Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

India Wastewater Treatment Gaps Raise Alarm

Wastewater generation is expected to increase by 75–80% by 2050, according to the Centre for Science and Environment. With current treatment capacity already overwhelmed, future demand may exceed India’s infrastructure threefold, highlighting a growing national crisis. India generates over 72,000 million litres of sewage daily—yet treats only 28% of it. Despite having installed capacity for 37% treatment, operational gaps, underutilised plants, power shortages, and lack of pollutant-specific filtering make current systems dangerously inadequate, experts say. This untreated sewage, combined with industrial effluents and poor infrastructure, has turned more than half of India’s rivers into highly polluted or unsafe water bodies, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The 2018 CPCB report flagged that 30% of monitored river stretches showed severe to moderate pollution. The health consequences are severe. Contaminated water is linked to 21% of communicable diseases globally, says the World Bank, contributing to 1.7 million deaths annually—disproportionately impacting children in developing countries like India. Wastewater generation is expected to increase by 75–80% by 2050, according to the Centre for Science and Environment. With current treatment capacity already overwhelmed, future demand may exceed India’s infrastructure threefold, highlighting a growing national crisis. Experts warn that centralised treatment models are failing. Many plants lack the ability to filter heavy metals or pharmaceutical contaminants, and often underperform. During the 2025 Kumbh Mela, for instance, faecal coliform levels in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers exceeded permissible limits for bathing by over 10 times. Government missions such as AMRUT 2.0 and Namami Gange have pumped billions into sewage management. However, progress has been slow. As of 2024, only 41 of Maharashtra’s 414 urban local bodies had functional STPs, despite rising sewage volumes. Mumbai’s rivers remain choked with effluents, even as the city pursues ecologically harmful water supply projects like the Gargai dam. Nationwide, less than 1% of total wastewater generated is reused, despite policy targets advocating 30% reuse. South Asia has the world’s lowest reuse rate of treated water. Maharashtra, for instance, reuses only 4% of its wastewater. Even where STPs are operational, flaws persist. Plants discharge effluents with BOD levels within legal limits (10–20 mg/L), but far above the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s bathing water safety threshold of 3 mg/L. During low river flows, this worsens pollution and public health risks. In Ganga basin towns, nearly 55% of sewage remains untreated, according to CPCB. Disinfection systems are outdated, and many STPs fail to meet even minimum compliance for fecal coliform. Energy recovery from sewage remains impractical in cities like Kanpur and Lucknow, due to unsuitable technologies and highly diluted sewage. Worse, flawed wastewater estimates have led to overdesigned and underutilised plants. According to a 2016 CPCB estimate, actual discharge into the Ganga exceeded projections by over 120%. Some plants are built merely to shift loads from older ones temporarily—rendering existing infrastructure obsolete and misused. Finally, STPs fall short in removing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Traces of antibiotics and AMR genes have been found in rivers across India. With over 160 million Indians lacking access to safe drinking water, experts warn that surface water contamination from ineffective sewage treatment threatens national health and water security. Without urgent investment in decentralised, nature-based, and pollutant-targeted solutions, India’s water future remains critically at risk.

