India, July 13 -- In a twin push to tackle Delhi's persistent air pollution, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday launched an AI-powered platform to monitor dust emissions from construction sites in real time while simultaneously urging citizens to join the government's ambitious campaign to plant 70 lakh saplings across the Capital. The government said technology-driven enforcement and large-scale greening together would form the backbone of its clean air strategy. Launching Dust Portal 2.0, an AI-enabled web portal and mobile application developed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Gupta said the platform would transform the monitoring of construction and demolition sites by using GIS mapping, 360-degree cameras, PM10 and PM2.5 sensors and artificial intelligence. Also Read - Vinod Nagar: Constable shoots wife dead on her birthday, flees "AI and digital technology are making compliance simpler, monitoring more effective and enforcement more transparent," the Chief Minister said, adding that every construction agency would become "an active partner in building a cleaner and pollution-free Delhi." The portal will scientifically map construction sites, analyse dust levels in real time and automatically generate yellow, orange and red alerts whenever pollution levels rise. It will also issue compliance certificates and enforcement notices digitally, reducing paperwork and enabling quicker action against violations. Officials said the government is also working towards making the challan process fully digital through the platform. Also Read - Four minors feared drowned in Yamuna According to government data, dust from roads, soil and construction activities contributes nearly 27 per cent of Delhi's air pollution during summer and around 15 per cent during winter, while accounting for 66 per cent of PM10 and 38 per cent of PM2.5 emissions. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said construction sites measuring 500 square yards or more would now be monitored using AI. "The new AI-based system will enable real-time monitoring of compliance, issue immediate alerts in case of violations and ensure strict action against repeat offenders," he said, adding that the portal would "set a new benchmark for dust pollution control." Gupta also joined a plantation drive in Model Town under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' and 'Green Delhi Sankalp' campaigns, as part of Delhi's 70 lakh plantation campaign where around 1,100 saplings were planted along central verges, beneath Metro corridors and on roadsides. Calling on residents to participate in the campaign, Gupta said, "Every sapling symbolises the commitment to providing future generations with clean air, greenery and a healthy life." She said the government had launched a dedicated portal to enable citizens to book plantation slots and receive free saplings through the Vriksh Rath initiative. "The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign is not merely a tree-planting initiative but a people's movement that reflects respect for nature, the environment and motherhood," she said, urging Delhiites to help the government achieve its target of planting 70 lakh saplings this year.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.