The Central Pollution Control Board celebrated its 51st Foundation Day at Parivesh Bhawan, New Delhi, on 22 September 2025. On the same occasion, SAMEER 2.0, an upgraded air quality monitoring app, was launched, and 2 new laboratories were inaugurated at the Board's Regional Directorates in Pune and Shillong. For exams, this update links environment governance, pollution-control institutions, digital public information and Centre-State coordination.

SAMEER 2.0 matters because it makes air-quality information more accessible to citizens. The updated app was launched with an improved user interface, personalised alerts, location-based services and better citizen engagement. It was to be available on both Android and iOS platforms. This turns air-quality monitoring into a public-facing governance tool, not just an internal regulatory exercise.

The regional laboratory component is equally relevant for prelims and mains. The Pune laboratory can monitor up to 70 environmental parameters, while the Shillong laboratory can monitor up to 62 environmental parameters. The Pune facility would serve Maharashtra, and the Shillong facility would serve the North-Eastern States of Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim. This strengthens local testing, data generation and regulatory capacity.

For static GK, the Central Pollution Control Board should be studied with water and air pollution control, environmental standards, monitoring reports and coordination with State Pollution Control Boards. In mains answers, this example can be used to discuss environmental regulation, citizen-centric data, institutional capacity and the link between science, technology and behavioural change in pollution control.