Walkers to decide if Nehru Park should get air purifiers; activists aren't so sure

Time of India

6 days ago

New Delhi: Delhi Pollution Control Committee is conducting a three-day on-site survey to gather feedback from morning and evening walkers on the installation of air purifiers at Nehru Park, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.
The minister said the final decision about installation will be based on the analysis of public response. Sirsa earlier announced plans to set up 150 outdoor air purifiers at Nehru Park, where breathable air is available to people the entire year, especially during the peak winter season.
The survey, which began on Sunday, will continue till Tuesday, after which the feedback of walkers and joggers will be analysed.
"The initiative of installing air purifiers is designed for the people, especially for walkers. Hence, their feedback is crucial in this exercise," said Sirsa. He said if the public disapproves of the idea, they may consider alternative spaces. "We are also exploring busy markets. The plan is to create clean spaces where the air quality is within permissible limits throughout the year, especially during winter months when pollution is high," said Sirsa.
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The DPCC has set up a kiosk at Nehru Park, asking the public to fill out a form with a question: "Would you like to have an air purifier in your park?" The question includes four responses: "Yes, any day"; "Yes, when low maintenance and low cost"; "No"; and "I only want trees."
However, experts and some walkers opposed the plan. They said the focus should be on eliminating regional and local sources of pollution. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at think tank EnviroCatalysts, said: "While the use of air purifiers at sensitive locations in closed environments such as hospitals can be recommended, using purifiers in open environments is not the scientific approach to reducing air pollution .
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Green activist Bhavreen Kandhari said Delhi's plan to install 150 outdoor air purifiers in Nehru Park is a troubling repeat of past policy failures. "The Rs 25 crore smog towers at Connaught Place and Anand Vihar were deemed ineffective. DPCC confirmed they reduced PM2.5 levels by just 17% within a limited 100m radius, while costing Rs 15 lakh per month to operate. Scaling such technology across the city would cost over Rs 11 lakh crore, a huge misuse of public funds.
Worse, this project is being trialled in Nehru Park, one of the city's few green lungs, where air quality is already better than surrounding zones. This reflects a fundamental policy disconnect ," said Kandhari.
She added that what Delhi needs is tough enforcement against pollution sources, not cosmetic fixes in isolated green spaces. "Citizens don't need more purifiers in parks. We need cleaner air across the city," she said.
Scoffing at the idea of air purifiers being planned for an open-air place like Nehru Park, a regular walker said, "Forget big air purifiers, water purifiers at Nehru and Lodhi Gardens don't work very often. If anything, only more trees should be planted, wherever possible, across polluted urban areas.... Somehow, only big-ticket spending ideas catch the fancy of the powers that be."
Sirsa had earlier said that the air purifiers can be installed in a small area of just two square feet. Each unit will consume nearly 1,500 electricity units in a month for 24x7 operation. He added that if the technology is feasible, govt will try bring a private player and get the purifiers installed.