10 Ways In Which Delhi-NCR Can Get Rid Of Killer Smog  

Source: IIT Kanpur study  

As per the report, nearly 9,000 hotels and restaurants in Delhi are using coal which is a major source of PM emissions and can cause lung disease, if inhaled by people.  

The households are required to avoid the use of crop residue, coal, cow dung and wood for cooking and each of them needs access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which can reduce levels of PM 2.5, PM 10, and nitrogen oxides.  

The burning of municipal solid waste (MSW) like furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, and batteries needs to be stopped.

The raw materials at the construction site need to be covered and water spray should be used to prevent suspension of sand and dust in the air. The construction materials should also be covered during on-road movement which can improve air quality by 50 per cent.

Water spray, windbreaker, and telescopic chute should be used during concrete batching, which refers to the process of mixing materials for forming concrete.

The report stated that more electric, hybrid and BS-VI vehicles will help in decreasing pollution. It added that Diesel Particulate Filter’s (DPF) use can also reduce emissions from diesel vehicles significantly.  

De-SOx-ing and De-NOx-ing systems need to be installed in large power plants and refineries in New Delhi which emit pollutants like sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Vapour recovery systems need to be installed at the petrol pumps which help in collecting the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that get dissipated during unloading and refuelling of petrol.

The report clearly emphasised the need to put a stop to the burning of crop residue in Haryana and Punjab. It suggested that the residue be used for feeding cattle, energy production and biogas generation.

Fly ash has become a major contributor to pollution in New Delhi. The report emphasised the need for the installation of windbreakers, plantations and water spraying to deal with the pollutants.