Delhi air pollution cuts lives and health short

Delhi remains one of the most polluted cities in the world, with 2021 data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showing average PM2.5 levels at 109 µg/m³, over 10 times the WHO’s safe limit. Air pollution in the Greater Delhi Region has escalated into a full-blown public health crisis, with millions exposed daily to hazardous levels of toxic air. The smog that blankets the city during winters, combined with fine particulate matter from vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and construction dust, is severely impacting the health and lives of residents—especially children, pregnant women, the elderly, and essential service workers. According to an August 2024 report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), residents of Delhi are losing an average of nearly eight years of life expectancy due to high PM2.5 concentrations. These microscopic particles, less than 2.5 microns in diameter, penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing risks of heart disease, asthma, hypertension, and stroke. In the congested Khayala village in West Delhi, Sunita (name changed), a mother of four, wakes up every morning to dust or smog. “My children cough constantly, especially in winter,” she says. Her youngest, a two-year-old, has already been hospitalised twice for respiratory illness. The danger is widespread. Ram Kumar (name changed), a middle-aged government employee, developed nasal polyps and aggravated asthma from decades of exposure to diesel fumes and construction dust. He continues to live in the capital for his children’s future but says he finds real relief only when visiting his ancestral village or coastal towns far from Delhi’s industrial haze. Studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that air pollution causes around 7 million deaths globally every year, with India among the worst affected. Outdoor and household air pollution together contributed to approximately 1.8 million deaths in India in 2016, primarily from heart and lung diseases. Delhi remains one of the most polluted cities in the world, with 2021 data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showing average PM2.5 levels at 109 µg/m³, over 10 times the WHO’s safe limit. Cities across the National Capital Region—Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and NOIDA—reported similarly alarming figures. Pollution sources include traffic emissions, industrial output, dust from construction and demolition, and seasonal crop burning in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Informal settlements suffer the most, where poor housing and sanitation make residents more vulnerable to toxic exposure. Children, with underdeveloped lungs and immune systems, are especially at risk. Air pollution is also known to cross the placental barrier, causing developmental harm to unborn babies. A study by The Lancet links poor air quality to premature births and lifelong respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Essential services workers—such as sanitation staff, traffic police, and firefighters—face prolonged exposure without adequate protection. Research by the Indian Institute of Public Health has found higher rates of respiratory disease in this group than the general population. In response, authorities have rolled out the National Clean Air Program (NCAP), the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, and the Delhi government’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Initiatives such as the Odd-Even Scheme, expansion of public transport, and increased electric vehicle use aim to reduce tailpipe emissions. Cleaner transport, rooftop solar power, improved industrial practices, and responsible waste management are gradually gaining ground, but experts warn these steps are not enough. Stricter enforcement, mass awareness, and health monitoring systems are urgently needed. Without decisive, sustained action, Delhi’s air will continue to cut lives short—silently, but devastatingly.

Heat in the Hills: How Kashmir’s Climate Is Slowly Turning

For most people, Kashmir conjures up images of cool summers, pine-covered slopes, and snow-laced winters. But lately, something has changed. May 2025 brought a scorching surprise. Srinagar touched 34.4°C, the highest temperature for the month in years. Even the cooler corners like Pahalgam weren’t spared. It hit 27.8°C—hot enough to send tourists scrambling for shade. The heat didn’t just show up once. It stayed. Qazigund recorded 33.4°C, Kokernag 33.2°C, and all across the Valley, people stayed indoors, especially in the towns where concrete traps heat like a closed oven. Schools are starting early to avoid the hottest hours. Hospitals are reporting a sharp rise in cases of dehydration and heatstroke, mostly among children and the elderly. For a region used to mild weather, this kind of heat isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s dangerous. But here’s the bigger concern. This isn’t a one-off event. Heatwaves have crept in over the past few years, growing stronger each time. Back in August 2020, Srinagar reached 35.7°C, the highest for that month in nearly four decades. In July 2021, it was 35°C again. In June 2023, same story. That September, 34.2°C was recorded—nearly the hottest September day in over a century. By May 2024, records were falling everywhere. Qazigund broke its all-time high with 34°C. Pahalgam touched 28.6°C, the second-highest in two decades. In July 2024, Srinagar sweltered at 36.2°C. For a city nearly 1,600 metres above sea level, that number felt unreal. What’s going on? Climate scientists say it’s part of a much bigger pattern. The Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) makes it clear that mountainous regions like Kashmir are heating up nearly twice as fast as the global average. That’s due to global warming, driven by greenhouse gas emissions. But local factors are making things worse. Over the past two decades, Kashmir has seen a wave of construction. Roads, railways, power lines, housing colonies—all eating into forests and wetlands. Less green cover means more heat absorbed by land. On the hills, glacier melting is speeding up. Satellite images from ISRO and studies by the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment show glaciers feeding rivers like the Jhelum and Lidder have shrunk by more than 15%. With less snow cover, sunlight isn’t reflected. It’s absorbed, which makes the land heat up even more. And the signs are already visible everywhere. From the Apple orchards of Sopore and Shopian, to Anantnag’s paddy fields. Field experts from SKUAST-Kashmir have already reported lower crop yields and signs of heat stress in plants. The early snowmelt also messes with water supplies, causing rivers to swell too soon and run too dry later in summer, affecting irrigation and hydroelectric projects. Cities and towns are turning into heat islands. Places like Baramulla, Anantnag, and Pulwama—once seen as cooler belts—are now recording extreme temperatures. The Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority says hospital calls related to heat stress have jumped by over 200% between 2020 and 2025. There’s another invisible culprit: black carbon. These are fine particles released from diesel engines, biomass burning, and fossil fuels. They settle on snow, darken it, and make it melt faster. Research from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows that black carbon is speeding up warming in the region and setting off a dangerous loop—more melting, more heat, more melting. Tourism is feeling the pinch too. Visitors once came to escape the summer heat. But now, even high-altitude places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam are heating up. Local guides talk of guests cutting their trips short, disappointed by the unusual warmth. The public health impact is another growing worry. A report from the Directorate of Health Services shows a rise in heat-related heart problems and sunstroke, especially during May and July. Those working outdoors—labourers, farmers, vendors—are the worst hit. So are older people and children. It’s clear now: Kashmir’s climate is changing fast. And it’s hitting where it hurts: food, water, health, and livelihoods. This isn’t just about hotter summers. It’s about a fragile ecosystem trying to keep up with a pace it didn’t ask for. And unless something changes, unless policy makers focus on sustainable planning and local communities adapt to what’s coming, Kashmir could lose not just its climate charm but the very balance that has kept its people and nature in sync for centuries. Because when snow turns to sweat in the Valley, it’s not just the seasons that are shifting. It’s the story of survival.

