What is Green War Room, created to curb Delhi air pollution?

The Delhi government has taken a major step to fight air pollution during the winter season by setting up a 24x7 'Green War Room.' This initiative is part of the city's 21-point Winter Action Plan, according to Environment Minister Gopal Rai. A team of eight environmental experts will manage the war room, and it has been given seven key responsibilities. These include monitoring pollution levels, analyzing satellite data on stubble burning, and collecting information from 13 areas in Delhi known as pollution hotspots.

To better understand where pollution is coming from, the war room will use advanced technology like drone mapping and real-time studies to identify the main contributors to pollution. The team will also track the Air Quality Index (AQI) data through information gathered from 24 pollution monitoring stations run by the government. Minister Gopal Rai also mentioned that they have asked the central government for permission to use artificial rain to reduce pollution. This request was made earlier on September 1, but they are still waiting for a response.

The minister encouraged Delhi's residents to participate in the fight against pollution by reporting activities that cause pollution through the Green Delhi App. People can upload photos of pollution sources to help the government take quick action.

The 21-point Winter Action Plan, which was launched on September 25, includes several important steps to reduce pollution. These steps include using drones to monitor pollution, running anti-dust campaigns, creating task forces, using road-sweeping machines, and deploying 200 mobile anti-smog guns. The campaign is running under the theme "Mil Kar Chale, Pradushan Se Lade" ("Let’s Walk Together, Fight Pollution").

In another announcement, Gopal Rai said that the government is also considering urging people to work from home if pollution levels get worse. They may also bring back the odd-even vehicle rule if needed. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a social media campaign against winter pollution called "Yuddh Pradushan ke Viruddh" ("War Against Pollution"). The campaign aims to encourage public support in the fight against air pollution under the slogan "Let's walk together - fight pollution."

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