Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
India

Air quality monitoring van to be deployed in Punjab

Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Aug, 2023 11:54 AM
  • Air quality monitoring van to be deployed in Punjab

Chandigarh, Aug 25 (IANS) In a first-of-its-kind initiative, an air quality monitoring van will be deployed in Punjab to monitor air pollution levels and to create awareness to understand the type of air they are breathing.

Announcing it on the sidelines of India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) 2023 in Bengaluru, Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PSPCB), said it was important for people to understand the air they were breathing.

The van will be operated by a local industry under the corporate environment responsibility (CER) under the direction of the PPCB.

The journey of the air quality monitoring van will start from Khadoor Sahib in Tarn Taran district near Amritsar that already has a forested patch created by Baba Sewa Singh, a social worker and environmentalist.

The air quality of this place will be recorded and then the van will move to other cities across the state, comparing the air quality levels of different locations, and explaining to residents the air they are breathing.

The aim is to identify steps that can be taken to improve the quality of air locally.

“The van will also be used during the stubble burning season at sites where there is deteriorating air quality due to burning compared to those areas that are free from it. It will measure the air quality and explain to people the polluted air they are breathing,” Vig added.

By sharing the data captured by the van, people will be empowered to improve the air they breathe due to their own actions -- an initiative towards citizen science.

“Clean air is a win-win for health and climate but needs to be done with evidence-based strategies and research with local knowledge,” said Vinayak Sinha, Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Mohali during ICAS 2023.

MORE India ARTICLES

Odisha train tragedy: 29 of 81 bodies identified through DNA testing

Odisha train tragedy: 29 of 81 bodies identified through DNA testing
At least 293 people died and over 1,000 were injured after the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Howrah bound SMVP-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train were involved in a tragic accident near the Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha's Balasore district on June 2 evening.

Odisha train tragedy: 29 of 81 bodies identified through DNA testing

Two arrested with drugs worth Rs 8 cr in Delhi

Two arrested with drugs worth Rs 8 cr in Delhi
With the arrest of two men, the Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Friday claimed to have busted an inter-state drug cartel and recovered 1.505 kg fine quality heroin and 2.126 kg tramadol powder worth more than Rs eight crore, an official said. The accused were identified as Dharmender Kumar (26) and Visheshwar Yadav (40), both residents of Chatra in Jharkhand.

Two arrested with drugs worth Rs 8 cr in Delhi

Former Punjab deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh dies

Former Punjab deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh dies
Former Punjab Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker and two-time legislator Bir Devinder Singh died at the PGI Chandigarh on Friday. He was 73. His close associates said he had been suffering from cancer and was undergoing treatment in the PGI. He was the deputy speaker between 2003 and 2004.

Former Punjab deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh dies

Punjab CM hosts farewell for retiring Chief Secretary Janjua

Punjab CM hosts farewell for retiring Chief Secretary Janjua
In a first of its kind gesture, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hosted a farewell party for Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua, who superannuated on Friday, at his office here amidst the presence of large number of IAS officers. In his remarks on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Janjua had served on various positions during his distinguished career of 34 years as an IAS officer.

Punjab CM hosts farewell for retiring Chief Secretary Janjua

Will PM Modi stick to picking ex-bureaucrats in possible Cabinet reshuffle?

Will PM Modi stick to picking ex-bureaucrats in possible Cabinet reshuffle?
The question is whether the Prime Minister will once again induct former bureaucrats in his Cabinet. As per officials, the crucial meeting on Monday is likely to take place at the newly-built convention centre at the Pragati Maidan -- the venue that will host the G20 summit in September this year.

Will PM Modi stick to picking ex-bureaucrats in possible Cabinet reshuffle?

Punjab starts process of confiscating assets in multi-crore ponzi scam: CM Mann

Punjab starts process of confiscating assets in multi-crore ponzi scam: CM Mann
The Pearls Group had allegedly cheated thousands of people by illegally operating different investment schemes. The CBI, which has been investigating the scam since February 19, 2014, has alleged that over Rs 60,000 crore was siphoned off by the two flagship companies of Pearls Group.  

Punjab starts process of confiscating assets in multi-crore ponzi scam: CM Mann