Will Delhi’s Rs 30,000 Rooftop Solar Subsidy Accelerate Clean Energy Transition?

Binit Das, Program Manager at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, told Down To Earth (DTE), “The enhanced subsidy of Rs 30,000 from the state government along with Rs 78,000 from the central government for installing 3 kW solar panels at the household level is a bold step towards faster adoption of rooftop solar. However, there are some serious shortcomings.” The Delhi Cabinet approved providing Rs 30,000 subsidy on the installation of 3 kW rooftop solar panels (Rs 10,000 per kW) under the PM Surya Ghar scheme on May 20. This scheme is reportedly the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative. This raises the available subsidy to Rs 1.08 lakh, reported The Indian Express. The Delhi government introduced ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana State Top-Up’ scheme to increase the effectiveness and reach of the initiative. The Centre provides Rs 78,000 subsidy for installing rooftop solar panels under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. According to reports, the BJP government has allocated Rs 50 crore to install rooftop solar systems on 2.3 lakh residential units over the next three years. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta told The Indian Express that the new subsidy will help consumers to access solar power solutions at zero initial cost while saving Rs 4,200 on their monthly electricity bills on average. She also mentioned that the government is working with financial institutions to provide easy loan options for the remaining installation cost of around Rs 90,000. Challenges in Ground Implementation However, experts caution that the scheme may encounter challenges during implementation. Binit Das, Program Manager at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, told Down To Earth (DTE), “The enhanced subsidy of Rs 30,000 from the state government along with Rs 78,000 from the central government for installing 3 kW solar panels at the household level is a bold step towards faster adoption of rooftop solar. However, there are some serious shortcomings.” However, according to Das, the allocated budget of Rs 50 crore for 2,30,000 installations is quite low. "It means only Rs 2,174 per unit would be available, which is far less than the promised Rs 30,000 subsidy per household, raising concerns of a financial shortfall," Das stated. “The claim of saving Rs 4,200 per month is not backed by solid data, suggesting the benefits might be overstated. Achieving the goal of 2.3 lakh installations in three years will also require a robust supply chain and trained workforce — without which the target will be hard to meet," he added.

