India vs Bangladesh: Civic agencies intensify water sprinkling around Arun Jaitley Stadium to curb pollution ahead of first T20I in Delhi

A day before the first T20I between India and Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Saturday said that it has intensified water sprinkling in the area to curb dust and air pollution around the playground. Delhi’s Central Zone Deputy Commissioner Aman Gupta along with senior officials of SDMC and Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) inspected the stadium and took stock of special arrangements made there to curb pollution in the area around the stadium, the civic body said in a statement. The deputy commissioner also took rounds of various areas in the central zone and identified dust pollution spots near the stadium, it added. [caption id=“attachment_7591881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bangladesh cricketers train in heavy smog conditions ahead of first T20I against India at Delhi. AFP[/caption] During the inspection, the deputy commissioner instructed officials to take stringent actions instantly and issue hefty challans to anyone found burning garbage, carrying out construction activities or dumping wastes in the area. “We have adopted a zero-tolerance strategy and will ensure no leniency against the violators,” the SDMC quoted Gupta as saying. Gupta said the agency is also coordinating with deputy commissioner of Sadar Paharganj Zone to take action and special efforts to lower pollution in the area. “Sadar Paharganj Zone is adjoining Central Zone, so we have asked them to cooperate with us and deploy additional water tankers and sanitation staff in the area,” he said. Gupta while taking a round of the area near stadium inspected a parking site, where there was a huge heap of garbage and dust. He instructed officials to take action and remove the garbage immediately. Gupta also said they launched a special drive to remove the construction and demolition wastes in the area, besides starting a special sanitation campaign to collect and remove debris from the localities in the vicinity of the stadium. “Patrolling teams are active round the clock to keep an eye on the situation and take action accordingly. We have already deployed nine water tankers and water sprinklers in the area to intensify water sprinkling,” he said. They are functioning round the clock with an aim to ensure that the dust settles down. Two mechanised sweepers are continuously mopping and cleaning roads near the stadium, he said. “We have also started ground-level monitoring on a continuous basis to assess the ground reality so that we can deploy more manpower and machinery at the hotspots of dust pollution,” he added. India will take on Bangladesh in a T20I in Delhi on Sunday. Questions have been raised over the rationale behind hosting the match in Delhi at a time when the national capital is battling post-Diwali air pollution but the BCCI has ruled out shifting the venue at the last minute due to logistic issues.