The Greater Chennai Corporation has entered into an agreement with IIT-Madras to implement the National Clean Air Programme in Chennai under which the latter would provide technical assistance to the civic body.
According to a resolution adopted by the Chennai Corporation special council recently, the Union government has launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in particulate matter concentrations by 2024.
“The 15th Finance Commission has recommended a separate grant for air quality improvement in 42 cities in the country having million plus population. Chennai, Madurai and Tiruchy are included in the list. As part of this, the Finance Commission has granted Rs 181 crore,” the resolution added.
City Action Plan, Micro Plan Report on Emergency Response System, IT-enabled data management system for air pollution monitoring were furnished to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) through Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and a memorandum of understanding has been entered into with IIT-Madras.
As per the resolution, IIT-Madras as Institute of Repute (IoR) would act as a technical partner for Chennai for implementing the programme. It would provide the necessary knowledge-based support to TNPCB and Chennai Corporation.
“IIT-Madras will undertake air quality monitoring and modelling work, data analysis, data utilisation, compilation, report preparation and others,” the resolution added.
IIT-Madras would work with the Chennai Corporation for a period of one year and the civic body has decided to spend Rs 2.24 crore for the work done by the institute using the Rs 181 crore fund provided by the Finance Commission.
Original News Link
https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2021/09/11002751/1317386/GCC-ropes-in-IITM-for-clean-air-programme.vpf
