Delhi air pollution sources to be identified on real-time basis now, says CM Kejriwal - Here's what it means

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the identification of sources of air pollution on a real-time basis has now started in the national capital. He was reviewing the progress of the 'Real-time Source Apportionment Project.’ The project approved by the Cabinet in October 2021 and set up in November 2022 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 The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The IIT team is trying to recognise more detailed identification of the types of sources, exact timing, and location of pollution emission, he said.

According to a statement issued by the Delhi government, the real-time source apportionment study consists of a supersite with state-of-the-art air analyzers and a mobile air quality monitoring system that will measure the level of various substances in Delhi air. "Identification of sources of air pollution on a real-time basis has now started in Delhi. Delhi Government and IIT Kanpur's Real Time Source Apportionment Study is helping Delhi with pollution-related data in a proactive manner," the chief minister said.

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"We have ordered officials to immediately take action to reduce pollution based on the study's findings. Delhi Government will place the analysis before Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) so Centre too can act upon the problem," he added. The team from IIT Kanpur informed that the secondary inorganic aerosols which travel long distances contribute to a large proportion of the air pollution mix, and biomass burning like wood, stubble, etc, vehicular emissions, and dust emerging from road and construction sites are the other major sources of PM2.5 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 analyzers and a mobile air quality monitoring system, which will measure the level of various substances in the air above Delhi, the statement said.

Earlier in September, the chief minister had announced as part of this year's Winter Action Plan that the start of the supersite would be one of the key components of Delhi's fight against pollution.

(With inputs from PTI)