New Delhi, March 3, 2025 – The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has proposed granting 'state' laboratory status to all government college laboratories and those under the Delhi Jal Board to enhance real-time water testing across the capital, officials said on Monday.
The proposal was made during the 74th DPCC board meeting on February 13 at the Delhi Secretariat, where key discussions focused on recruitment, pollution control measures, and infrastructure improvements.
"In the last meeting held in September 2024, it was directed that more labs, including Delhi Jal Board facilities and those in government colleges, be recognized as state labs to support large-scale water testing," stated the meeting minutes.
In an effort to improve Yamuna River’s water quality, the DPCC has directed officials to accelerate the installation of 32 Online Continuous Monitoring Stations (OCMS) along the 22-kilometer stretch of the river within Delhi.
Currently, water quality is monitored manually, with samples collected from nine locations once a month. The tendering process for OCMS installation has been prioritized to complete procurement formalities at the earliest. Additionally, the DPCC lab's recognition under the Environment Protection Act and its National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation will be expedited.
An expert consultant is expected to be appointed within a month to oversee the process.
Furthermore, the board discussed upgrading DPCC's laboratory facilities with advanced pollution monitoring equipment, including Flue Gas Analyzers and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) instruments.
The proposed measures, if implemented effectively, could significantly improve Delhi’s water and air quality monitoring capabilities, ensuring better environmental governance in the city.
The proposal was made during the 74th DPCC board meeting on February 13 at the Delhi Secretariat, where key discussions focused on recruitment, pollution control measures, and infrastructure improvements.
Expanding Water Testing Capabilities
At present, Delhi has only one state-designated water testing laboratory. The initiative aims to strengthen large-scale water quality monitoring and improve the accuracy of data collection. To move forward, the DPCC will issue a public notice to assess the willingness of these government institutions to participate in the initiative."In the last meeting held in September 2024, it was directed that more labs, including Delhi Jal Board facilities and those in government colleges, be recognized as state labs to support large-scale water testing," stated the meeting minutes.
Real-Time Data Sharing and Yamuna Monitoring
To further enhance monitoring, the board proposed establishing a centralized digital platform where all recognized laboratories can share real-time water quality data.In an effort to improve Yamuna River’s water quality, the DPCC has directed officials to accelerate the installation of 32 Online Continuous Monitoring Stations (OCMS) along the 22-kilometer stretch of the river within Delhi.
Currently, water quality is monitored manually, with samples collected from nine locations once a month. The tendering process for OCMS installation has been prioritized to complete procurement formalities at the earliest. Additionally, the DPCC lab's recognition under the Environment Protection Act and its National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation will be expedited.
An expert consultant is expected to be appointed within a month to oversee the process.
Assessing Sewage Treatment Impact
The board has also called for a swift study to evaluate the impact of increased sewage treatment plant (STP) capacity on the Yamuna's water quality.Air Quality Monitoring and Lab Upgrades
Apart from water quality measures, the DPCC approved contract renewals for four Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) across the city.Furthermore, the board discussed upgrading DPCC's laboratory facilities with advanced pollution monitoring equipment, including Flue Gas Analyzers and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) instruments.
The proposed measures, if implemented effectively, could significantly improve Delhi’s water and air quality monitoring capabilities, ensuring better environmental governance in the city.
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