The rise in particulate matter in the urban is alarming which has direct impacts on the health and environment. A common consensus is to attribute rising emissions to the increase in the industries or vehicles plying on the roads in the cities. Air pollution is a problematic that is usually attributed to a few sources without considering the possible diversity of sources increasing particulate matter in the air. This case highlight the archaic system of assessing air qualities by presenting an alternative assessment tool – SIM-air – developed by Urban emissions. Analysis of air-pollution in Indian cities and studying emissions from coal-fired power plants forms the empirical background to explain the application of the SIM-air family of tools.