In News
- The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas has begun the process of setting up a Decision Support System, DSS having a web and multi-model based operational and planning decision support tool.
The Air Quality Management Decision Support Tool (DST)
- Integrates an emissions inventory development application and database; regional, local, and source receptor modelling
- And Geographical Information System (GIS) based visualisation tools in a software framework so as to build a robust system to formulate and implement source-specific interventions to improve the air quality (air quality) over targeted sectors of Delhi/NCR.
- Identification of source-specific interventions by the DST is deliberated with the involvement of stakeholders, the ministry stated further.
- The sources covered will include industries, transport, power plants, residential, DG sets, road dust, agricultural burning, refuse burning, construction dust, ammonia, volatile organic compounds, landfill etc. For instance, municipalities, industrial associations, industrial development authorities etc. would be the stakeholders for identifying interventions related to waste burning, industrial source pollution (pollution).
- Upon identification of feasible interventions, the artificial intelligence-based expert system which has a hierarchical database of simulated scenarios, potentially assessing the impact of the identified feasible intervention which would be implemented by the regulatory organisation such as CPCB and state PCBs.
- The on-field implementation is monitored by credible citizen watch groups and professional NGOs independently.
- Air quality (air-quality) data collected in the vicinity of the area where intervention is implemented will be analysed to understand the real-world benefits of such intervention.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
- Strength: The new 18-member Commission brings together the Centre, states, and other stakeholders on one collaborative platform.
- Chairperson: It will have a full-time chairperson “who is or has been Secretary to the Government of India or Chief Secretary to the Government of a state”. The chairperson will hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.
- State Representatives: The Commission will also have five ex officio members who are either Chief Secretaries, or Secretaries in charge of the department dealing with environment protection in the States of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh
- Experts: Three full-time independent technical members with “specific scientific knowledge and experience in matters relating to air pollution”; a technical member each from the CPCB and nominated by ISRO, ex officio.
- Civil Society: Three representatives of NGOs with experience in combating air pollution
- Others: It will have members from Niti Aayog and several Ministries
Source: AIR
