In a significant move to safeguard students' health, the Delhi government has initiated a major project to install air purifiers in all its schools. Education Minister Ashish Sood announced on Friday that the process has begun with a tender floated for the first phase, which will see 10,000 air purifiers placed in classrooms.
Phased Rollout to Cover All Classrooms
Speaking to the media, Minister Sood outlined the ambitious plan. The initial installation of 10,000 units is just the beginning. The ultimate goal is to extend this facility to cover every single classroom across Delhi's government schools. There are approximately 38,000 classrooms in the state's government schools that will eventually be equipped with the clean air devices.
"We want our children to study smart and also breathe smart air," Sood stated. He emphasized that the core objective is to ensure that air pollution does not negatively impact children's health or their educational outcomes. The tender for the first phase was floated on the day of the announcement itself.
Addressing a Persistent Pollution Problem
The minister used the occasion to critique the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's approach to pollution. He asserted that Delhi's pollution is not a seasonal issue but the result of years of policy failures. Sood cited a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report alleging that in 2017-18, about 30% of Air Quality Index monitoring stations were deliberately set up in green zones to mask the true severity of pollution levels.
He labeled initiatives like the 'Odd-Even' vehicle rationing scheme and the 'Gaadi On, Gaadi Off' campaign as "PR exercises," noting that their effectiveness had been questioned by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the courts. "We are not those who flaunt IIT degrees and do campaigns like Odd-Even... We are tackling the issue of pollution through long-term administrative measures," Sood remarked.
Broader Anti-Pollution Measures Announced
Beyond the school initiative, the minister, who also holds the urban development portfolio, detailed a multi-pronged strategy to combat pollution. He announced that from October 11, the use of recycled construction and demolition material has been made mandatory in all construction works, with payments being withheld for non-compliance.
Significant progress is also being targeted on landfill sites. The Bhalswa landfill is slated for complete remediation by September 2026, and a tender has been issued for disposing of 18 lakh metric tonnes of waste. Furthermore, biogas plants have been commissioned at the Nangli Sakrawati and Ghoga dairies for the scientific management of dairy waste.
To improve public transport and reduce vehicular emissions, bottlenecks in projects like Metro Phase IV and the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) are being cleared. Additionally, a Rs 45-crore electric vehicle (EV) subsidy, which was reportedly withheld by the previous administration, has now been cleared. This subsidy provides direct financial support for purchasing e-rickshaws, e-autos, two-wheelers, and four-wheelers.
The government is also strengthening civic infrastructure, having released Rs 175 crore to municipal bodies, with another Rs 500 crore in the pipeline. The Public Works Department will procure mechanical road sweepers for each Assembly constituency using the environment cess.
Minister Sood concluded by assuring Delhi's residents of the government's commitment, stating that all possible steps are being taken, and results will be visible on the ground soon.
