The northern belt of the country is blessed with an extremely fertile land that helps in meeting the agricultural demands of the populace. In large quantities these fields generate stubble an agricultural waste that has a huge opportunity. However, owing to multi-fold reasons the same cannot be addressed on a broader perspective. This eventually leads to the stubble being burn causng severe air pollution. The exclusive Air Care Centre is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region to address stubble burning.
Introduction
Aligned with the objective of shaping responsible and morally upright citizens, the AIR Care Centre directly addresses Punjab’s stubble burning challenge. Through farmer counselling, honouring zero-stubble-burning farmers, and running campaigns like the Air Rise Summit, the college empowers students to engage in climate change mitigation, strengthening the bond between academia and society. The Air Care Centre at Khalsa College for Women, Amritsar: Advancing Air Quality Solutions: Established as a proactive response to pressing air quality challenges, the Air Care Centre at Khalsa College for Women, Amritsar, is dedicated to delivering tangible solutions for cleaner air. In partnership with ASAR Social Impact Advisers Private Limited and Clean Air Punjab—formalized by a Memorandum of Understanding on 28th August 2024—the centre is committed to fostering environmental awareness and practical action.
Specimen
This section supports the title statement and the interpretation.
Solution oriented initiatives
The centre’s work is driven by solution-oriented initiatives designed to transform environmental challenges into opportunities:
The centre’s work is driven by solution-oriented initiatives designed to transform environmental challenges into opportunities:
- Crop Residue Management: Conducting district-wise research on machinery counts and utilization to develop effective strategies that minimize stubble burning, thereby reducing air pollution.
- Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture: Leading awareness campaigns to promote eco-friendly farming techniques that benefit both local communities and the environment.
- Air Quality Monitoring: Undertaking comprehensive surveys across Amritsar to identify pollution hotspots and assess the impact of remedial measures, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
- Youth Empowerment: Engaging young champions in schools to spearhead clean air campaigns and nurture grassroots innovations for environmental sustainability.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Facilitating dialogue among experts, and community members to forge consensus-driven strategies for long-term air quality improvement.
- Educational Outreach and Knowledge Sharing: Organizing lecture series and webinars that provide actionable insights into the health impacts of air pollution and the science behind air quality, empowering communities with knowledge.
- Rigorous Fellow Training: Implementing multiple training sessions for fellows to master the complexities of air quality data and the underlying scientific principles. This intensive program ensures that emerging environmental leaders are well-equipped to analyse data, implement best practices, and advocate for sustainable solutions.
- Health Impact Assessments: Evaluating the benefits of cleaner air to guide future policies and community actions, ensuring that every measure taken is both effective and beneficial.
Notable milestones
- Crop Residue Management: Conducting district-wise research on machinery counts and utilization to develop effective strategies that minimize stubble burning, thereby reducing air pollution.
- Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture: Leading awareness campaigns to promote eco-friendly farming techniques that benefit both local communities and the environment.
- Air Quality Monitoring: Undertaking comprehensive surveys across Amritsar to identify pollution hotspots and assess the impact of remedial measures, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
- Youth Empowerment: Engaging young champions in schools to spearhead clean air campaigns and nurture grassroots innovations for environmental sustainability.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Facilitating dialogue among experts, and community members to forge consensus-driven strategies for long-term air quality improvement.
- Educational Outreach and Knowledge Sharing: Organizing lecture series and webinars that provide actionable insights into the health impacts of air pollution and the science behind air quality, empowering communities with knowledge.
- Rigorous Fellow Training: Implementing multiple training sessions for fellows to master the complexities of air quality data and the underlying scientific principles. This intensive program ensures that emerging environmental leaders are well-equipped to analyse data, implement best practices, and advocate for sustainable solutions.
- Health Impact Assessments: Evaluating the benefits of cleaner air to guide future policies and community actions, ensuring that every measure taken is both effective and beneficial.
- 10th October 2024: Sustainable Crop Residue Agriculture Summit: A dedicated summit convened to share innovative strategies and recognize pioneers in sustainable crop residue management. Farmers who refrained from burning stubble were awarded for their eco-friendly practices.
- February 2025: Launch of the Zero Waste Campaign: An initiative focused on reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency through active community engagement.
- 6th February 2025: Webinar on “Beyond the Smoke: Understanding the Impact of Stubble Burning”
- 13th February 2025: Zero-Waste Campus Awareness Drive: A focused program designed to foster sustainable practices on campus, driving behavioral change towards a waste-free environment.
- 20th February 2025: Air Rise Summit – Youth for Punjab’s Clean Future: A platform that empowered young leaders to develop and implement innovative solutions for enhancing air quality.
- 22nd February 2025: Collaboration at IMA Amritsar: Fellows from the centre actively participated in “Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action,” bridging healthcare and environmental advocacy.
- 8th March 2025: Inauguration of the Air Care Centre: The centre was formally launched by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Punjab, marking the beginning of a solution-oriented journey toward environmental transformation.
The Air Care Centre at Khalsa College for Women, Amritsar, stands as a dynamic hub for actionable solutions to air pollution. Through innovative research, community engagement, rigorous training, and strategic collaborations, the centre is making significant strides toward a cleaner, healthier future for the state.
- 10th October 2024: Sustainable Crop Residue Agriculture Summit: A dedicated summit convened to share innovative strategies and recognize pioneers in sustainable crop residue management. Farmers who refrained from burning stubble were awarded for their eco-friendly practices.
- February 2025: Launch of the Zero Waste Campaign: An initiative focused on reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency through active community engagement.
- 6th February 2025: Webinar on “Beyond the Smoke: Understanding the Impact of Stubble Burning”
- 13th February 2025: Zero-Waste Campus Awareness Drive: A focused program designed to foster sustainable practices on campus, driving behavioral change towards a waste-free environment.
- 20th February 2025: Air Rise Summit – Youth for Punjab’s Clean Future: A platform that empowered young leaders to develop and implement innovative solutions for enhancing air quality.
- 22nd February 2025: Collaboration at IMA Amritsar: Fellows from the centre actively participated in “Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action,” bridging healthcare and environmental advocacy.
- 8th March 2025: Inauguration of the Air Care Centre: The centre was formally launched by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Punjab, marking the beginning of a solution-oriented journey toward environmental transformation.
Eco-learning
- Stubble burning: It is the practice of setting fire to crop residues left in fields after harvest, a method used by farmers to quickly clear land for the next crop. While a quick and inexpensive solution, it creates severe air pollution from smoke and gases like carbon dioxide and particulate matter, harming human health and contributing to smog and climate change
Eco-takeaways
This section refers to knowledge that one can implement in day-to-day life - Awareness activity on following events:
- Air Care Centre as a model should be implemented every 25km in entire country.