Blitz Bureau
Chairing a meeting of the high-level task force to address Delhi’s air pollution, PK Mishra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, called for stronger enforcement of dust control at construction sites and better waste management. He directed the agencies to prevent the open burning of waste and to promote greening and paving of road areas to reduce dust.
He also expressed concern over the slow progress in clearing landfill sites and delays in implementing waste-to-energy projects in the national Capital Mishra reviewed the preparedness of the Delhi government and other stakeholders to carry out both short and long-term measures to reduce air pollution in the city.
“Mishra expressed concern over the persistent air quality issues and underscored the need for strict enforcement of existing laws,” according to a statement. He emphasised that adequate measures for dust control, both from roads and construction activities, need to be taken. Mishra also urged the adoption of a mission-mode approach to greening central verges of roads and paving/greening pathways and open areas along roadsides to reduce dust generation.
He stressed the need to ramp up mechanised road cleaning, deploy sufficient numbers of antismog guns, and carry out regular water sprinkling, particularly in high-pollution hotspots and during periods under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
