New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife and Industries, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, on Thursday asked all District Magistrates to formulate a coordinated district-level strategy to identify pollution hotspots and take mitigation measures, an official said.

Addressing the officers, the Minister said, “Dust pollution remains one of the most significant contributors to Delhi’s deteriorating air quality. Every District Magistrate must proactively identify sources of dust generation and work with all concerned departments to implement effective mitigation measures.”

He said that whether it is damaged roads, construction activity, or poor maintenance, every source of dust must be addressed through coordinated, results-oriented action.

The meeting focused on identifying pollution hotspots, improving traffic management to reduce congestion, strengthening dust mitigation measures, removing encroachments, improving maintenance of public parks, monitoring polluting industries, and ensuring seamless coordination among all concerned departments.

Sirsa asked District Magistrates to undertake an intensive mapping of pollution hotspots in their respective jurisdictions in close coordination with Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and other concerned agencies.

The District Magistrates are expected to submit periodic progress reports and attend review meetings to monitor the implementation of action points and ensure time-bound outcomes, said an official statement.

Emphasising inter-departmental coordination, Sirsa said, “The fight against pollution is a collective effort. District Magistrates must work in complete coordination with Delhi Police, MCD, PWD, DPCC, and other agencies to identify pollution hotspots. Every hotspot represents a source of pollution, and reducing these hotspots will directly improve Delhi’s air quality.”

The District Magistrates are also likely to prepare a comprehensive inventory of parks with damaged boundary walls or inadequate maintenance, so that necessary restoration work can be undertaken.

Reviewing industrial pollution, Sirsa instructed District Magistrates to identify polluting industries in coordination with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and recommend necessary regulatory action wherever required.

The Minister said that the Delhi government is strengthening compliance mechanisms to ensure that industrial units operate strictly in accordance with environmental norms.

Sirsa highlighted the government’s initiative to significantly enhance Delhi’s air quality monitoring infrastructure by installing AQI sensors across the city.

This expanded monitoring network will enable authorities to accurately identify the specific sources of pollution, including vehicular emissions, industrial activity, road dust and construction, and facilitate more focused interventions at the local level.

–IANS

rch/dan