Union Minister launches Air Quality Early Warning System to coincide with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava

What is the News?

The Union Minister has launched a Decision Support System(DSS) that extends the ability of the existing Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) to have decision-making capability for air quality management in Delhi-NCR.

Background

In 2018-19, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology(IITM) had launched an ‘Air Quality Early Warning System’ (AQEWS) to alert the citizens and the policymakers about the possible severe air-quality events about 7-10 days in advance. 

However, the policymakers needed more precise information on the potential sources responsible for the degraded air quality during a forecast severe air-quality event. 

Such information would help them monitor and control such emission sources and thus assist them in making decisions to manage air quality. 

Hence, realizing this need, IITM has launched AQEWS with a ‘Decision Support System’ (DSS) for air-quality management in Delhi. 

What information will the AQEWS with a DSS will provide?

DSS provides quantitative information about: 

• The contribution of emissions from Delhi and the surrounding 19 districts to the air quality in Delhi, 
• The contribution of emissions from 8 different emission sectors in Delhi to the air quality of Delhi, 
• The contribution from biomass-burning activities in the neighboring states to the degradation of air quality in Delhi, and 
• The effects of possible emission source-level interventions on the forecast severe air-quality event in Delhi.

Hence, this information would explicitly highlight the most important emission sources responsible for the degraded air quality in Delhi and suggest possible solutions to the policymakers

Source: This post is based on the article “Union Minister launches Air Quality Early Warning System to coincide with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava” published in PIB on 19th October 2021.