Delhi Technological University area is the next ‘air pollution hotspot’

According to Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority chairman Bhure Lal, this corner of the city has been consistently showing high pollution levels.

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) will meet on Thursday to find ways to clean the air of another polluted corner of the city — Delhi Technological University (DTU) in north Delhi.

The Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar near DTU is also in a bad condition as there are no pavements and thus increasing dust pollution. (Sanchit Khanna/HT file)

According to EPCA chairman Bhure Lal, this corner of the city has been consistently showing high pollution levels.

“A meeting has been called with all agencies concerned to find out the reasons behind the foul air quality here and ways to combat it. We will also review the action taken by various agencies at Anand Vihar in the meeting,” Lal told Hindustan Times.

Earlier, in a meeting with Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal on December 7, Lal had raised the issues of industries running in Badli, Bawana, Narela and DTU areas which are causing air pollution.

These industrial areas are using non-approved fuels for running their machines and are burning garbage. There are approximately 10,000 rubber units operating and need to be checked, he had informed.

Lal had also told the L-G that traffic police should notify these areas as no parking-zone for the main roads, so that buses and three-wheelers do not remain parked there, which causes a traffic congestion and inconvenience.

The Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar near DTU is also in a bad condition as there are no pavements and thus increasing dust pollution. Baijal, in the meeting, had asked the North Delhi Municipal Corporation commissioner to visit the area and ensure that pavements and carpeting of roads is done at the earliest.

“The DTU area witnesses high vehicular traffic, including trucks entering the city. Garbage burning is also rampant here. There is a need to focus on problematic areas in this manner. We tackle a small area first and then increase the radius steadily. This is how we can reduce local emissions. From micro to macro, from local to global,” Central Pollution Control Board air laboratory chief Dipankar Saha said.