Delhi govt to install 1,000 water sprinklers on streetlight poles to tackle dust pollution: CM

New Delhi: In an innovative solution to fight air pollution all year round, the Delhi government will install 1,000 water sprinklers on streetlight poles to suppress dust, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said.

In an interview with PTI on Wednesday, the chief minister said her government will ensure that water sprinklers and smog guns operate throughout the year, unlike the previous AAP dispensation, which used those for only two to three months.

Dust is a major contributor to Delhi's pollution. During the campaign for the Delhi Assembly polls in February, the BJP had strongly raised the issue of the city's deteriorating air quality and held the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) responsible for it.

In the polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended the 10-year rule of the AAP, winning 48 of the 70 seats.

"The air quality, which used to be so bad in previous years, has now been improving. You will see further changes as our government is planning accordingly.

"Earlier, water sprinklers used to function for just two months of winter. After coming to power, we have understood that air pollution is not a problem for only two months, rather it exists throughout the year," Gupta said.

In summer too, there is a lot of dust in the air and the circumstances are similar like autumn or winter, she said.

"So the water sprinklers and smog guns will now function throughout the year. We are planning to install water sprinklers on the streetlight poles on the Ring Roads.

"The PWD will deploy 1,000 sprinklers, four each in all 250 municipal wards, to function yearlong. We are clear in our policies and efforts, so the results will also be clear," the chief minister asserted.

Dust is a significant contributor to both PM2.5 and PM10 pollution. PM10 consists of dust particles with diameters of up to 10 micrometre, while PM2.5 includes finer dust particles that have a diameter of 2.5 micrometre or less.

Depending on their size, dust particles can be a primary source of both types of particulate matter.

These fine particles, particularly PM2.5, pose significant health risks as these can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, while PM10 are coarser particles with a diameter of 10 micrometre or less, about the width of 10 human hairs.