Clean air is a basic right of every individual. Indiscriminate rapid industrialisation and urbanization, all over the world, has brought to the fore a new challenge of reversing the process of fast deteriorating air quality. Many urban areas in the world are on the threshold of a major environmental crisis in the form of air pollution. Today, improving the air quality is an ardent task among all the enviromental programmes, both in developed and developing world. However, for Asian countries, the severity of challenge is many fold, as they are at a typical juncture of growth and development where a delicate balance needs to be maintained between the two. To arrest this growing problem, concerted efforts from all, including the general public, is essential.

I am happy that Better Air Quality workshop (BAQ 2004) for this year is being held in Agra by the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) and Ministry of Environment and Forests, India, at this appropriate time. The conference will provide a forum to bring together decision makers, academia, industries and all other stakeholders from world over, for sharing ideas and experiences in the field of air quality management, control techniques, cleaner technologies and policy prescriptions for achieving Better Air Quality.

Agra is also an appropriate location for BAQ 2004, as it has one of the seven wonders of the world -- the Taj Mahal. In fact, this "wonder" is also a victim of air pollution and needs to be protected and preserved. Government of India has initiated several measures for preserving the great monument and the workshop in Agra would provide an impetus to the efforts.

I am sure the workshop will arrive at effective and affordable solutions for combating the common problem of air pollution. I wish the programme a great success and do hope that the workshop attracts wide participation.