Will This 'Gun' Kill The Lethal Delhi Smog? Government Is Testing Today

New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal government is arming itself to 'shoot down' the lethal Delhi smog. This device, which was tested recently at the Delhi secretariat, is called an "anti-smog gun".

Connected to a water tank, the anti-smog gun sprays atomised water into the atmosphere. The fine water particles work like rain, sticking to the deadly particulate matter suspended in the air and bringing them down. The device is mounted on a vehicle, so it can be taken across the city.

The device can spray water up to a height of 50 metres, news agency IANS quoted Sushant Saini, an executive of the manufacturer Cloud Tech as saying.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Environment Minister Imran Hussain were present during Monday's test at the Secretariat. But officials say more testing is required before a call can be taken on the use of the device, which costs around Rs 20 lakh.

On Wednesday, the anti-smog gun will be tested at Anand Vihar, one of the most polluted areas in the border of Delhi.
 If it gets a green signal from the government, the anti-smog gun will be one of the several key measures to combat pollution in the national capital, which was tagged a "gas chamber" last month after a lethal grey haze hung over the city for days. The pollution levels threatened to go off charts and the doctors declared it a public health emergency. As the Delhi government alleged the stubble burning by Punjab farmers for the haze, the courts pulled it up, demanding immediate action.

The government announced several plans, which included the reintroduction of the odd-even road rationing scheme that would allow no exception, a ban on most commercial trucks, stopping of construction activities and a four-fold hike in car parking charges.
 Last week, the Supreme Court cleared a comprehensive action plan for the northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, which involved more air pollution monitors, fast-track construction of expressways, better bus service and 486 more coaches for the Delhi Metro.