Why Agra has no place for Taj of sweets

But problems persisted. According to a 2021 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city’s petha industry generates about 17,800 kg of solid waste per day, mostly petha peels, sugar syrup and lime water. The smell of syrup in the air, the hot petha rolling out of factories on both sides of the road, their candied memories travelling up and down the country in tiny coloured boxes by road, rail and now air—this is the identity of Agra’s Noori Gate area. About seven kilometres from the Taj Mahal, these desi ptisseries also churn out tiny, delicate monuments to the sweetness of composite culture. If the Taj was born in Shah Jahan’s mind, legend has it that the petha was born in his royal kitchen—upon a royal firman to create a sweet delicacy as pure and white as the Taj! Marble was traded for white pumpkin, Agra’s magic spell was spoken, and voilathe world was suddenly sweeter. That magic spell is being broken. The Noori Gate petha manufactories, running unbroken since the Mughal period, have been ordered to shift out of the city. That also breaks other ties with history. In 1929, the revolutionary Bhagat Singh, after shooting down British police officer John Saunders (the Lahore Conspiracy Case that led to his hanging), spent a few days hiding in a two-storey house right here in Noori Gate area. Girish Singhal, 63, lives next to this house, beginning his petha-making career in his two-room abode in 1980. Over 40 years on, he’s worried. “I do not have the resources to go 30 km away and set up business afresh. If there’s too much pressure, I’ll stop making petha and open a grocery shop but not move.” Anoop Mittal, 50, another Noori Gate native, conjures up the Gilauri Patta, a special sweet made from petha. “I make petha on the ground floor of my two-storey house,” he says. “It’s a cottage industry for my family. If I shift out, I won’t be able to bear the costs. I’ll have to stop.” Noori Gate has over 500 small and big units related to petha production. Over 5,000 people work here, churning out some 1,000 quintals of petha daily. For about three decades, the locality has attracted the attention of disapproving government planners due to an ironic inversion of the petha’s relation to the Taj: the fear that pollution caused by this sweet-making industry could be damaging the heritage monument. On April 3, the Supreme Court ordered the evacuation of petha units from the city. It was hearing cases related to the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), a designated 10,400 sq. km area around the Taj, established to protect it from pollution. After this, the Agra administration and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) have started surveying these petha units. Pollution is indeed an issue. After the TTZ was set up in 1983, the use of coal in kilns was banned and petha units adopted gas-based technology. In 2013, the UPPCB imposed a complete ban on the entry of coal-laden trucks into Agra. But problems persisted. According to a 2021 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city’s petha industry generates about 17,800 kg of solid waste per day, mostly petha peels, sugar syrup and lime water. District officials say a campaign was launched in 2018 to educate petha producers about the importance of proper waste disposal, also granting aid to the big players to procure equipment for it. A large part of the industry, though, falls under the unorganised sector, beyond the pale of government benefits.

Hot nights are worsening India’s heat crisis. But low-tech solutions show some promise.

Across Indian cities, nighttime temperatures are higher than they were 15 years ago, according to a 2024 analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi, of which Somvanshi was a contributor. (https://www.cseindia.org/decoding-the-urban-heat-stress-among-indian-cities-12191) For Merina Yasmin and her husband and 5-year-old daughter, who live in a one-room home in an informal settlement on the edge of Delhi, sleepless nights have become all too common in the summer. Her home is made of tin sheets that heat up under the scorching sun all day and remain warm even after sunset. The room doesn’t have windows or a refrigerator, and the only source of relief is a desert cooler — a device with a fan and a water tank that blows cool air by evaporating water. But even that is unreliable because of frequent power cuts. Yasmin said that she looks forward to going to work, because it’s her only escape from the heat. She is a domestic worker for families who have air conditioning. But after washing their dishes and mopping their floors all day, she can’t even catch some rest because of the heat in her own home. “Sometimes, I don’t feel like I am a human being,” she said. Summer is in full swing in India, and many cities are experiencing scorching heat. And in India’s bustling cities, as the sun goes down and the worst of the day’s heat is over, an insidious threat looms: high nighttime temperatures. But some low-tech solutions may help address the problem. Avikal Somvanshi, a researcher who studies heat stress in urban India, said that India has always been hot but this kind of heat is not normal. “Climate change is actually fueling the heat waves,” he said. It’s making them longer and more frequent, he said. This year, heat waves in India began occurring as early as February, and many states are experiencing temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Last June, Delhi recorded its hottest night in over 50 years with a low of 95 degrees. Across Indian cities, nighttime temperatures are higher than they were 15 years ago, according to a 2024 analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi, of which Somvanshi was a contributor. Cities tend to be hotter than their surrounding rural areas even in the day, because of the way they’re built. The concrete, urban environment traps and radiates heat, and there’s less green cover to offset it. But even greener parts of Delhi are seeing elevated nighttime temperatures. “Having tree cover can help you get shade during the daytime temperature, but it seems to be totally ineffective in cooling down things at night,” Somvanshi said. To make things worse, urban India’s densely packed homes offer little ventilation. “We’re really starting to reach the temperatures and humidity levels that we associate with a potential unlivable situation,” said Caroline Buckee, an epidemiologist at Harvard University who is studying the health effects of extreme heat in India. “Even if the temperature outside comes down, the housing itself absorbs the heat in the day, and then, it doesn’t cool down at night,” Buckee said. “And so, the temperature is remaining essentially constant throughout the day and night.” The situation is especially detrimental for people like Yasmin, one of the millions of women who are part of India’s informal economy. They face grueling temperatures and yet, how it affects their health isn’t fully understood, Buckee said. “Really, there are some glaring gaps when it comes to the physiological impacts of heat on women, on the reproductive health of women, and most importantly, of people who live in places most affected by climate change, where extreme heat is becoming more and more of a problem,” Buckee said. To bridge this data gap, she and her colleagues are conducting a study in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. They have given Fitbits to hundreds of female workers there to monitor their physical stress.

