"Moving from pollution *measurement* to pollution *attribution* is essential for effective air‑quality governance in Delhi‑NCR." Discuss with reference to recent scientific initiatives.

Delhi-NCR's air-quality debate has long centred on a single AQI number. That number shows how bad the air is, not who made it so. Source attribution identifies what pollutants contain, where they come from and how much each source contributes. It turns monitoring into targeted, accountable action.

Why measurement alone falls short

• Seasonal shifts: in winter, secondary particulates (~27%) and transport (~23%) lead Delhi's PM2.5. In summer, dust (~27%) dominates [3]. One AQI value hides this.
• Blanket curbs: without attribution, restrictions hit all sectors alike. This raises economic costs without targeting the main polluter.
• Same mass, different harm: two samples with equal PM2.5 can carry different metals and toxic elements, and so different health risks [1].

Recent scientific initiatives

• AQEWS and DSS (IITM–IMD): they estimate sector-wise contributions from Delhi and 19 surrounding districts. Fires outside Delhi caused ~20% of post-monsoon PM2.5 [2].
• AIRWISE: gives forecasts at 400 m resolution, 72 hours ahead, showing which source will drive poor air in which locality [1].
• AATAL (October 2026, Mission Mausam): located at IITM Delhi, it analyses chemical composition and toxicity and tracks how secondary pollutants form. At its launch it showed transport at ~25% of pollution at that moment [1].

How attribution strengthens governance

• Targeted GRAP action: CAQM can plan interventions and check whether they worked [1].
• Federal accountability: CAQM covers adjoining parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP [4]. Measuring how much smoke is carried in from these states assigns responsibility across state lines.
• Health-centric policy: toxicity data links scientists, health agencies and regulators [1].

Limits of attribution

• Data is not action: sector shares were available by 2022 [2], yet winter crises keep returning.
• Weak capacity: 33% of CPCB posts were vacant (March 2023). The Control of Pollution scheme spent only ~2% of its 2024-25 budget [5].
• Diffuse sources: secondary particulates form in the air from gases released by many sectors [3], so no single sector can be blamed for them.

Attribution is therefore necessary but not sufficient. Every GRAP order should state the targeted source's share and later report whether that share fell. CPCB vacancies must be filled, and AATAL's running costs should be secured in Mission Mausam's next phase. Combining attribution science with enforcement can deliver the Article 21 right to a healthy environment and SDG 11.6 on urban air quality.