Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar will chair a webinar today on the first-ever International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Mr Javadekar will also review the progress of activities under the National Clean Air programme (NCAP) during the course of the webinar.

The webinar will be joined by Principal Secretaries of the Urban Development Departments and Environment Departments of 28 states and 8 Union Territories. Commissioners of 122 cities as identified in the NCAP programme will also participate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address from the Red Fort on this year’s Independence Day, had highlighted the need of holistic improvement in air quality in 100 cities.

The General Assembly of the United Nations on 19th December last year had adopted a resolution to observe the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on 7th September every year starting from this year.