In a bid to improve the air quality index (AQI) in the National Capital Region (NCR), the state-owned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is taking measures for dust control at national highway construction sites.
The NHAI, under the directions issued by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM), has set up a dust and control management centre to curb dust at national highway construction sites to monitor its effective implementation.
With a dip in air quality parameters in Delhi-NCR, CAQM has invoked actions as envisaged under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
To keep the air quality and dust levels in control, NHAI has directed its contractors/ concessioners to review the existing dust control measures at the National Highway construction sites and strictly comply with the directions issued by the CAQM / Central and/ or State Pollution Control Board, the ministry of road transport and highways said in a statement.
“CAQM has invoked actions as envisaged under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). In line with these guidelines, NHAI is ensuring that all possible measures are taken to maximize dust control at the National Highway construction sites in the region,” an NHAI official said.
This development came after an air emergency was declared in the national capital, with its air quality index nosediving into ‘severe’ days ahead of Diwali.
The average AQI of Delhi was 475 at 11am, worse than it was at its peak last year (450) and 2022 (471). The pollution levels worsened on Thursday after Delhi recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 392 just short of the severe mark at 4pm. The average AQI barrelled up to 427 just before midnight.
Stepping up its efforts, the NHAI is implementing the same (dust control) measures around the Dwarka Expressway, UER II Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and Delhi–Dehradun Expressway.
These steps include dust control measures which will be taken at the construction sites, including deployment of mechanical sweeping machines on completed projects, water sprinkling along the day on all construction sites, Deployment of Anti-Smog Guns on all construction sites and batching plants, covering of Construction & Demolition material with green net or cloth.
“We are already in the emergency right now and there is not much that you can do apart from shutting down any pollution-causing activity at this point and any preventative measures that had to be taken, needed to have been planned well in advance. As far as stable burning is concerned, a comprehensive plan should be planned and we need to move away from the stable burning and not just the symptom that has been leftover itself,” said Bhargav Krishna, a fellow at Sustainable Futures Collaborative, while sharing his opinion on what other preventive measures could be taken to mitigate challenges concerning the depleting air quality index in Delhi.
“As for immediate actions, there is only so much we can do once pollution is already there in the air. We can hope for a change in weather patterns to some extent and reduce the additional load that has been put in the atmosphere. But a substantive impact at this moment is far-reaching,” he added.
Sharing his opinion on the political slugfest that emerged soon after the air pollution issue hit Delhi, the expert underlined that the state had an issue in governance and that authorities in the municipal corporation should oversee such things so they can be further avoided.
“Delhi has a problem of governance, and you have multiple authorities that influence policy in Delhi, whether it is the LG, the Delhi government, the municipal corporation or the Centre, it becomes a challenge, and it is almost a politically contentious scenario. There is still a lot that can be done, but the enforcement of many of those things lies with municipal authorities and not only the Union and the state government,” said Krishna.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!” Click here!
