New Delhi:

The letters, dispatched on May 9, appeal for innovative, science-backed proposals that can address the capital’s most stubborn sources of pollution. Delhi’s air quality has become a matter of grave public health concern. Last November, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to an alarming 494, just shy of the worst on record since 2015, plunging large swathes of the city into a near-permanent haze.

In a renewed effort to combat its relentless air pollution crisis, Delhi has contacted the country’s premier scientific institutions, seeking urgent intervention to clear the capital’s smog-laden skies. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has formally written to all branches of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), inviting them to offer technical solutions that could help curb the city’s worsening air quality.

The latest move signals a shift in strategy, with authorities now leaning heavily on research-led interventions to stem the tide.

DPCC identifies 11 key challenges behind Delhi’s pollution

Institutions have been asked to submit concept notes of up to 5,000 words, along with digital presentations, within a fortnight. According to a DPCC official, the Delhi government will review the submissions and may incorporate viable proposals into its long-term environmental policy. “Incentives may also be considered for particularly promising ideas,” the official added, as per a Hindustan Times report.

The DPCC has identified eleven key challenges behind the capital’s pollution, ranging from vehicular emissions and industrial discharge to dust from roads and construction sites, along with seasonal culprits such as stubble burning in neighbouring states. Officials have also pointed to poor enforcement of existing environmental laws as a major barrier to progress.

Air pollution in Delhi not just environmental but also political!

Air pollution in Delhi has evolved into more than just an environmental challenge; it has become a major political flashpoint. The issue featured prominently during the recent general election campaign, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promising to slash pollution levels in the capital by half by 2030. With the BJP now back in power, that pledge is likely to come under increasing scrutiny

DPCC calls for immediate action to curb capital’s pollution

Beyond long-term fixes, the DPCC is calling for immediate action. High on the agenda is a comprehensive source apportionment study, a scientific process that determines how much pollution originates from each source. Authorities hope this will help sharpen their focus on the most damaging contributors.

Another proposal under active consideration is the deployment of low-cost sensors across the city to track real-time levels of fine particulate matter, specifically PM2.5 and PM10. This data could inform more targeted and efficient responses, especially during critical pollution peaks.

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