12 November, 2024- New Delhi, the capital of India, is dealing with an ongoing smog problem. It unveiled a bold proposal to address this problem on Friday. Deploying specialized drones created by MavDrones is part of the plan. The goal of these drones is to reduce urban air pollution.
More than 30 million people live in the vast metropolitan area of New Delhi. It holds the enviable top spot in the world’s air pollution rankings during the winter. The dense, poisonous cloud obscures the skyline. Additionally, it causes hundreds of preventable deaths annually. The lives of the city’s citizens are long-shadowed by this circumstance. Alarmingly, nothing has changed despite a number of disjointed government interventions.
On Friday, the trial got underway. MavDrones created a drone especially for navigating the city’s pollution hotspots. To collect dust and dangerous airborne particles, it released a thin mist of water. “We are actively exploring diverse technological solutions”. Gopal Rai, the Environment Minister for Delhi, said as much. He gave a speech at the beginning of this creative project. With this single drone, MavDrones launches a trial project. We shall carefully assess its effectiveness. We’ll move on to more widespread implementation if it works.
Rai added that the Delhi government will issue a tender for two more drones. Following the conclusion of this trial, something will occur. If successful, these three drones will fight air pollution in a large urban area. The total size of this region is roughly 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles). Its size is similar to that of Greater London.
The site’s technician, who asked to remain anonymous, disclosed that each drone had a 16-liter (4.2-gallon) water capacity. The operators need to refill the drones after only a few minutes of use. “But these are by no means a complete answer to the widespread problem of air pollution”, Sunil Dahiya said. He works for the advocacy organization Envirocatalysts. “They are merely superficial fixes”.
The government’s prior measures to reduce smog have not produced notable outcomes. A program encouraging drivers to switch off their motors at traffic lights was one such attempt. In 2021, Delhi made the notable decision to install a “smog tower”. Engineers created this imposing 25-meter (82-foot) structure to filter an incredible 1,000 cubic meters of air each second. But when this campaign first started, experts viewed it with contempt. Since then, they have made it non-functional.
According to Anumita Roychowdhury, it is critical to address emissions at their source. In New Delhi, she serves as the executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment. Vehicles, industrial operations, and building sites are crucial regions, according to extensive studies. To successfully address this growing problem, we need to address these areas right away.
Data from recent IQAir air quality testing showed alarming trends. In Delhi this week, PM2.5 particle concentrations skyrocketed past 300 micrograms per cubic meter. PM2.5 particles are the smallest and most dangerous. They are capable of entering the bloodstream. This startling number is 20 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum. It makes the necessity of putting significant and practical measures into place very evident. We require these actions to address the city’s air pollution problem.
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