Minister flags off 4 anti-smog guns to control air pollution in Gurugram

Haryana’s Minister for Industry, Environment, Forest and Wildlife Rao Narbir Singh expressed deep concern over rising air pollution levels, urging collective efforts to control it. At an event on Monday, the minister flagged off four new anti-smog guns deployed by the Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, in the Civil Lines area, marking a proactive approach towards reducing dust and pollution in the city.

Singh highlighted that the second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented by the Commission for Air Quality Management across the Delhi-NCR region. He emphasised the need for public adherence to GRAP restrictions to achieve cleaner air. He also noted the Haryana Government’s commitment to tackling pollution, mentioning that road cleaning in Gurugram and other NCR areas in southern Haryana is now managed by mechanised machines. Additionally, water spraying on roads and trees is being conducted regularly to curb dust, especially in areas prone to high dust levels.

To enforce GRAP rules, Municipal Corporation (MC) teams are closely monitoring vulnerable areas and taking action against unauthorised construction activities, which have been banned under Stage 2 of GRAP, implemented last week.

Dr Narhari Singh Banger, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, said the civic body is dedicated to combating air pollution, with the new anti-smog guns helping to control dust levels in high traffic areas.

Each machine, costing around Rs 18 lakh, can spray water up to 20 m with a 320-degree rotation and is equipped with a 1,000-litre stainless steel water tank. The new machines are particularly suited for narrow streets and markets.

With the addition of these four anti-smog guns, the total count now stands at seven, as the city already operates four tractor-mounted units. The event was attended by Additional Commissioner YS Gupta, Joint Commissioner Suman Bhankhar, Regional Pollution Control Board Officer Vijay Chaudhary, Executive Engineer Manoj Kumar and other officials, alongside BJP leader Rakesh Yadav and former municipal councillors.