New Delhi, Oct 26 (NationPress) In an effort to tackle air pollution, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is set to roll out pole-mounted ‘Mist Sprayers’ in both Connaught Place and Khan Market, as announced by Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal on Sunday.

During the launch of the second phase of the ‘Mist Sprayer Project’ at significant locations like Shanti Path and Africa Avenue, Chahal highlighted that this initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’. It marks a pivotal move towards maintaining a clean, green, and pollution-free NDMC area.

Chahal pointed out that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR remains in the ‘very poor’ category, with numerous regions classified in the red zone. Given the seriousness of the matter, NDMC has initiated a special pollution control campaign aimed at dust suppression, smog reduction, enhancing greenery, and encouraging public participation.

He emphasized that this initiative is crucial for delivering a cleaner and healthier environment for the city’s residents.

According to him, the mist sprayers, which will be mounted on electric poles, release fine water droplets into the atmosphere, assisting in the settling of dust and pollutants to enhance air quality.

This system has demonstrated significant effectiveness in densely populated and high-traffic zones. The sprayers also support the maintenance of roadside flora and utilize treated water.

Chahal stated that the initial phase of the project was successfully executed on Lodhi Road, where 15 mist sprayers were installed over a 500-meter stretch at an estimated cost of Rs 34 lakh.

The initiative received favorable responses from citizens and experts alike. Motivated by this success, the second phase has now commenced at Shanti Path and Africa Avenue, with plans for broader implementation across the NDMC area in the upcoming months.

In the next phase, mist sprayers are set to be placed along 24 major roads within the Council area, with an expected expenditure of Rs 15 crore. Moreover, this system will extend to Connaught Place (both Inner and Outer Circles) and Khan Market.

At Africa Avenue, 30 electric poles are equipped with sprayers along an 850-meter stretch. Each pole features five nozzles, with six tiny holes per nozzle, totaling to 30 spray points per pole.

Each pole consumes around 84 liters of treated water per hour, supported by four 5,000-litre storage tanks. A similar configuration has been established along a 900-meter stretch of Shanti Path with 32 poles, both locations are now fully operational and functioning effectively.

Chahal noted that NDMC has already implemented a range of modern pollution control strategies. GPS-enabled Mechanical Road Sweepers are employed for road cleaning and are monitored through the Smart City Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).

Additionally, anti-smog guns and mist spray machines are routinely utilized. To sustain roadside plants, treated water tankers with capacities of 5,000-10,000 liters are used to prevent the wastage of fresh water, he mentioned.