Delhi Air Pollution Control Remains On Paper Only As Anti-Smog Guns Still In Tender Process

As air pollution rises in Delhi, the government's claims regarding dust pollution control are proving to be hollow. The situation persists in the Public Works Department (PWD), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) as trucks carrying anti-smog guns, which should have been on the roads by now, are currently being tendered.

According to a report by Jagran.com, even those trucks that have been tendered haven't yet hit the roads.

The slow tender process for smog guns is hitting Delhi as the pollution level in the national capital has seen a rise post-Diwali.

Experts involved in pollution control work are considering the officials' procrastination as a big negligence. According to them, the tender work should have been done long ago.

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As far as PWD is concerned, 1,259 km long and 60 feet wide roads, ring roads and all major routes come under its authority. Most of the arrangements to prevent pollution along these routes only exist on paper.

Even the truck-mounted anti-smog guns and sprinkler tankers, which are claimed to be installed to control dust pollution, have not hit the roads yet.

Jagran cited departmental sources stating that the companies that received the tender to operate hydraulic trucks equipped with anti-smog guns are currently undergoing repairs or have not been deployed for other reasons.

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Even more concerning is that despite the delay, PWD is only issuing tenders for the installation of anti-smog guns in a few divisions. So far, tenders have only been issued for the installation of anti-smog guns in Western Division-2, under the Southern Zone of the Department's Maintenance Wing.

Two tenders were issued in this division on October 25. Under these contracts, anti-smog guns mounted on hydraulic tracks are to be installed for 150 days. Their estimated cost is Rs 2.6 crore. Tenders will open on October 30, which means that even if the tender is successful, the smog guns will only be operational in November.