Delhi Pollution: Breathless in capital, no respite from toxic air

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), says that a distinction needs to be made between emergency measures and long-term ones. Despite years of policy interventions, technological innovations and judicial directives, Delhi’s air pollution crisis remains dire, posing severe health risks to the city residents and an enormous economic burden on them. Recent data underscores the severity of the situation. An Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report by the University of Chicago reveals that Delhiites may lose up to 11.9 years of life expectancy because of prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended limits. The health ramifications are profound. A survey conducted in November last year indicated that 75% of families in Delhi-NCR have at least one member suffering from pollution-related ailments, such as persistent cough, asthma or headache. Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions are particularly vulnerable. Medical professionals report a 20–25% increase in respiratory cases after Diwali, correlating with pollution peaks during the festival season. Beyond health, the economic toll is staggering. Delhi’s air pollution is estimated to cost the city approximately Rs 10,000 crore annually in healthcare expenses and lost productivity. The tourism sector suffers losses of around a staggering Rs 1,200 crore, while agricultural yields decline as a result of pollutant deposition, leading to further economic setbacks. Over the past decade, both the Central and state governments have taken a series of measures to reverse this trend. But their efforts have yielded mixed results. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), says that a distinction needs to be made between emergency measures and long-term ones. “The purpose of emergency measures like the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) and tools like smog guns and towers is to ensure that dust from construction activities and emissions from vehicles do not add to the excessive smog due to climatic factors. These do not help in the long term,” she explains. However, Delhi has taken a series of long-term measures to address the sources of pollution as well. Firstly, the state government has banned overage vehicles, i.e. diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol ones over the age of 15. Trucks from neighbouring states are also banned from entering the Capital. In addition, all public and commercial transportation in the city has been converted to CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), a cleaner alternative to petrol and diesel. The city is also adopting more electric vehicles. As a matter of fact, as many as 12% of all registered vehicles in Delhi are electric. This is the highest in the country and double the national average of 6%. Finally, industrial units have replaced traditional fuels like coal with cleaner ones like natural gas. Coal-based power plants have also been shut down. According to Roychowdhury, no other city in the country has enacted such drastic measures. As a result of these policies, long-term pollution levels have declined in the last few years. “However, pollution levels need to decline by another 60% if we are to meet clean air standards. To address these, a series of gaps in policy and implementation needs to be addressed immediately,” she says. City authorities need to control the number of private vehicles, which has increased drastically over the years. Upgrading public transportation and improving infrastructure, such as cycling tracks and footpaths, can help reduce this. The government also needs to increase the capacity for solid waste disposal, as open-air burning of waste remains rampant. Although industrial units located in legal areas have switched to cleaner fuels, those operating illegally continue to use polluting fuels like coal. Energy poverty also remains a major concern, with the poor unable to access cleaner fuels and still relying heavily on fuels like biomass for their daily needs. Finally, the larger area around the city needs to adopt similar measures. “A city cannot remain clean on its own. Currently, 50–70% of the city’s pollution originates from outside its boundaries. The entire region needs to take collective action to address this,” Roychowdhury stresses. At the same time, activists say that the implementation of many government steps remains as patchy as ever. “Forget about complaints registered on official portals that are never even heard, much less acted upon,” expresses Bhavreen Kandhari, founder of Warrior Moms, a coalition of women fighting for their children’s right to breathe clean air. In a recent hearing, a Supreme Court bench noted the dire shortage of staff at the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Only 83 of the 204 sanctioned posts in the DPCC had been filled, rendering the body “virtually defunct”. “Making rules is easy. But we need more boots on the ground to implement them. We need trained people with advanced equipment,” Kandhari emphasises. Delhi’s fight to breathe clean air continues Over the past decade, both the Central and state governments have taken a series of measures to address the issue. But their efforts have yielded mixed results. Many of the long-term measures are aimed at addressing the sources of pollution. The state government has banned overage vehicles, i.e. diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol ones over 15. Trucks from neighbouring states are also banned.

