Fighting Pollution with Deep Learning

In response, the government takes some scripted measures like shutting down schools on occasion and enforcing the infamous Odd-Even scheme, forcing half the cities cars off the streets. Pollution in Delhi has several causes: seasonal stubble burning in neighboring states, vehicular emission, as well as smoke from power plants and brick kilns dotting the national capital region. Fighting pollution needs a multi-pronged approach -- government policies alone are not enough, they need to be coupled with action on the ground. Let's take brick kilns as an example. Before we can address the pollution caused by them, we need to know exactly how many such kilns are there and their location, whether they are increasing in number or decreasing, and how many are adopting technology to reduce emission, as mandated by the law. Satellite imagery coupled with deep learning can answer these questions, increase accountability and drive results on the ground.