@TwitterIndia has partnered with @IndiaSpend to launch a new hashtag service to enable Indians to get real-time information about the air pollution levels around them through a simple Tweet.
The hashtag #Breathe aims to increase public awareness about the alarming rise in air pollution levels across major cities in India.
In the initial launch phase, Twitter users will be able to constantly monitor the air quality in their neighborhoods in three major cities: Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
The next phase of the campaign will focus on other major polluting cities in India.
To get updates on the air quality of a particular location, you have to tweet using #Breathe hashtag followed by your location, then you will get back a reply Tweet with a real-time update about the air quality in your area.
Example below:
#Breathe Saket
— Reshmi R Nair (@Reshmi_Na1r) April 21, 2016
The reply Tweet will include a visual notification with a measurement of the air quality along with possible health implications.
Raheel Khursheed, head of News and Government Partnerships at Twitter India, said, “Pollution levels across India are rising and is a huge health issue affecting millions of people. By leveraging India Spend’s air-quality monitoring network, Twitter is democratizing access to live air pollution data to help Indians make healthier living decisions from Earth Day 2016 and beyond.”
Govindraj Ethiraj, founder, India Spend, said, “India Spend’s mission is to improve the quality of public discourse by using data to tell stories. With #Breathe, we are combining the latest in low-cost censor technology with increasing citizens’ demand for alternative data narratives.”
Ethiraj also hoped that projects like #Breathe will convert into real action on ground and policy response to improve the quality of our lives.
In another such partnership earlier this year, Twitter partnered with Delhi Transport Department during the odd-even car driving experiment to launch #PollutionFreeDelhi service to enable users with real-time info for bus and metro route options, traffic updates, and weather conditions.
Rajani Baburajan