New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker and Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta on Saturday inspected the air pollution hotspot at Madhuban Chowk, Rohini Sector-8.
Gupta said, “Air pollution caused by road dust and unfinished civic works is not an inescapable reality but a preventable governance challenge, one that calls for time-bound action, coordinated administration and firm accountability.”
The inspection was conducted after recent assessments identified several locations in Rohini as dust-pollution hotspots, where roads remain dug up, untarred, or covered with loose soil, said a statement.
It was observed that vehicular movement on these exposed stretches repeatedly resuspends dust. At the same time, the suspension of infrastructure works, including drainage-related projects under pollution-control measures, has left road surfaces untreated for extended periods.
Gupta noted that scientific assessments consistently identify road dust as one of the most significant contributors to particulate pollution in Delhi, accounting for a substantial share of PM10 and a meaningful portion of PM2.5, particularly during winter months when stagnant atmospheric conditions aggravate pollution levels.
He observed that the problem is compounded by incomplete restoration after utility works, gaps in mechanised sweeping and dust-suppression measures, fragmented coordination among civic agencies, and traffic-induced resuspension of dust on damaged pavements.
Taking note of these findings, the Speaker directed immediate and visible remedial measures across identified Rohini hotspots.
These include a time-bound dust-suppression mandate through daily mechanised sweeping and regular sprinkling of water or approved dust suppressants.
He emphasised that wherever full-scale work cannot resume due to regulatory restrictions, exposed road stretches must be temporarily paved or compacted to prevent dust generation.
Special priority was directed towards school zones and market areas for dust-control measures during peak hours. The Speaker instructed that weekly joint inspections be conducted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Traffic Police, supported by geo-tagged reporting and clearly defined compliance timelines.
To address administrative and coordination gaps, the Speaker directed the establishment of a Rohini Dust Action Cell under the MLA’s office to ensure coordinated functioning among DDA, MCD, DPCC, and the Traffic Police.
He emphasised that the absence of a unified maintenance and enforcement mechanism has led to prolonged neglect of exposed road surfaces and that such fragmentation must be corrected through structured inter-agency coordination and monitoring.
For sustained, long-term mitigation, Gupta emphasised the need to complete wall-to-wall paving or carpeting of all remaining untarred or frequently damaged roads in Rohini.
(IANS)