Sống trong ô nhiễm không khí

"Ô nhiễm và rủi ro sức khỏe đã lan khắp Ấn Độ", Anumita Roychowdhury, giám đốc nghiên cứu và vận động tại Trung tâm Khoa học và Môi trường, nói. Amrit vội vã đưa con gái 4 tháng tuổi đến bệnh viện sau khi phát hiện cô bé có triệu chứng đau ngực. Nhưng đến nơi, anh nhận ra con mình không phải là trẻ sơ sinh duy nhất. Phòng bệnh ở New Delhi đầy tiếng ho, khóc của trẻ em. Chúng đang vật lộn để thở. "Ô nhiễm ở Delhi rất tệ trong khi hệ miễn dịch của trẻ rất yếu", Amrit nói. New Delhi là thành phố ô nhiễm nhất thế giới 6 năm liên tiếp, theo Báo cáo Chất lượng không khí toàn cầu của IQAir. Chỉ số ô nhiễm đã tăng vọt lên 795, gần gấp 8 lần ngưỡng thông thường. Một số khu vực ghi nhận mức ô nhiễm lên tới 1.185. Ô nhiễm không chỉ diễn ra ở Delhi. Theo IQAir, 6 trong 10 thành phố ô nhiễm nhất thế giới năm ngoái nằm ở Ấn Độ. Báo cáo của Viện Hiệu ứng sức khỏe Mỹ phối hợp với UNICEF công bố cho biết ô nhiễm không khí là thủ phạm của khoảng 2,1 triệu ca tử vong trong năm 2021 ở Ấn Độ. Khoảng 170.000 là trẻ dưới 5 tuổi, cao nhất toàn cầu. "Ô nhiễm và rủi ro sức khỏe đã lan khắp Ấn Độ", Anumita Roychowdhury, giám đốc nghiên cứu và vận động tại Trung tâm Khoa học và Môi trường, nói. New Delhi, thủ đô đông dân thứ hai thế giới, là tâm điểm ô nhiễm không khí ở Ấn Độ do nhiều nguồn như công nghiệp, bụi xây dựng, đốt rác và đặc biệt là giao thông. Năm 2023, New Delhi bán gần 656.700 xe mới, mỗi ngày có khoảng 1,1 triệu xe ra vào thành phố. Tầng lớp trung lưu phát triển khiến nhu cầu sở hữu ôtô tăng, trong khi xe cá nhân vẫn là lựa chọn phổ biến nhất ở Delhi. "Họ đang thiết kế thành phố để lái xe, không phải để đi bộ, đạp xe hay dùng giao thông công cộng", Roychowdhury nói. New Delhi đã ban hành các quy định khí thải nghiêm ngặt, yêu cầu dùng nhiên liệu sạch và khuyến khích xe điện, nhưng việc thực thi còn yếu. Phần lớn trong số 8 triệu xe đăng ký tính đến năm 2023 là xe cũ và gây ô nhiễm. Ô nhiễm không khí được ví như sát thủ thầm lặng. Năm 2021, công ty tư vấn toàn cầu Dalberg ước tính Ấn Độ thiệt hại 95 tỷ USD mỗi năm do giảm năng suất lao động, sụt lượng khách hàng và tử vong sớm, tương đương 3% GDP năm 2019. Người dân Delhi và nhiều nơi khác ở Ấn Độ đang đứng trước lựa chọn khó khăn. Cuối năm 2023, Madhu, một nhà văn, chuyển từ Chennai đến New Delhi vì công việc nhưng rời đi chỉ sau vài tháng do không khí ô nhiễm. "Tôi hầu như không thể ra ngoài mà không bị cảm, ho hay choáng váng", cô nói. "Khi sức khỏe ngày càng tệ, tôi nhận ra điều này không đáng". Madhu có điều kiện để chuyển đi, nhưng hàng triệu người khác thì không. Nhiều người nghèo ở Delhi sống gần ba bãi rác lớn của thành phố, nơi nhặt rác là nguồn sống duy nhất. Những núi rác này thường cháy, thải khói độc hại. Muskan, một người nhặt rác, nói mùa hè luôn có rất nhiều khói, làm cay cả mắt. Tuy nhiên, gia đình cô là những người mưu sinh ở bãi rác Ghazipur, lớn và lâu đời nhất Delhi, không dám rời đi. Ngay cả các nhà máy đốt rác phát điện cũng làm tăng ô nhiễm. Giữa sương mù mùa đông và cháy rác, người nghèo ở Delhi là nhóm dễ bị tổn thương nhất. Ở phòng bệnh của con gái Amrit có bé gái tên Humaira nằm trong vòng tay mẹ. Bé nhập viện vì ho, cảm lạnh và khó thở. "Chúng tôi muốn rời Delhi, nhưng không có việc làm", anh Arif, bố cô bé, nói. Thực tế này không chỉ diễn ra ở Delhi. Năm 2022, hơn 42% dân số Ấn Độ sống ở nơi không đạt chuẩn quốc gia về chất lượng không khí PM2.5, theo Viện Chính sách Năng lượng thuộc Đại học Chicago. "Ô nhiễm đáng lo, nhưng người dân còn phải lo ăn, mặc, ở", anh Harshanshu, sinh viên Đại học Delhi, nói. "Ô nhiễm sẽ được nghĩ đến sau". Arunabha Ghosh, giám đốc Hội đồng Năng lượng, Môi trường và Nước, nhận định ô nhiễm đang khiến Ấn Độ mất cơ hội thu hút đầu tư nước ngoài, dù nước này muốn mở cửa kinh tế. Ông cho rằng đầu tư vào không khí sạch là cách tốt nhất để thúc đẩy tăng trưởng. Ấn Độ đã có luật kiểm soát ô nhiễm từ năm 1981, nhưng việc thực thi còn nhiều hạn chế. Năm 2019, chính phủ khởi động Chương trình Không khí Sạch Quốc gia với ngân sách hơn 2,3 tỷ USD đến 2026 nhằm giảm ô nhiễm tại 131 thành phố. Ở Delhi, hai tháp lọc không khí chống sương mù được xây dựng năm 2021, mỗi tháp tiêu tốn khoảng 2,4 triệu USD, chưa kể chi phí vận hành hàng tháng. Nhưng dữ liệu cho thấy các tháp chỉ giảm ô nhiễm 17% trong bán kính 100 m, cần hơn 47.000 tháp để bao phủ toàn thành phố, điều mà Ủy ban Kiểm soát Ô nhiễm Delhi cho là không thực tế. Năm ngoái, khi chất lượng không khí tệ đi, Tòa án Tối cao Ấn Độ đã chỉ trích ủy ban vì không thực thi chỉ thị và không xử lý vi phạm đốt rơm rạ. "Đây là vấn đề đa ngành và cần hành trình dài", ông Arvind Nautiyal, thư ký thành viên ủy ban, nói.

