The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has joined anti-pollution efforts in the national capital by sprinkling water across the city on Saturday.
“For this exercise, 13 hotspots across the city have been identified… Today, water was sprayed on the roads of Wazirpur area – one of the identified hotspots,” Chief Fire Officer Atul Garg said.
The special drive aims to reduce air and dust pollution in the city, Mr Garg added.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index has remained in the “very poor” category all week due to slowing wind speeds that allow deadly pollutants such as PM2.5 particles to remain suspended in the air.
PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that is less than 2.5 microns in diameter and which can penetrate deep into the lungs (and impair their function) or even the bloodstream.
On Friday the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that meteorological conditions in Delhi had been “extremely unfavourable” for the dispersion of pollutants since September, as compared to last year.
With Delhi-NCR bracing for months of poor air quality, experts have warned that high levels of air pollution can also aggravate the COVID-19 situation.