NEW DELHI: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday directed the principal secretary (environment) to ensure that the Real Time Source Apportionment infrastructure, an exercise to determine the air quality status based on real-time pollutant measurements and meteorological conditions, is fully operational before winter begins. “… it is directed that the existing infrastructure set up for conducting the study on Real Time Source Apportionment at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg, be made fully operational by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), well before the onset of Winter Season so that precise data about the sources of pollution and their quantum can be collected and mitigation measures could be taken accordingly,” Rai said.During winters, the capital’s air quality reaches a hazardous level due to low wind speed, stubble burning, vehicular pollution, and its peculiar geographical location. A study on ‘Real Time Apportionment’ was undertaken to formulate policies to tackle the menace of air pollution.The government decided to engage IIT Kanpur to conduct the study. In July 2021, a cabinet decision awarded the project to IIT Kanpur, which, in consultation with TERI and IIT Delhi, submitted its report on September 25 last year.Rai said that in the last review meeting of DPCC, it was learnt that there is a delay in making the super site fully functional.DPCC in limboCounsel for the Delhi govt submitted that out of the 344 sanctioned posts in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), as many as 233 are vacant. Anguished over it, the apex court asked the Delhi government to fill these vacancies by April 30, 2025.
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