Delhi govt launches series of measures to curb rising pollution

New Delhi [India], November 5 : To curb the rising pollution levels in the national capital, the government of Rekha Gupta has launched a series of concrete measures. As part of this initiative, an extensive road cleaning operation has been rolled out across all Public Works Department (PWD) roads, with 200 maintenance vans deployed throughout Delhi, a CMO release said.
The operation includes the removal of debris from road surfaces, filling potholes on a priority basis, repairing and upgrading road signage, and carrying out other essential maintenance tasks, it said.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that strict guidelines have been established for the campaign, with individual accountability assigned to each officer.
CM Gupta emphasised that the Delhi government is fully committed to pollution control and will not tolerate any negligence in this regard. "Additionally, separate maintenance vans have been deployed for pruning and trimming trees along PWD roads"
The Chief Minister stated that coordinated efforts are being undertaken across departments to bring pollution under control.
"Teams have been formed to monitor polluting industrial units and vehicles, while focused work continues to normalise identified pollution 'hot spots'".
"As part of this mission, the PWD has launched a special drive for deep cleaning and dust control along all its roads, including Right-of-Way (RoW) areas. Each of the 200 maintenance vans has been tasked with deep cleaning at least 200 metres of road daily. To ensure accountability, every van is placed under the direct charge of a Junior Engineer (JE) or Assistant Engineer (AE)," as per the release.
The Chief Minister informed that the work is progressing rapidly across 1,400 kilometres of PWD roads in the capital.
She added that the activities include removal of dust from RoW areas, cleaning of kerb channels and bell mouths, debris removal, coordination with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for cases of regular dumping, cleaning and repair of footpaths, filling of potholes, improvement of road signage, and maintenance of streetlights and exposed wiring. "Weekly progress reviews are being conducted by senior officers"
The Chief Minister has directed that all work be completed within 45 days, warning that strict action will be taken against any officer failing to meet the targets.
CM Rekha Gupta further informed that the upkeep of trees along PWD roads is being prioritised. "For this purpose, the Horticulture Department has deployed 60 maintenance vans for pruning and related work".
The Chief Minister reiterated that no laxity will be tolerated in the government's efforts to control pollution. "By cleaning and managing dust and debris on roads, the government aims to bring about a significant improvement in Delhi's air quality"
She added that all departments of the Delhi government are working in tandem to clean the city's air, and this campaign is a concrete step in that direction. "Upon completion, regular maintenance will continue to ensure sustained cleanliness and effective pollution control".