SDMC focuses on ‘dust hotspots,’ issues 305 challans of Rs. 29 lakh

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Wednesday said that it is focusing on “dust hotspots” in its jurisdiction — Mayapuri, Punjabi Bagh, Dwarka and RK

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Wednesday said that it is focusing on “dust hotspots” in its jurisdiction — Mayapuri, Punjabi Bagh, Dwarka and RK Puram — and intensified patrolling for open burning of garbage and illegal construction waste dumping here.

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Three of these —Punjabi Bagh, Dwarka and RK Puram — are already on the list of 13 hotspots identified by the central pollution control board (CPCB).

“We have arranged for eight water sprinklers to move in these areas to curb dust. We have also changed the routes of our mechanical sweepers to focus here, and earmarked three new locations for authorised dumping of dust,” said Radha Krishan, spokesperson, SDMC.

Mayapuri is a known industrial area with little greening and unpaved roads from which dust blows all the time.

Punjabi Bagh has commercial areas which witness traffic congestion and vehicular pollution, while Dwarka has villages like Mundka nearby where shoe factories burn rubber and produce plastic waste. The PM 2.5 levels in these areas is always considerably higher than other areas in Delhi.

SDMC, on Tuesday, said that the corporation has issued at least 305 challans worth ₹29.65 lakh in the last 24 hours for open burning of waste and illegal C&D (Construction and Demolition) waste dumping in areas under its jurisdiction. The challans were under Solid Waste management (SWM) Bylaws, 2016.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation said that it has issued 241 challans for the same environmental violations and imposed penalty of ₹12.91 lakh in the last 24 hours. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) said that its corresponding figures are 64 challans and ₹6.2 lakh.