Change the Air App to control air pollution in New Delhi

New Delhi, the Indian capital, tabbed as the world’s most polluted city, is trying new technical way to help clean up its air.

The “the Hawa Badlo” (Change the Air) app does just that, has two versions, one allow citizens to take pictures of likely pollutants and the other allows authorities to investigate and act on valid complaints.

The app is currently concentrating on incidences of pollution through construction bad practices, unpaved road dust, leaves and garbage burning. The application will generate weekly report on the status of the cases and action taken, which will be sent to the officials of the central and state pollution control boards and municipalities. Each incident is geo-tagged and is made publicly available on iOS and Android application stores and expected to play an active role in increasing public engagement and accountability in reducing pollution during the winter season this year.

New Delhi has struggled with ways to handle the pollution, which is critical during the colder winter months as the city’s air turns to a grey haze.

The mobile phone app, was launched by the environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, a monitoring group set up on the order of Supreme Court in April 2016.