Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday directed the Principal Secretary (Environment and Forest) to ensure the Real Time Source Apportionment infrastructure at New Delhi’s Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg is made fully operational by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) before winter begins.

“As you are aware that in order to identify the current and potential contributing sources to the air quality along with the quantum of their contribution, and to formulate the policies accordingly to tackle the menace of air pollution, Delhi Government decided to conduct a study on ‘Real Time Apportionment of Delhi’s pollution during 2021,” he wrote.He added that Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur’s study period ended in September 2023, and that the DPCC is the regulatory body for air quality, the Environment Department’s proposal for DPCC to take over the infrastructure, equipment, and mobile van was approved on June 26. “However, the last DPCC review meeting noted a delay in making the supersite fully functional,” Rai claimed.

The senior AAP leader directed, “In view of the above, it is directed that the existing infrastructure set up for conducting the study on Real Time Source Apportionment at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg, New Delhi be made fully operational by DPCC, well before the onset of Winter Season so that precise data about the sources of pollution and their quantum can be collected and mitigation measures could be taken accordingly.”

The Delhi Government in 2021 decided to conduct a ‘Real Time Apportionment’ study with IIT Kanpur to identify and assess sources affecting air quality and develop effective policies. It awarded the project “Real Time Source Apportionment and Forecasting for Advance Air Pollution Management in Delhi” to IIT Kanpur for Rs 12.727 crore plus GST, following a cabinet decision on July 7.