In a first for the national capital, Delhi's environment department will deploy one or two drones at each of the 13 major hotspots to monitor pollution levels as part of the newly launched Winter Action Plan, officials said on Wednesday.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai unveiled the 2024 Winter Action Plan with 21 key points.
The drone initiative is expected to provide real-time data on pollution sources, enabling swift intervention and precise mitigation measures.
An official from the department told PTI that the tender process for acquiring these drones is expected to be finalised in the upcoming week.
"We are in the final stages of releasing the tender for drones, and once completed, they will be deployed for hotspot monitoring," the official said.
He also said that each of the 13 identified hotspots, some of the city's most polluted areas, will be assigned one or two drones based on the requirement and need.
These hotspots have been prioritised for intensified monitoring and intervention.
The drone initiative is part of a broader set of measures under Delhi's Winter Action Plan, which also includes anti-dust campaigns, increased road cleaning and water sprinkling, apart from strategies to curb stubble burning.
Meanwhile, Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai, while unveiling the comprehensive plan to combat rising pollution levels during winter, highlighted the critical role that drones will play in addressing the city's air quality crisis.
"For the first time, drones will be used to monitor pollution hotspots in real-time. Previously identified sources will now be tackled with greater precision," Mr Rai said.
The minister said that last year, the pollution hotspots were manually monitored, but this year, the use of drones will enhance the accuracy and speed of the pollution control efforts.
"The drones will identify the sources of pollution, such as construction dust or vehicular emissions, and actions will be taken based on this data," Mr Rai explained.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
In a bid to curb rising dust pollution during the winter months, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday unveiled a comprehensive 14-point construction guideline as part of the city's 'Winter Action Plan'.
The Supreme Court came down heavily on the central air quality panel on Friday for not taking steps to monitor the air quality and curb pollution in the national capital region.
After a period of three months and 19 days, residents of Delhi faced a significant decline in air quality on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 235, falling into the poor category.
In a first for the national capital, Delhi's environment department will deploy one or two drones at each of the 13 major hotspots to monitor pollution levels as part of the newly launched Winter Action Plan, officials said on Wednesday.
Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai launched a "War Against Pollution" campaign today to tackle the air quality crisis in the national capital as winter approaches.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Opinion: It Is Delhi's Annual Pollution Season - Who Can Stop This?Bharti Mishra Nath
Monday November 06, 2023Delhi is choking once again. Thick, toxic smog has engulfed the national capital and its surrounding areas, making Delhi the most polluted place in the world.
Blog: Why This Is Already A Landmark Year In The Pollution FightChetan Bhattacharji
Tuesday December 14, 2021The air pollution last month made it the worst November in seven years since records began. This is a setback to the central government's already modest target to cut air pollution by 20-30% by 2024.
सरकारों ने आपके जीवन से खिलवाड़ कर लियाRavish Kumar
Thursday November 18, 2021हमारा दो घंटे का समय बर्बाद हुआ. चीफ जस्टिस एन वी रमना की यह टिप्पणी ज़हरीली हवा को लेकर होने वाली सारी सुनवाइयों का सार है. आज और सोमवार की नहीं, बल्कि हवा में फैल रहे ज़हर को लेकर पिछले पांच छह साल में सुप्रीम कोर्ट की जितनी भी सुनवाई हुई है उसका यही सार है.
किसान नहीं कार और कारखाना वाले फैला रहे हैं हवा में ज़हरRavish Kumar
Monday November 15, 2021केवल नौकरशाही और मीडिया का विभाजन नहीं हुआ है बल्कि प्रदूषण का भी हुआ है. भूगोल और मौसम के हिसाब से प्रदूषण की चिन्ताओं को बांट दिया है और उसे सीबीआई और ईडी के अफसरों की तरह विस्तार देते रहते हैं. जिस तरह अब सीबीआई के प्रमुख तक पांच साल के लिए मेवा विस्तार मिलेगा सॉरी सेवा विस्तार मिलेगा उसी तरह से वायु प्रदूषण को हर नवंबर के बाद अगले नवंबर के लिए विस्तार मिल जाता है.
From The 'World's Air Pollution Capital' To COP26Chetan Bhattacharji
Sunday October 31, 2021Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew out of Delhi for the climate talks just as the capital's skies darkened with pollutants in this peak air pollution season.