JOIN USThe WhatsApp number and Facebook page of Delhi Pollution Control Committee for reporting burning of leaves and garbage in the open seems to be losing its appeal with the daily messages dropping to a trickle.
Nuisance callers have also forced officials to ban registering complaints made over telephones. “Initially, we used to take calls also on the helpline number but after a few cases of people abusing us, chairperson Sanjiv Kumar asked us to only take complaints on the app,” said an official.
Data handlers in the committe admit the number of daily complaints they are getting now have dropped from the initial days.
“The reason for the decline is the lesser incidents of illegal burning of garbage taking place,” said a senior official, who expressed inability in giving a monthly or a weekly break-up of the flow of complaints coming in. On an average, the Committee has received about seven complaints daily since its launch.
According to DPCC data, a total of 552 complaints, including pictures and videos, regarding burning of garbage, waste material, and leaves have been received by it on WhatsApp number 9717593574 since April when it was launched.
The number and the account on the social networking site was started after the National Green Tribunal bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar directed it and the government to create a web portal where public can upload pictures of any such violation to check air pollution.
After the DPCC’s IT cell receives a complaint on WhatsApp or Facebook, it is forwarded to the local bodies or Delhi Police for appropriate redressal. The area SDM also visits to the spot, a DPCC official said.
“However, on some occasions, it has happened that the smoke caused by illegal burning of leaves had subsided by the time the SDM reached the spot. But we ensure that action is taken on every complaint. This is the reason why there is a drop in number of such incidents,” he said, adding, the SDM also conducts surprise inspections.