Jitendra Singh Inaugurates AATAL Air Pollution Analysis Laboratory at IITM, New Delhi

24 October 2026National

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Advanced Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology's New Delhi branch on 24 October 2026, calling it the world's first such facility, built for Delhi-NCR. Established by the Ministry of Earth Sciences under Mission Mausam, the lab analyses the chemical composition of atmospheric gases and aerosols, including PM2.5, metals, microplastics and carcinogenic elements, pinpoints whether pollution comes from vehicles, industry, construction dust or stubble burning, and can alert health authorities. It complements the AIRWISE forecasting system ahead of the capital's smog season.

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The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, an autonomous institute of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Pune | Mission Mausam was approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2024 with an outlay of about Rs 2,000 crore to strengthen weather and climate services | PM2.5 is particulate matter of diameter 2.5 micrometres or less; India's National Clean Air Programme was launched in January 2019

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