Delhi Government Launches ‘Green War Room’ to Combat Air Pollution

October 4, 2023

The Delhi government has taken a significant step in the fight against air pollution by launching a ‘green war room’ on October 3, 2023. This proactive measure aims to combat air pollution, which has long plagued the national capital, particularly during the winter months.

Delhi’s Persistent Air Pollution Problem

Delhi grapples with high levels of air pollution caused by various sources, including vehicles, industry, and construction.
Stubble burning by farmers in neighboring Punjab and Haryana exacerbates the pollution levels, especially in winter.

The Green War Room

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inaugurated the ‘green war room’ to tackle air pollution head-on.
The war room is seamlessly integrated with a mobile application known as the Green Delhi app.
The ‘green war room’ is managed by a 17-member team consisting of scientists and engineers.
It acts as a unified platform, connecting 28 government departments, and allows citizens to report pollution-related complaints through the Green Delhi app.
Complaints received on the app are jointly reviewed by all relevant departments, including those from the central government, Delhi government, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The Winter Action Plan

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a comprehensive 15-point Winter Action Plan on September 29, 2023, to combat air pollution during the winter season.
As part of this plan, an anti-dust campaign is set to launch on October 5, 2023.

Insights from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

A report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) indicates that 31% of pollution sources are internal (within Delhi), while 69% are external (from surrounding states).
Vehicles have been identified as a major real-time pollution source, particularly contributing to particulate pollution in Delhi.
The report highlighted that despite relatively low air pollution levels in winter 2022, Delhi remained the most polluted among five major cities in the national capital region.
Large-scale air quality monitoring commenced in Delhi in 2018, providing valuable data on air quality.

Public Engagement and Resolution

Over 70,684 complaints have been registered on the Green Delhi App, with an impressive 90% of them successfully resolved.
Many of these complaints were related to the functioning of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Air Quality Index (AQI)

The air quality index (AQI) for Delhi stood at 155 on October 3, 2023, categorizing it as ‘moderate.’
AQI categories range from ‘good’ to ‘severe,’ reflecting different pollution levels.

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