Planting trees, controlling dust in Delhi govt’s 12-point air plan

Delhi govt introduces 12-point summer action plan to combat pollution, focusing on tree plantation, dust control, and revising tree transplantation policy.

The Delhi government on Thursday introduced a 12-point summer action plan to combat pollution in the city, which is set to come into effect from June 15 till September 15. The plan will focus primarily on tree plantation and dust-control measures, with the government to also revise its existing tree transplantation policy in order to improve the survival rate of transplanted trees.

Dust seen in the air on Kartavya Path in New Delhi. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

State environment minister Gopal Rai shared the highlights of the proposal at a press conference after meeting officials from more than 30 different government departments and agencies.

“For the last few years, we have been introducing a winter action plan (for pollution), but in the meeting held with over 30 departments and agencies on Thursday, it was discussed that in order to ensure effective action in the winter months, we also need an equally strong summer plan in place,” Rai said.

“Between May 24 and June 12, Delhi’s AQI (air quality index) has been between ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’, thus requiring attention. Dust has been the main problem during this period and a summer action plan was finalised in the meeting, focusing on tackling dust and other summer-related sources,” he said.

HT had reported on Monday how despite Delhi’s AQI being in the ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ category since March 1, this year’s summer action plan was yet to be shared, let alone enforced. Last year, the plan was introduced on May 1 and in 2022, it was introduced on April 22.

The minister said the plan will focus on tree plantation across the city, a solution which he said would not only help mitigate heatwaves in the summer months, but also help with poor air quality in the winter months.

“All Delhi greening agencies have been asked to prepare a plan and a meeting will be held on June 18 to further identify plan Delhi’s mega plantation drive in the monsoon months,” Rai said, adding that the plan will also strengthen Delhi’s existing tree transplantation policy, which was introduced in 2020 and mandates at least 80% of all trees being felled for construction projects are transplanted to a different site.

Rai said feedback from agencies shows that the survival rate of transplanted trees in Delhi has been fairly low. “The average survival rate has been 50-60%... Some species are not surviving anywhere in Delhi and then there are others that are doing really well. Agencies have been asked to prepare reports on the factors impacting the survival rate, based on which we will revise the policy,” he said.

To tackle dust, the government will launch a 15-day anti-dust campaign between June 15 and 30, with 580 patrolling teams to be deployed across the city to monitor construction and demolition sites, the minister said.

Another focus area is action against open burning, with 573 teams to be deployed across the city. “The teams will ensure open-burning does not occur. They will also be monitoring Delhi’s three landfill sites,” he said.

The plan further calls for rejuvenation of water bodies and lakes, for which directions have been issued to the Delhi Wetland Authority to expedite revival of water bodies in Delhi. For parks, Rai said the government will meanwhile be supporting over 300 resident welfare associations (RWAs) with financial assistance to carry out maintenance and increase the greenery there.

The plan will also look at industrial pollution, for which 35 teams will be deployed across the city.

“The other areas identified in the plan include expediting the creation of an e-waste eco park. Promoting green activities in over 2,000 eco clubs at schools in Delhi, improved solid waste management in Delhi and lastly, coordination with neighbouring states. We plan to hold talks with neighbouring states on issues like stubble burning, or old diesel vehicles months in advance, so that they are better prepared this winter,” Rai added.

Experts, however, called the plan a re-branding of past initiatives.

“Not only has the summer action plan come late, at a time when the summer is already at its peak, a majority of these are rebranding of past announcements,” said environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari.