IIT-Kanpur's Airawat Foundation, IBM ink MoU to use AI for UP's air quality monitoring

Lucknow, Jul 2 (PTI) IIT-Kanpur's Centre of Excellence -- Airawat Research Foundation -- signed a memorandum of understanding with IBM on Wednesday to enhance air quality monitoring in Uttar Pradesh using artificial intelligence.

The collaboration aims to create data-driven, localised solutions that balance economic development with environmental sustainability, aligning with India's national vision for a developed future.

IBM will support this initiative by providing real-time monitoring and evidence-based recommendations.

The agreement was formalised during a workshop in Lucknow focused on "Scalable Air Quality Technology".

Prof. Sachchidanand Tripathi, the dean of the Kotak School of Sustainability and Project Director at Airawat, said, "We have built a comprehensive airshed-based air quality stack using AI-powered data for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and beyond.

"While government monitoring networks in the two states operate around 110 monitors, Airawat has deployed 1,365 low-cost sensors over the last two years, one in nearly every administrative block." Tripathi added that with IBM's support, monitoring will become more localised and effective, starting with a pilot in Lucknow, where IBM will set up a centralised dashboard.

"The goal is to use data -- including PM2.5, PM10, temperature, and humidity -- to build an actionable air quality stack. Some sensors also capture gas pollutant data," he said.

Vishal Chahal, the vice-president of IBM India Software Labs, noted, "This MoU illustrates how government, academia, and industry can come together to build scalable innovations for environmental impact.

"By combining IIT Kanpur's domain expertise with IBM's technology, we aim to empower better decision-making and accelerate India's clean air goals," he said.

Addressing the workshop, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board Chairperson Ravindra Pratap Singh emphasised the need for data granularity to pinpoint pollution sources.

"We need small-grid data to frame accurate policies and strategies," he said.

Anil Kumar, the principal secretary of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, highlighted the severity of rural pollution.

"Low-cost block-level monitoring has revealed alarming data in places like Azamgarh, Kushinagar, and Shravasti, showing air quality as bad as or worse than urban areas," he said, but acknowledged improvements in the NCR's air quality in recent years.

At the workshop, experts from IIT-Kanpur and other institutions presented findings on air pollution in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and discussed strategies for addressing the issue. PTI SLM KIS NSD NSD