The Centre on Monday unveiled an early warning system that can forecast severe air pollution and help authorities take preventive measures well in time
Residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region will soon be receiving alerts for extreme episodes of air pollution. The Centre on Monday unveiled an early warning system that can forecast severe air pollution and help authorities take preventive measures well in time.
Developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, the weather model will use a combination of data and satellite images. It will provide information about serious air pollution three to four days in advance, said Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union minister for environment and earth sciences. The system is expected to go live in the coming days, said officials from ministry of earth sciences.
"Last year, there were various sources of pollution that contributed to poor air quality in Delhi. There was a dust storm, smoke from stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab and then there are local sources too. This early warning system will help us to be prepared and we can forewarn people and take preemptive action," said the minister.
Between October 28 and November 2 in 2017, the air quality in Delhi had plunged to hazardous levels after a dust storm from West Asia coupled with poor wind speeds enveloped the city.
The warning system will comprise real-time observations of air quality over Delhi region, nature of pollutants, predictions of pollutant trends. The data will be used for issuing warning messages and alerts, said officials.
According to India Meteorological Department Director-General KJ Ramesh, satellite data on weather and imagery from international agencies would be used to assess imminent episodes extreme weather. Weather products of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts have been used in the early warning system. The National Centre for Atmospheric Research and Finnish Meteorological Institute has provided the technical support.
About the accuracy of the model, Ramesh said that the extreme pollution episode of November 2017 and June 2018 were used as benchmarks to assess the efficacy of the predictions and the margin of error was less than 10 per cent.
"Four days in advance, we will get indications of changes in levels of pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5 and the reasons, such as dust storms or biomass burning," said Ramesh. He added, "Atmospheric conditions that aggravate or prevent such episodes such as mixing height of pollutants and winds can be assessed in advance."
STEPS TAKEN SO FAR
- 400 water sprinklers
- 52 mechanized road sweeping machines
- 959 of 1131 industrial units using PNG
- 722 brick kilns on cleaner Zig-Zag technology
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Air pollution")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}