Not procuring drones for pollution fight: Environment dept’s RTI reply

New Delhi: The Delhi environment department has said it is not procuring drones for pollution mitigation. The department said this in a reply to an RTI query filed by a city environment activist. Delhi govt had earlier said in its winter action plan that it would use drones to monitor pollution in the hotspots. It later used drones for a pilot project on pollution.Environment activist Amit Gupta had sought details on the procurement of drones. The activist also asked about details on drone deployment and the time period when these will be used, including details of procurement tenders. "An official has said that the department of environment is not purchasing drones for dust control," the reply dated Nov 12 said. Delhi govt, however, said that it is studying a drone-based pilot project and awaiting results."Currently at Wazirpur, under a pilot project, a drone is being used to monitor the pollution hotspot. We will take a decision after the report comes…. It was never said that the drones will be bought," a Delhi govt response said. Earlier in Sept, Delhi govt officials said that about 10 drones will be used to monitor the 13 hotspots.Before that, Delhi govt on Sept 25 listed drone-based monitoring as the first point of its winter action plan. "For the first time, the environment department will use drones to monitor pollution at 13 hotspots in Delhi. Drones will identify the sources of pollution, and action will be taken accordingly," it said.Recently, environment minister Gopal Rai inspected the pilot where a drone was being used to spray water at Anand Vihar to reduce dust.Gupta said that though govt included drone monitoring in its plan, it was not yet ready to use them. "Delhi govt... seems to be unclear about what it wishes to do with the drones. At the peak of pollution, it is still at the pilot project level."
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