PWD takes steps to comply with norms to control dust

New Delhi: The Public Works Department will ensure compliance with safety and dust control measures on its construction sites. According to officials, the standard operating procedure for dust control measures has been sent to all the agency's wings and chief engineers have been instructed to closely monitor the project sites under their command and ensure the implementation of the guidelines issued by Delhi govt and Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
The state govt, while announcing its winter action plan recently, directed PWD to deploy 200 anti-smog guns on the 1,400 km of roads under its jurisdiction."All executive engineers have been directed to mandatorily visit their worksites for effective monitoring of dust emissions. They must check every factor causing dust pollution and adopt immediate remedial measures as per CAQM guidelines," said a PWD official. The guidelines mandate the use of anti-smog guns, keeping of all construction materials under cover and the secure storage of construction and demolition waste at the site. Engineers have also been instructed to ensure wind-breaking walls of at least three metres in height are installed around the construction sites to keep the dust inside.
Under the winter action plan, periodic mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling of roads are mandatory. Dust has to be collected and discarded scientifically at designated sites and landfills. Anti-smog guns are deployed to spray water to settle the dust and other suspended polluting particles in the air. PWD has also installed sensors at construction sites to monitor pollution levels.
PWD will also act quickly to redress complaints on the 311 app and other such platforms. The agency also gets feedback from the public on its PWD Sewa app, which allows citizens to upload complaints.
Alongside, road restoration work is going on under Delhi govt's intent to make the city pothole-free by the end of this month. According to officials, work has started on several stretches after the chief minister and ministers inspected the roads along with PWD and transport officials.
Once pollution reaches certain levels, the Graded Response Action Plan, with differing measures at different stages, is implemented and construction is banned once pollution reaches the 'severe' stage.