DELHI: Looking to ensure clean environment in the capital, the Delhi government is inviting innovative solutions from people and institutions across India as part of a contest for which it has teamed up with a wing of the University of Chicago.

Even as the city's air quality continues to be classified as 'very poor' and extremely hazardous for inhalation as per the National Air Quality Index, the first-of-its-kind collaborative project was announced between the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC) and the Chicago Urban Labs, a wing of the American university.

As part of the initiative, the government will award up to Rs 2 crore for funding the most promising solutions.

Details on participation in the contest can be accessed at urbanlabsdelhi.uchicago.in.

Ashish Khetan, vice-chairman of DDC, stressed on the need for changing the government's mindset of 'holding back data' from the public. "Whatever little data they (governments) generate is absolutely outdated, but they still don't want to share the data as if it's an atomic bomb formula," he said.

"Through this contest, I believe Delhiites would find answers to some of the big questions staring at us all. How to provide clean drinking water to the city of 20 million and growing population? We have already been rated the mostpolluted city in the world," he said.