Monitoring India's Air: Quest towards Clearer Skies

Air quality monitoring is crucial in addressing India’s growing air pollution. It provides essential data for informed decision-making, policy formulation, and interventions to improve public health. However, only 12% of 4041 Indian statutory cities have monitoring stations. Traditional AQI reports also offer a partial view of pollution due to fixed station locations, measuring smaller areas.

Air quality varies significantly within the same cities as well. With limitations on expanding the network of air quality monitoring stations, IIT Madras has developed an affordable mobile monitoring system that mounts sensors on public vehicles to collect data and create hyperlocal air quality maps. Similarly, Punjab plans to deploy a monitoring van during the stubble burning season to record pollution data, as announced at the India Clean Air Summit 2023. Starting from the town of Khadur Sahib, this mobile project aims to disseminate knowledge and enable citizens to become action-oriented towards resolving air pollution.

Recent expansion of the monitoring network beyond major metropolitan cities has shown positive outcomes. The inclusion of previously overlooked smaller towns has democratised fund allocation through initiatives like the National Clean Air Program. In Moradabad, the improved air quality has been attributed to district-level monitoring coordinated by District Forest Officers in UP. Bihar has also announced a comprehensive 5-year action plan for monitoring pollution sources, installing low-cost sensors, and implementing city-specific air quality improvement strategies.

Through an innovative pan-India initiative ‘Mothers for Clean Air’, several mothers are bringing attention to the role of citizens in combating air pollution. Across various cities, these ‘Warrior Moms’ have been educating fellow mothers about their legal rights by raising awareness about pollution sources & their monitoring, thereby ensuring their children’s rights to breathe unpolluted air.

Is air quality monitoring effective in your city? What measures are being taken to resolve air pollution in your city?