New Delhi, Sep 25 : To filter particulate matter and dilute air pollutants in the national capital, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday inaugurated air pollution control device WAYU (Wind Augmentation Purifying Unit) here.

Speaking at the inauguration the minister said :"The device can purify air in a area of 500 meter square. Around 54 more such device are to be installed by October 15 in Delhi."

According to the ministry, the device installed at Income Tax Office (ITO) intersection and Mukarba Chowk, generates wind in order to dilute the air pollutants and removes the active pollutants like carbon (charcoal) with the help of one fan and filter.

WAYU is developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) and funded by Department of Science and Technology, ministry said.

The device equipped with two ultraviolet lamps and half kilogram of activated carbon coated with special chemical Titanium Dioxide, also removes poisonous gases such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide, it added.

The minister said it consumes only half a unit of electricity for 10 hours of running and has a maintenance cost of only Rs 1,500 per month.

Ministry of science and technology was in the process of developing a bigger version to purify 10,000 meter square area which can be deployed in bus shelters, Vardhan added.

 

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New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.

The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said.

Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.

"From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post.

Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest.

The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement.

The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said.

Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora.

Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.