Delhi’s Innovative Waste-to-Energy Plants and Data-Driven Strategies Drive Remarkable Progress in Pollution Mitigation, Says DPCC Official
NEW DELHI: “Delhi’s waste-to-energy plants and landfill fire reduction efforts significantly contribute to controlling municipal solid waste pollution,” stated Dr. K.S Jayachandran, Special Secretary (Environment and Forest) & Member Secretary, DPCC, Govt. of NCT of Delhi at the virtual session on Delhi’s Pollution Crisis- Leveraging Science and Technology to Mitigate Delhi’s Environmental Challenges.
“Delhi being a hotspot in the entire national landscape, we have one of the densest monitoring networks in terms of continuous campaign air quality monitoring stations. For any management, for any control strategy, you need data. Without data, there is no action. So, in that sense, I am very proud to say that we have one of the densest monitoring networks, and we pay the highest attention possible to maintain the quality and transparency of the data generated by the stations,” he continued.
“Moreover, we conduct source apportionment studies regularly through eminent institutions like IIT Madras, Kanpur, and Delhi, almost every two years. These apportionment studies help us understand the real reasons behind air pollution, facilitating the quantification and forecasting of air pollution, including real-time source apportionment studies launched with the help of IIT Kanpur, which provides hourly forecasts for the next three days and daily forecasts for the next 15 days,” he explained.
Dr. Jayachandran went on to discuss the various measures taken by the Delhi government and DPCC to mitigate air pollution, including the use of mobile monitoring laboratories in critical hotspots and the establishment of a web portal for larger, construction and demolition projects to assess mitigation measures proactively.
“In terms of mitigating road dust, Delhi has adopted a machine-led approach with various initiatives, including mechanical road sweepers, water sprinkling machines, static and mobile anti-smog guns, and anti-smog guns installed on high-rise buildings. These measures have been instrumental in combating road-generated pollution,” he emphasised.
Speaking about waste management, he stated, “Delhi has made significant progress in managing municipal solid waste (MSW) through establishment or planning of waste-to-energy plants in Okhla, Gazipur, and Narela, to process the entire MSW generated. Efforts to reduce landfill fires have yielded remarkable results, with a significant decline in incidents.”
“Additionally, we are working on the biomining of legacy dumpsites to level out the landfills by March 2024. In the transportation sector, Delhi is at the forefront of the electric vehicle (EV) transition, with plans to have 50,000 EV charging points by 2025 and a focus on augmenting public transport with a significant number of electric buses,” he added.
When it comes to water pollution, Dr. Jayachandran highlighted, “We are implementing real-time electronic-based water quality monitoring stations to enhance monitoring capabilities. The city is also taking measures to improve sewage treatment and trap major drains to enhance water quality.”
While concluding, Dr. Jayachandran emphasised Delhi’s commitment to leveraging science and technology to tackle environmental challenges, lead to commendable results. The Delhi government and DPCC remains dedicated to implementing innovative and data-driven strategies to create a cleaner and healthier environment for its residents.
Mr. Anurag Bansal, Managing Director of 13D Research & Strategy stated, “Delhi’s pollution crisis, a subject close to my heart, demands urgent attention. Technology is the key to address this issue, with household heating and cooking contributing 32% to the high AQI levels. Redirecting farmers and industries away from stubble burning is essential. While electric vehicles and filters help with transportation emissions, more progress is needed. The economic cost is staggering, with Delhi alone losing 9 million work days and $1.4 billion annually. Industry involvement is vital, with potential profits driving scalable solutions. Innovative initiatives, like converting stubble to reusable products, offer hope. Let’s unite technology, economics, and innovation to combat Delhi’s pollution crisis for a cleaner, healthier future.”
Ms. Shipra Mishra, CEO of DRIIV (an initiative of the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India), informed about Delhi’s “Project SAMEER,” combating air pollution through a PPP model involving collaboration among DPCC, startups, researchers, NGOs and industry. She stated, “The PPP model emphasises community engagement, science and technology intervention, and industry collaboration. Deploying a suite of innovative solutions on low cost PM monitoring and mitigation in hotspot areas, the initiative achieved promising reductions of 60% to 90% in particulate matter (PM) levels, as validated by researchers from IIT Delhi. It aims to drive transformative environmental solutions with multiple stakeholders for a greener and sustainable future in India.”
She also talked about the challenges in adopting innovations, such as lack of testing mechanisms and funding, which the PPP model is tackling through sourcing use cases from government bodies, solutions from startups which are validated by researchers, financial support from funding agencies and community engagement via NGOs. “The project includes awareness-raising efforts on air pollution’s health impacts and aims to launch similar projects in the areas of waste management (e.g. recycling plastic and utilising stubble waste) and waste water treatment and reuse. Funding agencies show interest in supporting the extended project,” she added.
Talking about water pollution in Delhi, Dr. Lakshmi Raghupathy, National Coordinator, NSWAI and former Director of MOEF & CC, Govt of India, emphasises that water pollution in Delhi is critical. She said, “The water is currently unfit for drinking due to agricultural runoff and poorly functioning STPs. To combat this, she calls for upgraded STPs and scientific research to develop affordable and sustainable technologies. Community awareness and participation are also essential, promoting responsible water usage and eco-friendly practices. Urgent collaborative efforts from the government, industries, and citizens are necessary to safeguard Delhi’s water sources for a sustainable future.”