An international workshop to improve air quality in Asia got off to a flying start here Monday, bringing together 650 experts from over 35 countries.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in Asian and Pacific Rim Cities at Jaypee Palace Hotel here.

"Rapid economic growth of the region has been good for Asia and good for the world, but it has not come without a heavy price," Jan van Heeswijk, director general of Regional and Sustainable Development Department, ADB, said at the inaugural function.

Supan Wangwatana, the chairperson of Clean Air Initiatives for Asian cities (CAI) who is also the deputy director general of the pollution control department of Thailand, said: "The conference is successful because it has a massive gathering."
 
CAI-Asia, which is co-hosting the event, is a regional network of individuals and organisations launched in 2001 that has helped facilitate projects and research in key cities in the region.

This year's participants include government officials and representatives from international organisations, the private sector and civil society.

"The federal government India is taking measures to check deterioration in air quality," central Minister of State for Environment and Forests Namo Narayan Meena said inaugurating the workshop. 

The meet will continue over three days and will discuss the status of air quality management and control techniques in the region, an official at the conference said.

--Indo-Asian News Service