City pollution check to be just a click away

People in 10 cities across India will soon be able to track the quality of air they breathe with the click of a button.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a national air quality index at a conference of state environment ministers here on April 6, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday.

Available on the ministry's website after the launch, the colour-coded index indicating air quality will provide a real-time data detailing the level of pollution in a given city.

Launched in phases, the first leg would cover only 10 cities with plans of expansion to other cities in subsequent phases, Javadekar told media at an official event here.

Referring to the spike in pollution levels in Delhi, which was ranked the world's worst polluted city by the World Health Organization in 2014, the minister said: "Our mentality is responsible for Delhi becoming the most polluted city."

"We think everything is done (to tackle pollution) once CNG and Metro Rail are done," he added, urging the local government to work up a plan to this effect.

He informed that state ministers as well as officials at the two-day conference will focus on issues of air pollution and confer better techniques of solid waste management and sewage water treatment, both "equally essential" for the success of Swachch Bharat campaign.

The report oof the high-level committee, headed by former cabinet secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, which recommended that country's green laws be reviewed, will also be presented.

The report will shed light on its review of six laws governing the environment and the climate change regime in the country.

On day two of the conference, issues relating to wildlife and forest management will be taken up along with the issue of water pollution.

Citing "a good success of our conservation programmes", Javadekar also informed that there has been an increase in the rhino population with the current count at 2,401. The last census pegged the number at 2,331.