Delhi’s pollution hotspots: The gap between government claims and ground reality

Another week, another shroud of smog over the national capital. GRAP-3 is now in place, classes for schoolchildren are moving online, and citizens gasp for breath as the air pollution reaches the ‘severe’ level.

The government has announced a nine-point action plan to tackle the problem. This includes strict restrictions on categories of work that generate dust, closing down mining activities across the national capital region, and restrictions on certain vehicles. The government also identified 13 ‘hotspots’ of pollution where certain measures, like water sprinkling, must be carried out. 

In theory, it all sounds very efficient. But when Newslaundry visited Anand Vihar and Wazirpur, both categorised as hotspots, we found clouds of dust and disgruntled residents. We also learned that the government’s claims of action haven’t quite translated from paper to reality.

Watch. 

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