As Delhi Chokes, Arvind Kejriwal Calls Emergency Meeting to Tackle Air Pollution

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday has called an emergency meeting at 12:30 PM to discuss air pollution issue in Delhi.

Currently, Delhi grapples with the worst smog in 17 years with visibility dipping to 500 metres. However, the situation in the national capital is likely improve over the next two days, the Indian Meteorological Department said.

The Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung too called for an emergency meeting on Monday to take stock of the measures taken by the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government to decide future course of action to curb high pollution in the national capital.

Kejriwal, Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Environment Minister Imran Hussain, the Delhi Chief Secretary, and representatives of Police and the civic bodies will attend the meeting.

The AAP government is examining ways to set up chimneys in Delhi's crematoriums to curb pollution. The government also has plans to install air purifiers at pollution hotspots and to set up mist fountains in heavily polluted areas.

To check presence of particulate matters (PM) in the air the government may begin vacuum cleaning of streets soon.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on November 4 had pulled up the Centre and Delhi government for failing to curb pollution in Delhi. Earlier, the green panel had asked the Delhi government to ban 10-year-old diesel vehicles from plying on the roads of the national capital.

Air Quality Index (AQI) of all the eight monitoring stations of Centre's SAFAR blinked red, indicating severe levels of pollution. CPCB stations had severe AQI as well.

The Delhi High Court had last year observed that living in Delhi was akin to living in a "gas chamber" as it directed the Centre and the city government to present comprehensive action plans to combat it.

Kejriwal identified the main sources of pollution inside Delhi as vehicles, dust and waste burning, which he said could not be responsible for the pall of smog across the city.

Meanwhile, children and citizens of Delhi held a protest at Jantar Mantar against the ignorant attitude of the local administration in tackling the pollution menace in the national capital.

The Delhi High Court had last year observed that living in Delhi was akin to living in a "gas chamber" as it directed the Centre and the city government to present comprehensive action plans to combat it.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain inspected Bhalswa landfill and said it was "one of the major contributor" of air pollution in the city due to frequent fires at the dumping site.

"This is a big cause of air pollution in Delhi as there are frequent cases of fire at several spots at the site. There is a need to address this problem," he told reporters.

The minister said the Delhi government and civic bodies are working out a plan to dispose the excess garbage and douse flames.

"MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) has asked for 15 to 20 days to douse the fire," Jain said.

The government is also considering the use part of garbage for road construction and the rest can be utilised in waste-to-energy plant, he said.

Located in north-west Delhi, Bhalswa landfill site is spread over 21 acres and was commissioned in 1994. It receives about 2,700 tonnes of garbage per day.