Indian Journal of Air Pollution Control Vol. IX No.

1 March 2009 pp63-70

ROLE OF IAAPC FOR BETTER AIR QUALITY IN INDIA

S.P. Singal
Editor-in-Chief, Indian Journal of Air Pollution Control (IAAPC)
Formerly Scientist, National Physical Laboratory, GOI, New Delhi, India
Corresponding Address: K – 7A, Saket, New Delhi – 110017, India
E-mail I.D: spsingal@rediffmail.com; munishsingal@hotmail.com

Abstract
The continuously degrading air quality in the country due to haphazard growth of
industrialization needed a voluntary organization of air quality professionals to present to the
Government of India the deteriorating situation of air environment in the country for taking
necessary action to rectify it. To fulfill this need as also to provide an active and effective
forum for exchange of views to understand air environment and its pollution, Indian
Association for Air Pollution Control came into existence in 1976 at the initiative of some very
learned Indian scientists.
To improve understanding of the complex relationship between air pollutants and nature, the
association has taken recourse to organize workshops and seminars on various subjects in
the field of air pollution / air quality. It also organizes every year a theme lecture on some
popular environmental subject and publishes a journal called the Indian Journal of Air
Pollution Control. It also organizes Training Courses for persons working in air quality area.
The contributions made by the Association during the recent few years have been highlighted
in the paper.

Keywords: association, ambient air quality, journal, hazards, standards

1. Initiation of Air Pollution Activities in India

Before independence (India became independent on 15 August, 1947 from the British Rule), India
was basically an agricultural country. Except a few cotton and sugar mills there was hardly any
industry worth the name in the country. After attaining independence, there has been an all-out effort
to intensify the pace of industrialization in the country on the pattern of industrialized nations. Indian
Government planned to develop the country through a wide spread use of science and technology.
Industries started to grow, however there was lack of direction in siting the industries as also in their
emissions. It may not be impudent to say that there was hardly any awakening towards the hazards of
pollution that are accompanied with industrial development. The haphazard siting of industries in the
towns and cities of India started making our atmosphere dirtier day by day.

Additionally, with the limited availability of land for cultivation purposes, the need for increasing the
application of fertilizers and with it the necessity for appropriate pest control through pesticides was
considered essential to increase agricultural produce.

All the above activities and many more like construction of buildings and roads, transport etc. related
to fast growth/development led to the problems of air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution.
Here it must be very well understood that development and environment are two sides of the same
coin. Development especially with the fast growing population and a desire for higher standard of
living is possible only through increased industrial and agricultural production by providing more job
opportunities; however all these socio-economic activities, e.g., industry, agriculture, transport,
construction of roads, housing etc., contribute to environmental degradation including air, water, soil
etc. Added to this, development brings in a serious problem of dwindling of resources.

Both gaseous and particulates are emitted as pollutants from the various pollution sources. The
emitted pollutant gases Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen per oxide get oxidized to produce ultra fine
sulfuric acid and nitric acid gaseous vapours respectively. These fine vapours if inhaled are injurious
to our health.(Figure 1 shows some of the sources of air pollution and human inhalation process).
They also give rise to acid rain and become very harmful to both human and vegetative health. Ozone,
another pollutant gas, is a powerful irritant pollutant with pungent odour and is poisonous in high
concentrations. Oxides of carbon, Hydrocarbons such as methane, propane, natural gas, gasoline and
kerosene etc. are other pollutants. Direct evaporation of the un-burnt hydrocarbons like polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene butadiene etc contribute to the presence of VOCs in the
atmospheric air. A number of VOCs are toxic to the extent of causing cancer and other terminal
diseases. Chloro-flouro-carbons (CFCs), Carbon dioxide and some other hydrocarbons are the Green
House gases and their excessive presence is responsible for the fast increase in the temperature of our
Biosphere (Global Warming).

The particles present in the atmosphere have sizes which range from that of a cluster of molecules to
100 µm (micron) and larger. Large particles rapidly settle down on the surface of the earth as “Dust
Fall”, while particles of size less than 100 micron, called Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), remain
suspended in the atmosphere for a long time. Further particles of size less than 10 micron, designated
as PM10, are inhalable and are thus known as Respirable Particulate Matter (RSPM). These particles
are of special significance to human health. Of these the finer particles of size below 2.5 micron (like
lead and carbon emitted principally from the tail pipe of vehicles) are able to reach the human lungs.
These particles are termed as “Fine Particulate matter” (PM 2.5). These particles are most critical for
human health and can cause many types of respiratory diseases.

