New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has intensified its anti-pollution drive, issuing more than 13,000 challans over the past 10 days through 164 night-patrolling teams and 134 day-patrolling teams for violations such as open burning of waste and the operation of polluting units.Nearly 1,800 challans were issued on the day before and the day after Diwali alone by 1,486 MCD personnel and civil defence volunteers deployed in the patrolling teams.According to MCD’s latest report, its building department inspected 1,559 under-construction sites during the period. Violations were found at 449 sites, and environmental compensation of more than Rs 68 lakh was imposed.However, joint inspections conducted last week by nodal officers appointed by Delhi govt to assess ground-level conditions found deficiencies in dust suppression and waste management at some key pollution hotspots, including areas around the Commonwealth Games AQI monitoring station. Officials from PWD, MCD, traffic police, DMRC, NHAI, Railways and other agencies took part in the exercise.In east Delhi, a team led by VK Bidhuri, nodal officer for air pollution mitigation in the district, inspected the national highway stretch near Akshardham Metro Station Friday. It also reviewed the functioning of MCD’s joint enforcement team and traffic management arrangements. The inspection focused on dust suppression measures, maintenance of mist systems, road dust management, cleanliness of public spaces and scientific waste disposal.“While the team’s role was found satisfactory, certain deficiencies were observed in the functioning of mist systems, dust suppression arrangements at the railway site and scientific waste disposal. The condition of unpaved stretches along the railway line and the maintenance of the DDA Sports Complex and its campus were also examined,” an official said.Bidhuri stressed the need for coordinated and sustained efforts by all agencies to ensure the effective implementation of air-pollution mitigation measures. “Departments concerned were directed to address the identified deficiencies, take corrective action and ensure regular monitoring of pollution-control arrangements,” the official added.In Punjabi Bagh, the Railway Cement Siding Yard was found barricaded, with access restricted to minimise dust pollution.Rupesh Kumar Thakur, nodal secretary of west Delhi district, inspected the Punjabi Bagh pollution hotspot. During an earlier inspection on Oct 28, he had directed officials to take stringent measures, including sealing the yard, to curb dust pollution.“During the reinspection on Nov 12, railway authorities were found to have taken significant measures, including barricading the entry to the premises. An RPF post had also been set up, with personnel deployed to prevent unauthorised activities,” officials said.Thakur also reviewed measures to control vehicular emissions, road dust, construction and demolition activities, waste accumulation and other local sources of pollution.MCD has deployed 167 water sprinklers and 40 anti-smog guns as part of its anti-pollution efforts.“Their zone-wise operation is regularly reviewed. Day and night teams, which also include civil defence volunteers, check open burning, potholes causing traffic congestion and lapses in daily reports. To cross-check work on the ground, teams from DPCC inspect pollution sources and monitor dust- and waste-related violations,” another official said.
