The Chief Minister of Delhi inaugurated the country’s first ‘smog tower in Connaught Place. It was once inaugurated months before the Air Pollution level spikes in the national capital due to burning of crop waste (stubble burning) with the aid of farmers.
Background:
In 2019, The Supreme Court directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi authorities to come up with a sketch to install smog towers to fight air pollution.
IIT-Bombay then submitted a suggestion for the towers to the CPCB.
In January 2020, the Supreme Court directed that two towers need to be established through April as a pilot project.
The smog tower at Connaught Place (CP) is the first of these towers. The 2nd tower, being built at Anand Vihar in east Delhi with CPCB as the nodal agency, is nearing completion.