Ahead of the implementation of the second phase of the odd-even car-rationing scheme, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee will monitor the ambient air quality with special reference to PM 2.5 and PM 10 at 119 locations in and around the national capital. This will be done to assess the impact of the scheme for four-wheeled vehicles scheduled between April 15 and 30.
A parade by 400 newly-appointed members of enforcement teams by transport department was held on Friday at the Delhi Secretariat. City transport minister Gopal Rai said that these 400 newly-appointed members, who will be part of 120 enforcement teams, will be used as mobile teams during the traffic restrictions which will be in place during the scheme.
“Monitoring of ambient air is planned at 74 locations with the help of light scattering-based technology. These locations will be monitored regularly, excluding Sundays, almost on the same time and locations. This monitoring will include random sampling for short duration and will be targeted to know the trend of air quality,” a Delhi government statement said.
Elaborating on the air quality monitoring, the statement added, “Seventy-four locations are on seven borders of Delhi. In these border areas, one sample will be taken inside Delhi (1-2 km), second sample will be on the border and third sample will be 1-2 km inside the neighbouring states. In addition, 20 residential locations of Delhi will be monitored using manual samplers, twice between April 6 and 14 and twice during The odd-even scheme Part II.”
Apart from these, 15 Industrial areas of Delhi will also be monitored in the same manner.
At 10 locations in the city, monitoring will be conducted to know the impact of vehicular traffic on road, for this a sampler will be located on the road curb and second sampler will be about 100-150 metres away.
The transport minister also exhorted the neighbouring states, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, seeking their cooperation to make the second phase of the scheme a success in the national capital.