Around that time i.e. in the 1950s, all over the globe a conceptual change in the attitude of the
educated elite had been going on. They were making substantial efforts to arouse environmental
awareness among the general population and there of the policy makers, who were influential enough
to force their governments to take note of the environment and formulate environmental policies.
These efforts had led to the formulation of environmental legislations in many countries in the West
e.g., in USA the National Environmental Policy Act became a law in 1970.

With the above scenario in view, the concern to keep our atmosphere clean came in focus of the
Indian educated elite also. They jumped into the environmental bandwagon but initially more or less
merely as a fashionable pursuit in keeping with the developed world. It was expected to be so
primarily due to the fact that there was no real social interest in effectively dealing with the problem.
Indeed in the initial years of industrialization in the country, the intense smoke pouring from the
stacks of heavy industry symbolized economic power and prosperity. The bye-product of this
prosperity, the rapid deterioration of environmental quality on all fronts – air, water and land, was
being ignored. Thus the economic well-being that had provided the opportunity to enjoy material
good things in life, at the same time was becoming responsible to degrade significantly the quality of
the environment in which these were to be enjoyed.

In India CSIR was the first to float a research institution called National Environmental Engineering
Research Institute at Nagpur. This institution came into being in the early 1950s. The Government of
India awakened to the situation of pollution in the country in the 1970s when the situation became
quite alarming. In 1972 the Government of India established a National Committee on Environmental
Planning and Coordination. In 1974 Water Act was adopted by the Government of India. It was
followed by the formulation of Pollution Control Board in September 1976. Pollution Control Board
initially took notice only of the problems of water pollution. In 1980 the Department of Environment
was formed followed by the formation of a full-fledged Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1985.

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Figure 1: It shows various types of sources of air pollution and their effect on health. The
future is bleak if air pollution is not controlled at present.
2. Formation of the Association

The scenario of air pollution in the country as stated above required action on behalf of the
Scientists and Engineers of the country to save the innocent people from the menace of severe air
accidents like that of London Smog of 1952. With the blessings of the top scientists of the
country, and at the initiative of some very learned scientists at Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi (Kashi – the ancient seat of learning), Indian Association for Air Pollution Control
(IAAPC) came into existence on 18 September, 1976. It is a purely voluntary body meant to solve
the problems of air pollution in the country as also to bring the professionals working in this area
on a common platform.

The association shifted to Delhi – the capital city of India – in the 1980’s after the adoption of Air
(Pollution and Control) Act 1981 by the Indian Parliament. Under the leadership of eminent
scientists like Prof J.M. Dave, Prof G.D. Agrawal, Prof H.B. Mathur and others, the association
grew with leaps and bounds. Prof A.C. Stern, the well-known Air Pollution Engineer, delivered a
memorable lecture at the launching session of the Association in Delhi. With the efforts put in by
the association, the Government of India also came forward with the comprehensive
Environmental (Pollution and Control) Act, 1986.

The objectives of the association are:

(1) To promote an understanding of the air environment and of its pollution, its effects on
human beings, animals, plants and materials and control of such pollution, and
(2) To provide an active and effective forum for exchange of views and information about
the air environment and its conservation and help to educate the general public and
create mass awareness for air pollution control.

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Figure 2: The above pictures show some of the activities of the association.
3. Activities

To achieve the above objectives the Association has been taking many initiatives from the very
beginning which can be stated as follows:

3.1. Holding Seminars / Workshops

To improve understanding of complex relationship between air pollutants and nature, it organizes
workshops, seminars, brain storming discussions etc. on various current air pollution /
environmental problems. To illustrate it, given below is a list of the various workshops/seminars
organized during the last three years:

• Noise Pollution and Health Effects organized in Delhi on 22nd April, 2006.
• Air Pollution Problems due to Burning of Agricultural Residues organized at
Ludhiana (Punjab) on 29 July, 2006.
• Utilization of Air Quality Data organized in Delhi on 23rd September, 2006.
• Some Recent Advances in the Field of Air Quality Management organized in Delhi on
23rd September, 2007.
• Hazardous Air Pollutants: Monitoring and Control organized in Delhi on 23rd August,
2008.
• Air Pollution and Human Health organized in Delhi on 23 rd September, 2008.
• Evolving Strategy for Improving Air Quality of Indian Cities organized in Delhi on 1st
October, 2008.

All these seminars/ workshops/ brain storming discussions are primarily meant for the registered
members of the association, however, all others interested to participate in the notified subject are
welcomed. The participation is not restricted to Delhi residents, participants from other far and

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wide places also take part in these discussions. The registration is normally kept free of any
charge. It has been generally seen that about 70 persons participate in these group meetings.
These are scientists, technologists, and engineers from research organizations, industry, pollution
control boards, representatives from environment ministry and all others interested in the subject
of discussion. These brain storming workshops thus go a long way to discuss the problem
threadbare.

