Delhi Cabinet approves study for real time info on air pollution

New Delhi, July 9 The Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal for conducting a study to find out real time information to help identify the factors behind the spike in air pollution in the national capital.

As per the Delhi government, the scheme - "Real-time Source Apportionment" will be executed by a joint team from the IIT-Kanpur, the IIT-Delhi, The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali.

Noting sources of pollution could be vehicles, dust, thermal power plants, biomass burning, stubble burning, and emissions from industries, and there be one or more sources at a particular place, officials said that the study will help to understand the real-time impact of various pollution sources. Based on the results obtained, the Delhi government will be able to take the necessary actions to curb the sources of pollution.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said: "The technology to carry out real-time source apportionment of pollution has not been implemented in any other city in the country."

"With today's approval from the Cabinet, the scientists will start working on this innovative project in full swing. This will go a long way in identifying the various factors contributing to Delhi pollution and resolving them."

A mobile laboratory equipped with instruments will scour various areas in Delhi. There will be a supersite where data will be collected and interpreted for necessary action, an Environment Department official said.

"The Delhi government would be the first to commission a study to find out and monitor the sources of air pollution on a real-time basis," the minister said.

IIT-Kanpur's Dr Mukesh Sharma, who will be leading the study, said: "The team from IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, TERI Delhi, and IISER Mohali is excited to partner with the Delhi government on this unique project which will provide daily and weekly forecasting of air quality, real-time diurnal source apportionment and suggest short-term daily and weekly actions to systematically assess, reduce, and prevent air quality deterioration in Delhi for many years to come."

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