Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) in Delhi NCR, capable of identifying real-time sources of air pollution. This development is part of Mission Mausam.
On October 24, 2026, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the world's first 'Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory' (AATAL) in Delhi NCR. This development comes as a response to serious public concern over air pollution in the region.
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.
Describing it as a first-of-its-kind integrated facility in the world, the Minister said Delhi-NCR had been chosen due to the serious public concern over air pollution. He stated that the facility would take air-quality assessment beyond merely reporting pollution levels to identifying the composition of pollutants, their sources, their relative contributions, and potential health implications while providing real-time information and advance forecasts to support timely action.
The laboratory brings together advanced atmospheric measurement instruments, detailed chemical analysis, pollution-source identification, and decision-support capabilities within an integrated framework. The facility will help authorities understand which activities are driving poor air quality at a particular time and where interventions may be most effective.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that India had made substantial progress over the past 10–12 years in air-quality forecasting and analysis. He highlighted that the new facility would help establish not only how much pollution is present in the atmosphere but also what it consists of and where it originates.
AATAL will help scientists distinguish between different sources of air pollution, including vehicular emissions, industrial activity, biomass and crop-residue burning, construction and road dust, and pollutants transported from surrounding regions. By estimating the relative contribution of these sources, the facility will help authorities understand which activities are driving poor air quality at a particular time and where interventions may be most effective.
The laboratory is equipped with advanced instruments for analyzing the chemical composition of atmospheric gases and aerosols, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), metals, toxic elements, and other components.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