3.2. Memorial Lectures

On September 23 every year, the association organizes Professor Nilay Choudhary Memorial
Lecture. It is a Theme Lecture delivered by some eminent environmentalist in the country on
some popular environmental subject. All are invited to participate in this memorial lecture. This
lecture series was initiated from the year 2002. September 23 is the day of the formation of the
Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of
India. Professor Nilay Choudhary was the first chairman of the Board. Professor Choudhary
played a legendary role to bring up and build Central Pollution Control Board to a position that
we are seeing today. An eminent environmentalist is invited to speak on this day.
Environmentalists like Mr Rajender Singh - Magasaysay Awardee, Professor Soli J. Arceivala -
an eminent Environmental Engineer, Dr Ragini Prem – an eminent Social Worker, Dr K.R.
Ranganathan – Secretary Government of India, Mr Subir Raha – Chairman ONGC, Prof (Dr)
R.H. Siddiqi – a well-known Water Specialist, Padam Shree Sunita Narain – a well-known
Environmentalist, have addressed the gathering on this day. About 200 persons participate in this
Memorial Lecture.

3.3. Training Courses

From time to time the association arranges training courses. The first of its kind during the recent
years was a training course on Air Quality Modeling. It was organized during November 3 – 9,
2003. This was a certificate course to provide basic knowledge of air quality modeling. Besides
basic concepts and underlying theories, the participants were exposed to two standard PC based
models to develop their capacity and skills,. About 25 participants attended the course from
various organizations, industry etc. all over the country.

It is planned to undertake more training courses since there is shortage of properly trained/ skilled
personnel in the country and even in some of the neighbouring countries where there is a dire
need to undertaking air pollution monitoring and data interpretation. May be some certificate
course get started soon. A monograph with that effect is under preparation at the present moment.

3.4. Publication of Journal

Publication of the journal is one of the most important activities of the association. This provides
a forum to air the views of the association and its members, to communicate the past and
forthcoming activities and to present the technical status of the subject through various
publications of articles relevant to the objectives of the association. Papers that are likely to be of
interest to more than one professional group, either because the work is fundamental or because it
reflects the best in current technology or it offers extensive critical review, especially on subjects
of interest in air pollution technology in the country, are particularly encouraged to be published.

Two issues of the journal, one in March and the other in September are being published very
regularly every year from the year 2001. Each issue of the journal consists of nearly 100 printed
pages. In the journal about ten technical /research /review papers related to the subject of air
pollution are published after their due review. Important announcements /reports etc. are also
included.

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Besides the contributed articles, the journal publishes papers presented in the various seminars /
workshops organized by the association. The association also publishes concise reports of the
seminars / workshops for quick grasp. Where ever funds become available a detailed proceeding
of the workshop / seminar etc. is also published. It is possible that very soon the journal
publication becomes quarterly.

3.5. Air Quality Standards

The Association is playing a key role in helping the Government of India to lay down standards
for better air quality, and simultaneously triggered the scientific community to take up research
on important issues like human health, plants and vegetation, and local meteorology. These
assignments are being carried out by our members who are represented in key committees
formulated by the Government of India from time to time related to better air quality in the
country.

3.6. Participation in National/International Events

The association is recognized as one of the major stake holders representing the Indian Scientific
Community. In recognition of this the association had participated in the year 2005 in the
International Workshop on Environmental Health held at Mumbai, India. During the year 2007,
the Secretary of the association was invited to UNEP stake holder’s meeting at Male in 2007. In
August 2008 one of the office bearers of the Association took part in the Regional Stakeholder
cum Regional Coordination Meeting of UNEP’s Male Declaration held at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Association is also represented in BAQ 2008 organized at Bangkok, Thailand held during
November 2008. Presently the Association is looking forward for an active collaboration with
UNEP CAI-ASIA.

The above stated activities fulfill the objective of bringing together the members of the
association and the general public at large on a common platform for exchange of ideas and to
become aware of the work done by different research scientists, technologists and engineers
within and outside the country. Moreover, the workshops are organized with active support of the
Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment. With this we remain in touch with the
regulating authorities in the country as also we keep on learning the problems being faced and the
various types of actions that the government is proposing to take up in the near future. The
presence of our members in the various committees constituted by the government helps us to
mould the government policies in the right direction.

