Air pollution prediction system gets UN praise

Air quality testing trial runs are on at IITM and air quality stations will start to be erected in New Delhi from next week,Beig said.

According to the letter sent by L Jalkanen,head of the WMO’s atmospheric environment research division,the WMO recognises SAFAR as an important activity in the region and will make all efforts to get international visibility for the project. SAFAR will make India one of the few countries to take a big leap in environmental research,Beig said.

Safar will provide hourly information on air quality and forecast pollution levels 24 hours in advance through wireless colour digital display panels at 11 key points in Delhi during the Games. Only a few developed countries have the technical knowhow to use such a system. It was used during the Beijing Olympics and at the last Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Safar will provide air quality levels in a four-kilometre stretch around the Games village and other major venues. Instruments like ozone and carbon monoxide analysers and real-time analysers for various other pollutants would be used for collecting data,Beig said. The system will provide details about oxides of nitrogen,particulate matter,carbon monoxide,black carbon and benzene present in Delhi air. “Exposure to pollutants affects human health,increases respiratory symptoms,heart and lung diseases,allergies being some of them,” said Beig.