Rush to inaugurate unfinished smog tower in India’s capital

THE Delhi government seemed to be in a hurry to inaugurate the Smog Tower project even while the work is not even 50% completed yet. The tower’s major mainstay – the air filters – to make air pure for inhaling are still missing, with not even one of the total of 5000 required being installed.

The primary work of electricity supply to the tower is still in the progress. Only after this is completed, will the installation of air filters commence. Each side of the tower was supposed to have 10 fans, or 40 in total, but many of these were still to be installed at the time of inauguration.

Air pollution is one of the leading causes of death across the globe, and has been established as a potential reason for cardiac arrest. Underlining the relationship between the concentration of everyday pollutants and the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the findings of a recently-conducted study suggest that air quality should be incorporated into predictive models to assist health systems in planning service requirements.

The Smart Air has analysed 2021 air pollution data for 540 major cities from 182 countries to find out the “25 Most Polluted Cities in the World”. The capital city Delhi ranks third in the list, while Ghaziabad in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh ranks second after Lahore. Delhi finds mention two times in the list – once at third position and New Delhi at the fifth position.

The capital’s rising air pollution index has been a matter of concern. In an attempt to control the air pollution and purify air, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently inaugurated the first Smog Tower in Connaught Place.

A worker at the Smog Tower site, who only identified himself as Mishra, said that work has been slowed as the major portion of the workforce has been shifted to another site in Anand Vihar. He said that September 20 was the deadline for the project

The project has been marred by controversy for being called “the first smog tower across the nation”.

The Delhi BJP accused CM Kejriwal of misleading people, claiming that Delhi’s first smog tower was installed by its MP Gautam Gambhir last year.