Government agencies ramped up action to control dust and discourage the use of private vehicles on Thursday, as Delhi continued to face hazardous levels of air pollution.
Delhi Environment Secretary Keshav Chandra said tankers of the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Fire Service, civic bodies and the PWD had been deployed to carry out sprinkling of water on roads. A total of 123 tankers of the PWD, the DJB, the three municipal corporations and the New Delhi Municipal Council were deployed. The Fire Service carried out sprinkling from its 52 stations. In addition, the agencies also ramped up mechanical sweeping of roads. Acting on the orders of the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, the NDMC and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation ordered the increase in parking rates.
For cars, the hourly rate was increased from ₹20 to ₹80 and for two-wheelers from ₹10 to ₹40.
