NCR to get common Air Quality Index by October

Considered to be one of the world’s most polluted regions in the world, the National Capital Region will shortly have a common Air Quality Index (AQI) based on data from around 50 monitoring stations in the north of India namely, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Currently the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) put out separate AQI lists for the cities of the region while the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) shares real-time data.

A common AQI, which is an advisory for people of the air quality will be great benefit. Experts said that in the past, data of air quality status had not matched between the various agencies and in a recent meeting, the Environment Pollution and Control Authority (EPCA) had directed the CPCB to expedite the data integration process.

“This (a common AQI) will help cut through the confusion and an accurate picture of the air quality status will emerge. Currently, there are days when the AQI of CPCB does not match with that of the SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), which comes under the MoES,” a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) …read more