‘Foul air persistent issue’: CM unveils 6 monitoring stations

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said air pollution is not a seasonal problem but a year-round challenge while inaugurating six new continuous ambient air quality monitoring system (CAAQMS) stations in the national capital.

Ms. Gupta also launched the ‘Vayu Rakshak’ initiative by flagging off 36 vehicles. Each vehicle will carry three Vayu Rakshaks who will monitor violation of pollution control norms in the city, an official said.

Around 100 Vayu Rakshak vehicles will be deployed under the initiative as part of the government’s efforts to control air pollution. In coordination with the Delhi police, 600 Vayu Rakshaks are already monitoring violations of traffic and vehicular emission norms, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.

Speaking at the event at the Delhi Secretariat, the Chief Minister said the government is committed to addressing the issue of air pollution on a continuous basis through monitoring, policy intervention, and enforcement. Providing clean and breathable air to the people of Delhi is the core responsibility of the government, she said.

New locations

The six new stations are located at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Swimming Pool Complex at Talkatora Garden, Commonwealth Sports Complex in Akshardham, Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantonment, and Netaji Subhas University of Technology (West Campus) in Dwarka.

Addressing the event, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said monitoring must be complemented with strict enforcement to achieve tangible results. He said the deployment of 100 Vayu Rakshaks will ensure that pollution control measures are implemented effectively on the ground.

Meanwhile, environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari said the six new CAAQMS stations are located in clean and green areas where air quality is better than in other parts of the city. “This will lead to the average air quality of Delhi being better on paper without actually reducing air pollution. This is misleading and as good as fudging data,” she said.

‘Will skew data’

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment, said the government needs to strengthen air quality monitoring in densely populated areas and industrial zones.

“If you keep increasing monitoring stations only in green areas, it might artificially improve the average air quality,” Ms. Roychowdhury said.

“Many of the existing ones [CAAQMS stations] are also in greener zones or physically obstructed by tall buildings, which skews their readings,” said Sunil Dahiya, founder of the think tank Envirocatalysts.