Business

These east Delhi dust hotspots amplify city's pollution woes

In Delhi, a dust hotspot under Pushta flyover near Geeta Colony Shamshan Ghat has been overwhelmed with construction debris. Despite MCD efforts to clear the area, the debris continues to affect air quality. Illegal burning of plastic wires for copper extraction exacerbates the environmental threat.

Pushta Flyover, Geeta Colony NEW DELHI: Even as Delhi continues to grapple with its pollution problem, TOI ventures to a dust hotspot in east Delhi. The area beneath Pushta flyover , adjacent to Geeta Colony Shamshan Ghat , and a stone’s throw from Netaji Subhas University of Technology’s east campus, has been inundated with construction debris for an extended period. MCD trucks do arrive to clear the debris, but the volume is so immense that it consti tutes a genuine menace to Delhi's air quality .

Nearby slum dwellers scavenge through the debris to procure cooking elements, while children rummage through the rubble in search of toys. The most perilous activity is the burning of plastic wires from the debris to extract the copper within, an act that is not only detrimental to the environment, but also illegal. Close to the flyover, mounds of debris are heaped upon the pavement, posing an obstacle for bikers and four-wheelers alike.

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