Delhi Government Receives Over 84,000 Complaints Related to Pollution through Green Delhi App in 2024
As of 2024, the Delhi government had received complaints pertaining to pollution as a whole from its Green Delhi App as 84,765 in number. An application that is being launched in the year 2020 would benefit the residents but would enable them to make use of the platform in providing complaints about pollution with pictures and videos but tag down the location and mention that what is the nature of grievance. It would simplify the process of receiving complaints and enhance accountability in solution.
The main civic bodies have addressed the major chunk of complaints. These are the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD), and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). As per the latest statistics, MCD has received the maximum complaints. There are 54,878 complaints received in MCD. Of these, 46,279-that is, 84%-have been disposed of while 8,599 are pending.
The PWD has received 12,327 complaints that it cleared 10,803 approx 87% and which are pending are 1,524. The DDA received 4,795 complaints, resolving approximately 92% or 4,424, and there are 371 pending. Other departments and agencies receiving complaints for redressing grievances on issues of pollution include the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Revenue Department, and Delhi Jal Board, where rates of redressal were pretty high.
As many as 362 complaints were received by the Delhi Traffic Police and 564 by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. They have succeeded in resolving most of them; however, as per the latest report, as many as 10,656 pending complaints still remain, which includes the count of 8,322 at the MCD end.
The Green Delhi App, maintained by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) under the Department of Environment, is very crucial in the fight against pollution in the city. Once a complaint is made to this app, it is forwarded to the relevant civic agency for resolution. It also follows up the submissions of the users while providing a transparent process. The application has been the most important mechanism through which pollution-related problems are being addressed in this city that has long lived in a struggle with good air.
Delhi Jal Board tops when it comes to complaint resolutions as 97.94 percent of its complains were resolved; this number tallies to 3,056 complaints. The following department was the Irrigation and Flood Control Department with 91.98 percent of all complains resolved, and stood at 2,032 complains. The Revenue Department had recorded 1,041 complaints; the department had managed to resolve 84.53 percent. Although the MCD had the highest number of complaints, it was still able to solve 84.33 percent of the complaints it received.
Despite all this effort, pollution is still running very high in Delhi and most importantly in air pollution. The city reached its critical mark of the year during the month of November 2024 where the Air Quality Index scaled to a dangerous level of 491. The level has been labeled as “severe plus” by experts signifying the air quality that is extremely unhealthy with acute health hazards to the locals. Sources report that Delhi Pollution Control Committee has cautioned of health hazards related to such high pollution levels, especially for children and the elderly, and all those suffering from other kinds of diseases.
Provided the immediacy to act, the governments in Delhi reacted to this situation through emergency measures towards halting this pollution and the protection of the greater mass public. The emergency measure meant to close down schools, banned construction, and instituted total restriction of vehicular activities. This was because, more importantly, it could not ignore near-term health concerns associated with the poor air quality. Such media as Green Delhi are making the public very well notified and involved with activities that try to eradicate pollution. One has been provoked to report any activity of pollution which might in turn be highly connected with air quality issues in their locality, from the dust of construction to burn waste. That makes such an app very relevant than ever while keeping up with the current warfare of the city against the pollution in society.
Conclusion:However, they say that the Green Delhi App and all efforts made by civic bodies have brought forth a reduction in the number of polluting factors. However, further long-term solutions are called for -be it the reduction in emission coming from vehicles, industrial pollution or stubble burning in other adjoining states. It is not an easy task because of several reasons to work towards curbing the pollution in the city of Delhi-they say: it is a geographical location with a high density of population and climatic conditions that cannot let pollutants go out in the air. The Delhi government is taking immediate measures, such as the Green Delhi App, and long-term measures aimed at the root causes of pollution. While there is a lot more to be done, the data from the Green Delhi App shows that, in fact, civic agencies are working to resolve complaints and reduce pollution in the city. Continued public engagement and support for these initiatives will be essential to improving air quality going forward.
Source: PTI