4. Concluding Remarks
IAAPC is a strong body of 400 professionals in India. It has ambitious programmes. The
association through its multi-pronged efforts has brought social scientists and air pollution experts
on a common platform to share knowledge and experience for better air quality in our Indian
cities and towns. Through the monitoring programme it has been identified that vehicles are the
primary source of pollution in Indian cities and towns, while the industry comes next to it.

Today the chief need is to emphasize on planning and developing cities on the basis of air quality.
This needs to be followed not only in India but in other Asian countries also. Through a
conference held very recently on ‘Evolving Strategy for Improving Air Quality of Indian Cities’,
this problem has been amply highlighted. This conference was addressed by eminent Town
Planners & Air Quality Managers from Australia, Italy and India. Through case studies and
thoughts on the subject, the need to impress upon the Urban Development Agencies of the
importance of air quality in planning of cities and other urban conglomerates, was emphasized.
This conference has triggered the thought process that Air Quality be made the chief

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consideration for planning Urban Habitats. Without this, Habitats would not be suitablr for the
ecology and man, in particular. IAAPC shall take it forward from here and would ensure that this
becomes a mandatory requirement. We know that this is an ardous task but we shall achieve it.

Health effects need to be studied thoroughly and the available methodologies for their sampling
and analysis are required to be identified or developed. The standards to control them are also
required to be formulated. This is a burning topic. The attention of the appropriate authorities to
this problem has already been drawn through the organization of a workshop ‘Air Pollution and
Human Health’. The recommendations of the workshop will be soon sent followed by a meeting
of a delegation to the appropriate authorities. On the association side we are making efforts to
register medical doctors to our forum so as to involve them in these activities in collaboration
with the air monitoring experts and work out a correlation between the health effects and air
pollution doze.

It has to be understood that the objective of monitoring is to do surveillance and activate action to
regulate pollution emission. A large amount of monitoring data has been collected in the length
and breadth of the country. The time is now ripe to analyze it and develop an appropriate model
satisfying these data. Model development will require source apportionment data of the place
where model is being applied. It is high time to carry out these studies. Through a workshop
entitled ‘Utilization of Air Quality Data’, this problem has already been highlighted. We are sorry
to note that there has been very little effort to develop, promote and spread understanding from
these air quality data. The important and critical findings or inferences emerging from these
laborious studies have also never been openly discussed or shared amongst various research
groups and decision makers with the result that there is no strategy in place for air quality
management.

Unfortunately there has been relatively no attention to the issue of monitoring hazardous air
pollutants (HAPs) in the ambient air. In the absence of monitoring HAPs, the question does not
arise of studying the effect of their exposure to humans. Studies carried out in foreign countries
show vital effects of their toxity to human exposure. The subject has been recently highlighted by
the Association through a workshop ‘Hazardous Air pollutants: Monitoring and Control’.

The question arises “What do we do under the present prevailing conditions?” The Big Struggle
is between ‘ARTH’ i.e. Economics and ‘ASTHA’ i.e. Faith. The protagonists of ARTH have a
strong opinion that industrialization is the only way for materialistic progress in the world.
However, the believers of ASTHA, the second category, say ‘Control Desires and Live within
Your Means’. At present the people who believe strongly in economics (ARTH) are
overshadowing the people who believe in ASTHA. People in the second category are in minority
to-day, and so are being over-powered by the first category. The result is before every body.

“MORE INDUSTRIALIZATION – MORE DISEASES: INCURABLE/TERMINAL.”

“MORE URBANIZATION – MORE STRESSFULL LIVING.”

“MORE MECHANIZED TRANSPORT – MORE CONGESTION, FUMES (NOx,

BENZENE, PAH, LEAD, FORMALDEHYDE, HEAVY METALS), SMOKE, SMOG,
OZONIZATION.”

In the end I will say: “LET US NOT JUST WORSHIP OR RESPECT THE NATURE, RATHER
WE LEARN TO CARE FOR IT,” And The Dharama of the Association is to work, and leave the
rest to God who will himself look after the well-being of all Living Beings on this planet Earth.

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Thus let us trigger the Scientific Community and Administrators to take this highly noble task to
propagate and accomplish it. If we adopt it as our Mission No. 1, the success will lick our feet
automatically.

Acknowledgements
The author is thankful to Shri S.K. Gupta, Secretary IAAPC who instigated and helped me to
prepare this paper. Without the discussions that I had with him from time to time, it would not
have been possible to write this paper. I am also thankful to Dr Rajendra Prasad and Dr (Mrs)
Malti Goel who have helped me to sort out the relevant pictures for insertion in this paper. I am
also thankful to the BAQ 2008 organizers for their financial support with out which it was not
possible for me to participate in the proceedings of BAQ 2008 held at Bangkok, Thailand.

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