinions thereby putting the health of 20 million residents of Delhi at risk.”

The Delhi government informed the court that disciplinary action has been proposed against Kumar. The court said, “This is ludicrous. We want the tower to be working. As to against which officer what they do is their business.”

The Supreme Court this year has banned the use of barium and banned chemicals in firecrackers. This ban is not only applicable in the NCR region but is applicable to all states across the nation. 

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital remained in the 'Severe' category with the AQI in areas like Anand Vihar and RK Puram standing at 452 and 433 this morning, respectively.

Air quality across Delhi continues to be in the 'Severe' category as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Delhiites are facing difficulties in breathing as the air continues to deteriorate. People are urging the government to take steps to curb pollution.

A cyclist while talking to news agency ANI said, "The pollution has increased. We are having difficulty in breathing. AQI has increased. Govt should take steps to curb the pollution."

Another person told ANI, "Smog is causing a lot of problems. There is difficulty in breathing and the government should do something."