The Ghaziabad district administration has ordered all private and government under construction projects to install anti-smog guns at the construction sites. According to the Supreme Court’s order, it is mandatory for all under construction projects with an area of 20,000 sqm or more to install anti-smog guns.
The apex court’s order has come in the wake of spike in pollution level in the NCR. “All the projects, including NHAI, DMRC, RRTS and also group housing societies, where construction activities are underway and the construction area is more than 20,000sqm have to install anti-smog guns,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, the Ghaziabad District Magistrate.
He added that this move comes on the direction of the apex court to keep pollutants under check and if there is any violations and failure on the part of agencies to install it within stipulated time, actions will be initiated against them.
The anti-smog gun is a canon that sprays atomised water till 50 metres into the air to bring down the suspended pollutants. The device is connected to a water tank and it can be taken to different parts of the city on a vehicle. The atomised water sprayed from the gun will help in bringing down the minute particles, which constitute the PM 2.5, the main pollutant.
City-based environmentalist Sushil Raghav said, “As a short term measure to check pollution level in an area anti-smog gun is a useful device and recently it was tested at Delhi’s Anand Vihar to desired result.” He added that since the anti-smog gun is mobile it could be easily moved and placed where pollution level is high. The cost of installing an anti-smog gun is about Rs 20 lakh.