- Delhi's air quality deteriorates despite government's special drive.
- Twelve identified hotspots continue to suffer from critical pollution levels.
- Stubble burning, traffic, and industrial units are major contributors.
Delhi Air Pollution: Ahead of the winter season, the air quality of Delhi and nearby cities has begun deteriorating despite the state government's claim of a special drive to combat the issue. The situation becomes critical at 12 sites, described as hotspots, due to multiple factors such as stubble burning and bursting of firecrackers during the festivals. While the government has made a winter action plan, the situation in these regions has not improved significantly.
12 Hotspots Continue To Suffer
- Ayanagar: It is located on the Delhi-Gurugram border, and the air quality here deteriorates every year due to multiple factors, including unpaved roads, dusty winds from Haryana, and lack of a proper drainage system.
- Najafgarh: The situation here remains critical, as there is not any bypass for heavy commercial vehicles. Apart from this, stubble burning is also a major contributor.
- Wazirpur: Presence of old industrial units for utensil and steel polishing and the movement of heavy goods vehicles on extremely narrow streets.
- Jahangirpuri: The air quality usually remains in the 'poor' category due to its proximity to the Bhalswa landfill site and heavy traffic congestion.
- Khyala: Small garment and dyeing industries, unauthorized auto-repair and scrap hubs, and heavy traffic congestion throughout the day.
- Shastri Park: Intersection of main roads connecting ISBT and Northeast Delhi, frequent traffic bottlenecks, construction activities, and dust from open paved/unpaved areas near Yamuna Khadar.
- Vishwas Nagar: Hundreds of small-scale cable and PVC manufacturing units, accumulation of plastic waste, and industrial activities near the residential areas.
- Harkesh Nagar: The air quality remains in the poor category due to the congested residential slum near the Okhla Industrial Area. Apart from this, burning of garment and textile waste and lack of proper road infrastructure are also major contributors.
- Hari Nagar: The residents deal with the poor air quality throughout the year due to its nearness to the bus depot and Mayapuri scrap market.
- Delhi Gate: Heavy traffic congestion due to the nearness to the LNJP Hospital and large shopping complexes. Apart from this, the construction activities are the major contributors.
- Savda-Mubarakpur Dabas Cluster: Underdeveloped residential colonies, unpaved roads, open waste dumping, and dust from the surrounding rural regions are the major contributors.
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- Bhalswa-Nand Nagri-Gokulpuri-Bakkarwala Cluster: Methane gas and smoke emanating from Bhalswa waste hill and its proximity to the interstate border (UP/Haryana) and unauthorized scrap recycling activities lead to poor air quality.