To combat Delhi pollution, CSIR-NEERI plans grid-based mitigation strategy

Local Area Management Plan will allow policymakers to devise tailored strategies for pollution control within their jurisdiction.

The CSIR–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) on Saturday said it will develop a grid-based mitigation strategy to tackle the air pollution problem in Delhi.

Presenting the plan during the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) 2023 in Bengaluru, S K Goyal, Chief Scientist and Head, CSIR–NEERI, Delhi Zonal Centre, said, "We will develop a grid-based mitigation strategy, termed 'Local Area Management Plan' (LAMP), for each hotspot, for each season." The 'one size fits all' approach has rarely worked for air pollution mitigation, he said, adding that LAMP will allow policymakers to devise tailored strategies for pollution control within their jurisdiction, aligning with the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) goals.

Inspired by a tile-by-tile concept, the approach involves segmenting the entire National Capital Region into a grid of tiles, each covering two sqkm. These tiles will be closely monitored through a network of stationary and mobile sensors over two seasons.

Stationary units will provide real-time measurements at fixed locations, while mobile units mounted on e-rickshaws will offer finer-grained data with improved spatial resolution. Integral to the strategy is generating a high-resolution emission inventory and conducting source-apportionment studies using sophisticated dispersion models. 

This study aims to identify the local contribution of pollution sources. Goyal emphasised the importance of hotspot-specific actions alongside the broader airshed approach to combatting pollution effectively.