Now get to know how polluted the air is in a place before you visit it

In a concerted effort to tackle the menace of air pollution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched India's first Air Quality Index. The index will be operational in ten Indian cities to start with.

The air quality index will inform the public about the level of pollution in the air on a daily basis in real-time.

"Environment protection and development can go hand in hand," Prime Minister said while speaking on the launch event," in New Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan.

"We had found God in plants even before Jagdish Chandra Bose ji discovered life in plants, as mentioned in Gita and Mahabharat," PM reminded the gathering.

"If we bring change in lifestyle as minor as not using street lights on a full moon night, it will save substantial amount of energy. Until we actually bring a change in our lifestyles, all the other efforts will go in vain," PM stressed.

He also took the occasion to re-emphasise his government's stand on land bill. "India has a lot of rumour-mongering. Nothing against the tribals or the people who live in forests is mentioned in the land bill. The country cannot run on manufactured lies," the PM said.