# World's first 'Air Pollution Analysis' facility for Delhi-NCR inaugurated; will show where pollution comes from

URL: https://kasba.co.in/en/story/world-s-first-air-pollution-analysis-facility-for-delhi-ncr
Language: en · Section: Health · Published: 2026-10-24
Places: Delhi
Source: PIB, "केंद्रीय मंत्री डॉ. जितेंद्र सिंह ने दिल्ली एनसीआर के लिए दुनिया की अपनी तरह की पहली 'एयर पॉल्यूशन एनालिसिस' सुविधा का उद्घाटन किया", 2026-10-24, https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2328027

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 'Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory' (AATAL) for Delhi-NCR on 24 October 2026. The facility will help understand the sources of pollution affecting people in Delhi-NCR and its possible health impacts.

## What this means for you

This is not something ordinary people need to apply for or register for. Its benefit is indirect: pollution control agencies and CAQM will get information on which source is worsening air quality at a given time, which can make action more targeted. People living in Delhi-NCR may benefit from cleaner air over time as a result.

## Key facts

- Name of the lab: Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL)
- Inaugurated on 24 October 2026 at IITM's Delhi branch
- Set up under 'Mission Mausam'
- The lab is integrated with IITM's AirWise system, which gives forecasts for the next 72 hours at 400-metre spatial resolution
- At the launch, a screen showed transport contributing about 25 per cent, with total pollution level around 180

## What happened

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the world's first 'air pollution analysis' facility for Delhi-NCR on 24 October 2026. It is called the 'Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory' (AATAL). The inauguration took place at IITM's Delhi branch, in the presence of Earth Sciences Secretary Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar, IITM Director Dr. A. Suryachandra Rao and IMD Director General Dr. Mahapatra.

## What changes

Until now, air quality discussions mostly centred on the AQI number. The minister said the new facility will go beyond that and show what pollutants are in the air, what they are made of, where they come from and what their possible health effects may be. The lab is equipped with advanced instruments to analyse the chemical composition of atmospheric gases and aerosols, including fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), metals and toxic elements.

## Who benefits

The facility has been set up specifically for Delhi-NCR. It will help scientists tell apart different sources of pollution, including vehicle emissions, industrial activity, biomass and crop-residue burning, construction and road dust, and pollutants carried in from nearby areas. At the launch, the minister cited an example where a screen showed transport contributing about 25 per cent at that moment, with the total pollution level recorded at around 180.

## Who will use this information

The information will be useful for the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and other pollution control agencies. It can help them decide which source to act on in which area and assess how effective the action was. The lab is integrated with IITM's AirWise system, which provides air-quality forecasts for the next 72 hours at a spatial resolution of 400 metres. The minister said the facility will also provide forecasts for the next four days.

## Under which scheme

The facility has been set up under 'Mission Mausam', announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to strengthen scientific understanding of atmospheric pollution and provide actionable evidence for air quality management in Delhi-NCR. The minister said air pollution cannot be addressed by one department working alone, and coordination is needed among the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, pollution control authorities and disaster management agencies.

## Questions and answers

**What is the AATAL lab?**
It is the world's first 'air pollution analysis' facility built for Delhi-NCR. It analyses the sources of pollution, their composition and their possible health impacts.

**Do ordinary people need to do anything for this?**
No, there is no application or registration for the public. It is a scientific laboratory that will provide information to pollution control agencies.

**Where has this lab been set up?**
It has been set up at IITM's Delhi branch and was inaugurated on 24 October 2026.

**Under which scheme does this facility come?**
It has been set up under 'Mission Mausam', announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to strengthen scientific understanding of atmospheric pollution.

**Will this reduce pollution?**
The facility does not reduce pollution itself; it identifies where pollution is coming from. That information can help CAQM and pollution control agencies take more targeted action.

Kasba Desk, Kasba. This routine notice was drafted with AI from an official source and published automatically; an editor reviews it after publishing.