Delhi CM reviews project to track pollution sources real-time

New Delhi [India], December 24 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday reviewed the progress of the 'Real-time Source Apportionment Project', which has been undertaken by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Kanpur (IIT-K), Indian Institute of Delhi (IIT-D) and TERI.
"The project was approved by the cabinet in October 2021 and was set up in November 2022. The Real-time Source Apportionment Study consists of a Supersite with state-of-the-art air analysers and a mobile air quality monitoring system, which will measure the level of various substances in the air above Delhi," read an official statement.
On being apprised of different sources of pollution, CM Kejriwal instructed the Environment department and DPCC to identify sources and locations of pollution and take all required steps to control it.
Kejriwal also encouraged the DPCC and IIT Kanpur team to meet the Commission for Air Quality Management and share their findings. He also suggested that the IIT Kanpur team provide a more detailed analysis of the real time sources, such as the type of vehicles causing pollution at different times and specific areas where biomass, including garbage, is being burnt, to help the government address them.
He said, "Addressing air quality in Delhi takes a combined effort from multiple stakeholders. A state-of-the-art project that we conceptualised almost 2 years back has now started giving us rich data on a real-time basis. I have asked officials of my government to immediately take action based on the study's findings, as well as share the analysis with the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), for action by the Union government."
The team from IIT Kanpur said the secondary inorganic aerosols, which travel a long distance, contribute to a large proportion of the air pollution mix, and biomass burning (wood, stubble etc.), vehicular emissions and dust (road and construction) were the other major sources of PM2.5 levels in the national capital in the last one month.
The team also showed hourly data on the sources of pollution in recent days and the direction from which external pollution may have reached Delhi.
The Real-time Source Apportionment Study consists of a Supersite with state-of-the-art air analysers and a mobile air quality monitoring system, which will measure the level of various substances in Delhi's air. (ANI)