Smog tower in Anand Vihar brought pollution down by only 17%: Report

The 82-feet tall tower reduced PM2.5 pollutants by 13% in December 2021, 7% in March, and 17% in April

The smog tower at Anand Vihar, inaugurated in September 2021 by the Delhi government, to clear the air in a radius of 200 metres could only bring down the PM2.5 level by 17 per cent, that too in the 100-metre radius, a report by the Times of India (TOI) stated.

The tower reduced PM2.5 pollutants by 13 per cent in December 2021, 7 per cent in March, and 17 per cent in April. The data for November, January and February for the 100-metre radius was not provided by the authorities, the report added. 

In the 50-metre radius, the tower was more effective. In November 2021, it reduced the pollutant level by 39 per cent, in December 2021 by 22-24 per cent, in January by 22 per cent, in March by 10 per cent and in April by 23 per cent. 

The tower was installed at a cost of Rs 13.6 crore with an additional cost of Rs 10.3 lakh per month. In 2022, the per-month cost is likely to go up to Rs 12.6 lakh per month. 

Experts stated that the funds spent were not worth the result. 

"It’s not good at all. If within 100 metres of the tower, just 17 per cent of the PM2.5 particles are reduced in March and 13 per cent in December, this shows underperformance," Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager (Urban Lab), Centre for Science and Environment told TOI. 

The towers were constructed after the Supreme Court ordered the state government to do that in 2019. In the initial two years, the towers are to be monitored. If their efficiency is established, more such towers will be erected in the capital city. 

"Delhi government has collected green cess of approximately Rs 100 crore till now and it could be used to put up more such towers, especially at the pollution hotspots in the city," Amit Gupta, the RTI activist who found out the data told TOI.