CM Arvind Kejriwal to inaugurate Delhi's first smog tower on August 23 to curb pollution

On August 23, 2021, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will inaugurate Delhi’s first smog tower. The ceremony will take place at Connaught Place's Baba Kharak Singh Marg, informed Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday. The pollution tower will clean 1,000 cubic metres of air per second and lower PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels in the national capital.

CM Kejriwal to inaugurate Delhi smog tower on 23rd August to combat Delhi air pollution

The Delhi Environment Minister said that the tower, which cost around Rs 20 crores, will surely reduce pollution and its performance will be assessed by a committee that will present a monthly report.

"I am certain that the smog-tower built at the cost of Rs 20 crores will contribute immensely towards this cause. The smog tower will work with full force after the monsoon season. The scientists of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee will accordingly assess the performance of the tower and present a monthly report." The Environment Minister further added, "If the performance of the smog tower is found to be satisfactory, then we will replicate similar smog towers throughout Delhi."

He expressed confident that the smog-tower will yield positive results for the national capital. It must be noted that Central Government is also constructing one such tower at Anand Vihar. "This is being done after Supreme Court ordered both Delhi and Central Government to immediately install smog towers in the national capital," stated the Environment Minister who assessed the project's progress on the ground in detail on Thursday.

Will smog towers be enough to fight Delhi air pollution? 

The smog tower is about 82 feet high. The tower has 40 wings that will emit purified air in around a 1 sq km area. Smog towers have filters containing electrostatically charged filter media that can capture particles as 0.3 – 10 microns in size. Similar smog towers are to be installed across the national capital for the purification of the city. This is an initiative by the AAP government in Delhi. While smog towers may be effective, there are talks that the towers are only a tiny blip compared to the fight against automobile and truck fumes, construction debris, industrial pollution, and agricultural stubble burning that surround the city of more than 20 million people.

(With inputs from ANI)

(IMAGE: AAP TWITTER / ANI)