IIT Kanpur to assess Delhi’s pollution sources

The study will help in tracking the sources of air pollution in real time and a forecast will be issued for the pollution management.  

The Delhi Cabinet has approved a memorandum of understanding between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to track sources of air pollution in real time and generate forecasts for air pollution management. With this agreement, the National Capital will get accurate information about real-time sources of air pollution. The Delhi government will also allocate funds to the tune of Rs 12.7 crore for this project.  

The air quality will be interpreted on a weekly, monthly and seasonal basis. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, molecular markers, and secondary organic and inorganic aerosols will also be factored in. Monitoring of oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide, ozone, elemental carbon, organic carbon and other organic compounds will be part of the project, besides forecasting air quality and air quality index at multiple locations within and outside Delhi, said a release from the government. 

A detailed proposal for the project was submitted by Professor Mukesh Sharma of IIT Kanpur, and it will be executed by a team comprising members from IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and IISER Mohali. The DPCC, acting as the nodal agency, will finalise the terms of reference and payment conditions for the study.  

“Low-cost unmanned spatial monitoring of hotspots and critical areas” is on the anvil, according to the release. The project is meant to identify the sources of air pollution at any spot in Delhi — vehicles, biomass burning, stubble burning and industries. Action can be taken by the government depending on the sources identified. 

Read more: 

• MP’s Rewa Engineering College gets NBA recognition
• TEQIP III: Only Bihar, Uttarakhand agree to keep IIT, NIT pass-outs as faculty in rural engg institutes