Noida Water Crisis: Severe Pollution Makes Yamuna, Hindon Waters Unfit For Use; Drinking Water Woes Deepen Amid City’s Rapid Expansion

As per Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, the water of these rivers is not even suitable for irrigation or wildlife and hence there are no options to treat it for human use. She said there was an urgent need for the implementation of sewage treatment and pollution control measures. Noida is facing an acute water crisis despite its proximity to rivers like Yamuna and Hindon. Although these rivers have adequate water flow, severe pollution has left the water unfit for use, forcing residents to turn to alternative sources. Although the municipal water supply remains adequate, residential societies are increasingly turning to private tankers, bottled water and filtration systems due to concerns over water quality. According to a recent report by the TOI, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has labelled the Hindon a dead river, which cannot support even aquatic life. This is due to dangerously high pollution levels. The Yamuna fares no better, as untreated sewage continues to be discharged into the river at multiple points across Delhi, significantly degrading its water quality before it reaches Uttar Pradesh. Water quality tests paint a grim picture. The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) level, a key indicator of a river's healthis a mere 2.1 mg/litre at the Okhla Barrage in the Yamuna, while the Hindon records zero DO at Kulesra Village in Greater Noida. These figures fall far below the minimum safe standards not just for drinking, but even for sustaining aquatic life. The Yamuna River shows a faecal coliform concentration of 200,000 per 100 millilitres, whereas the Hindon River records a total coliform count of 3.9 million per 100 millilitres — both figures far exceeding the permissible limit of 50 MPN/100 ml. As per Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, the water of these rivers is not even suitable for irrigation or wildlife and hence there are no options to treat it for human use. She said there was an urgent need for the implementation of sewage treatment and pollution control measures.

