Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates ‘Air Pollution Analysis’ facility for Delhi NCR

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today inaugurated the world’s first- of -its-kind ‘Air Pollution Analysis’ facility for Delhi NCR. Known as ‘Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory ‘ (AATAL), it is also equipped to identify real-time sources of air pollution.

Describing it as a first-of-its-kind integrated facility in the world, the Minister said Delhi-NCR had been chosen in view of the serious public concern over air pollution. He said the facility would take air-quality assessment beyond simply reporting pollution levels to identifying the composition of pollutants, their sources, their relative contributions and their potential health implications, while providing real-time information and advance forecasts to support timely action.

The inauguration took place at IITM’s Delhi Branch in the presence of Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. A. Suryachandra Rao, Director, IITM and DG IMD Dr Mahapatra.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Jitendra Singh said India had made substantial progress over the past 10–12 years in air-quality forecasting and analysis. He said the new facility represented a significant step forward because it would help establish not only how much pollution is present in the atmosphere, but also what it consists of and where it originates.
Dr. Sachin Ghude, Project Director, MAQWS, said the integrated facility would strengthen air-quality management in Delhi-NCR by providing early warnings and detailed information on the sources contributing to pollution, including stubble burning, vehicular emissions, construction and road dust.
(UPDATED ON 24TH OCTOBER 2026)