Dust is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Control and Prevention) Authority (EPCA) had been asking the civic bodies to take measures to check road dust. Keeping air pollution in mind, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has received Rs 42.77 crore from the Centre under the Urban Development Fund (UDF) for the current financial year to combat air pollution by introducing dust-control measures and to augment its waste-processing facilities.

A proposal to use the money for the purpose was approved by the corporation’s Standing Committee recently and will be presented in the House for a final approval. Civic officials said the corporation had approached the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs earlier this year for a grant under UDF for the work.

Standing Committee chairman Rajdutt Gahlot said the funds will be utilized to strengthen and resurface damaged roads, develop decentralized compost plants and promote the use of recycled water by installing decentralized sewage treatment plants (STPs), among others.

“Internal roads will be strengthened using this fund at 12 locations, including Malviya Nagar, Panchsheel Park, Hauz Khas, Green Park Main and Extension, C R Park, Dwarka (pocket-1) and Mahavir Enclave, among others, at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore,” Gahlot said.

Gahlot said Rs 7 crore has been allocated to develop 15 waste treatment plants and lay pipelines at various locations. Besides, Rs 3.7 crore have been sanctioned for procuring five electric road sweeping machines and Rs 12 crore for installing drum composters to treat solid waste at the ward level. The approved proposal said the projects must be completed within 12 months.