New Delhi, Dec 20 (NationPress) The Speaker of the Delhi Assembly and MLA for Rohini, Vijender Gupta, conducted an inspection on Saturday at the air pollution hotspot located at Madhuban Chowk, in Rohini Sector-8.

Gupta remarked, “The air pollution stemming from road dust and incomplete civic projects is not an unavoidable fact of life but a governance issue that can be addressed with timely actions, collaborative administration, and strict accountability.”

The inspection followed recent evaluations that pinpointed various areas in Rohini as hotspots for dust pollution, where roads are often dug up, unpaved, or covered with loose soil, as mentioned in an official statement.

It was noted that traffic over these exposed areas repeatedly stirs up dust. Additionally, the halting of infrastructure projects, such as drainage work aimed at pollution control, has left road surfaces untreated for long durations.

Gupta pointed out that scientific evaluations consistently highlight road dust as a major contributor to particulate pollution in Delhi, significantly impacting PM10 levels and affecting PM2.5, particularly during winter when stagnant conditions worsen pollution.

He noticed that the issue is exacerbated by incomplete restoration post-utility works, deficiencies in mechanized street cleaning and dust suppression, poor coordination among civic bodies, and traffic-induced dust resuspension on damaged roads.

In response to these observations, the Speaker mandated immediate and visible corrective measures for the identified Rohini hotspots.

These measures include a strict dust suppression plan involving daily mechanized street cleaning and regular applications of water or approved dust suppressants.

He stressed that where full-scale construction cannot proceed due to regulations, exposed road areas should be temporarily paved or compacted to minimize dust generation.

Special emphasis was placed on school zones and market areas for dust-control measures during peak hours. The Speaker instructed weekly joint inspections by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and Traffic Police, to be supported by geo-tagged reporting and clearly defined compliance timelines.

To tackle administrative and coordination issues, the Speaker proposed the creation of a Rohini Dust Action Cell under his office, aimed at ensuring coordinated efforts among DDA, MCD, DPCC, and Traffic Police.

He emphasized that the lack of a cohesive maintenance and enforcement strategy has resulted in the prolonged neglect of exposed road surfaces and that this fragmentation must be resolved through structured inter-agency cooperation and oversight.

For enduring, long-term solutions, Gupta highlighted the necessity of completing wall-to-wall paving or carpeting of all remaining untarred or frequently damaged roads in Rohini.