Jammu: Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee today chaired a meeting to review “Source Apportionment Study of Aerosols and capacity building in Jammu & Srinagar” here in J&K PCC office, Jammu.
In a unique initiative under the aegis of the National Clean Air Programme, the JKPCC has signed an MoU with Central University of Jammu to conduct the source apportionment study in non-attainment cities of Jammu & Srinagar and also to create a dedicated instrumentation facility in CU Jammu campus.
As part of this unique initiative, the Himalayan Aerosol Research Instrumentation (HARI) facility has been setup by JKPCC in the CUJ campus to serve as a centre of knowledge creation and dissemination by augmenting the research capabilities of the region, by creating skilled manpower through in-house training and by conducting advanced research in the field of Atmospheric Science and Climate Change through active national and international collaborations.
Dr. Shweta Yadav, Nodal faculty and Principal Investigator presented the progress of the project and stated that all five sampling sites are now functional and simultaneous sampling of PM2.5 (the fine particles in air) is going on at five sites: CUJ, Bari Brahmana, FIC (Bikram Chowk), Narwal and Kachchi Chawni in Jammu. The visionary Chairman has encouraged Nodal faculty to facilitate training of PCC scientists and staff on high end instruments in the HARI facility.
He also envisioned that in future the HARI facility can be used for analysis of aerosol samples on payment basis so that the facility sustains academic and research excellence in J&K. It has also been decided that a fortnightly schedule shall be prepared by Regional Director, PCC, Jammu for deputing Air and Water lab scientists of PCC for regular visit to the HARI facility and train themselves in handling of these equipment. The Member Secretary, JKPCC has directed the scientific staff to do regular visits to HARI facility and get training for analysis of air/water/soil/hazardous waste samples.
The Chairman, JKPCC said that this is a unique facility available/developed in Northern India, except in Jawahar Lal Nehru (JNU) University, Delhi. This facility is not available in any State of Northern India. This can be utilized by Government Research Institute, National Institutes, Pollution Control Boards/Committees and Universities for research purposes.
Pertinent to mention here that the demolition team of the Enforcement Wing demolished an illegally raised hut inside the lake. Construction raised illegally shall be dealt seriously under law & will be demolished.
