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Delhi govt to enhance greenery on roads to curb dust pollution
New Delhi The Delhi government has decided to enhance greenery on its roads and flyovers with the help of shrubs, hedges, creepers and a variety of flowering plants to curb dust pollution, government officials aware of the matter said on Sunday
New Delhi
The Delhi government has decided to enhance greenery on its roads and flyovers with the help of shrubs, hedges, creepers and a variety of flowering plants to curb dust pollution, government officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.
According to senior officials of the Public Works Department (PWD), central and side verges of roads and flyovers and walls of overbridges will be spruced up with seasonal flowering plants and shrubs on a number of road stretches and flyovers. “There are many flyovers and roads where greenery is less which results in dust. We have identified such stretches to enhance greenery there and beautify these streets. Some of these stretches include the Ring Road, Chirag Delhi flyover, IIT flyover etc. In the mega drive, we will use decorative and seasonal flowering plants, shrubs, hedges for roads and flyovers,” a senior PWD official said.
He said tenders have been floated for the procurement of plant saplings, shrubs and hedges. The official said that the main aim of the project is to cut down dust pollution.
Dust on roads and from major construction projects in the city is one of the major contributors of suspended particulate matter – one of the primary pollutants in the city air --- in Delhi.
The move comes after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal last month directed PWD officials to improve greenery to reduce dust pollution in the city. According to PWD officials privy to the development, tenders have been issued for improving greenery and beautification of a number of flyovers. These include IIT flyover, Munirka flyover, Africa Avenue flyover, Chirag Delhi flyover and Panchsheel flyover.
Officials said that greenery beneath these flyovers will be improved and road footpaths will also be made free of encroachment.
The officials said that at least 42,000 plants saplings, hedges and shrubs will be used to beautify roads and flyovers in PWD’s south sub-division.
Bio-decomposer spray from today
Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai will start free spraying of Pusa bio-decomposer from Fatehpur Jat village in northwest Delhi from Monday, the government said.
The microbial solution, which can turn stubble into manure in 15 to 20 days, will be sprayed over 4,000 acres of harvested rice fields in Delhi, an official said.
A total of 844 farmers in the national capital have applied for free spraying of the solution this year, Rai said. Last year, 310 farmers used it on 1,935 acres of land.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on September 24 launched the Pusa bio-decomposer formula at Kharkhari Nahar village in southwest Delhi.