Between a dead and a toxic river, city’s hard road to water

"Forget about treating the water, it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," said Sunita Narain, environmentalist and director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). She underlines that despite regular monitoring and huge investment, the condition of the river is far from improving. Noida: For a city with two rivers, Yamuna on the west and Hindon on the east, Noida should have never had to worry about water. But thanks to the state of either river, the city must go to gresat lengths to source its drinking water from the Ganga or tap into the water table, effectively making something that it should have never had to worry about one of its prime areas of future planning as the city's contours see fast expansion. While Hindon was declared a ‘dead river' by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) almost a decade ago due to severe pollution levels, Yamuna becomes toxic downstream before it reaches Noida, flowing through Delhi. According to CPCB's latest water quality report of samples from Yamuna and Hindon collected from six different places in Ghaziabad and Noida, the water is not even suitable to support aquatic life or fisheries. CPCB monitors the quality of river water every month on parameters like dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD), apart from the presence of total coliform and faecal coliform, to categorise the water samples for usage. DO is a river's ability to support life, BOD a measure of its ability to heal itself. At Okhla barrage, Yamuna's dissolved oxygen is just 2.1mg/litre while Hindon shows zero dissolved oxygen at Kulesra village. The rivers' BOD levels (16.7 mg/l and 50.0 mg/l, respectively) and COD levels (74.4 mg/l and 246mg/l, respectively) far exceed safe drinking water standards, which require BOD to be under 2mg/l and DO above 5mg/litre. Bacterial contamination is also severe, with Yamuna showing 2 lakh (measured in MPN/100ml) faecal coliform and Hindon containing 39 lakh total coliform and 30 lakh faecal coliform, astronomically higher than the safe limit of 50 MPN/100ml. According to the monthly report of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), when Yamuna enters Delhi, DO is close to the standards prescribed by World Health Organisation, but by the time it reaches Noida, DO falls drastically and BOD becomes 40-50 times higher than the permissible limit. "Forget about treating the water, it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," said Sunita Narain, environmentalist and director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). She underlines that despite regular monitoring and huge investment, the condition of the river is far from improving. Narain pointed out that two drains—Najafgarh and Sahadra—contribute almost 80% of the load of effluents and sewage into the river. "All drains must be tapped for 100% treatment of sewage and further recycling and reuse of water instead of being poured back into the drains after treatment," she said, suggesting that all de-sludgers must be tagged with GPS to ensure that they do not empty into the river. Another environmentalist, Abhist Kusum Gupta, who was successful in drawing govt action to clean up the Hindon through his plea before the National Green Tribunal, said he has not lost hope. "If Germany can clean up the Rhine, why can't we clean up the Hindon, which has historical and cultural significance for the country?" he said. Gupta stated that apart from plugging the sewage discharge, strict provisions should be made to stop industries from pushing their toxic effluents into the river. An analysis of the Hindon water by researchers from the department of zoology and environmental science, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, revealed that among all the heavy metals studied—cadmium, chromium, nickel, manganese, zinc, iron, and copper—only copper and zinc were found below the standards of WHO and CPCB. "If this trend of contamination with heavy metals continues, it may impact the quality of underground water," said the research paper, indicating that aquifers may not be usable in the vicinity of Hindon's flow because of its heavy load of pollutants.

Why is Noida Facing Water Crisis, Possible Supply Disruption Despite Sitting Between Yamuna and Hindon Rivers

Environmentalists like Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, stress that the situation is dire. "Forget about treating the water; it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," she stated, emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive sewage treatment and pollution control measures. Noida Water Crisis: Noidais grappling with a severe water crisis, despite being bordered by two rivers, the Yamuna and Hindon. Recent reports show that both rivers are heavily polluted, forcing the city to seek alternative sources for drinking water. The Noida weather news is increasingly dominated by concerns over water quality and availability as the city expands. Pollution Levels in Local Rivers The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has declared the Hindon a 'dead river' due to extreme pollution levels, while the Yamuna becomes toxic as it flows through Delhi, as per a TOI report. According to the latest water quality reports, samples from the Yamuna and Hindon indicate that the water is unsuitable for aquatic life. Critical parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) show alarming results. For instance, the DO level at Okhla barrage is a mere 2.1 mg/litre, while the Hindon shows zero DO at Kulesra village. These levels far exceed the safe drinking water standards. Bacterial Contamination and Health Risks Bacterial contamination is another major concern. The Yamuna exhibits 200,000 faecal coliform per 100 ml, while the Hindon contains 3.9 million total coliform, significantly higher than the safe limit of 50 MPN/100 ml. Environmentalists like Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, stress that the situation is dire. "Forget about treating the water; it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," she stated, emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive sewage treatment and pollution control measures. Two main drains, Najafgarh and Sahadra, contribute nearly 80% of the effluents and sewage that pollute these rivers. Narain suggests that all drains must be fully treated to recycle and reuse water rather than allowing it to flow back untreated. Abhist Kusum Gupta, another environmentalist, remains hopeful for change. "If Germany can clean up the Rhine, why can’t we clean up the Hindon, which has historical and cultural significance?" he said, advocating for strict regulations against industrial effluents. Researchers from Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya have found that heavy metals like cadmium and chromium are present in alarming quantities in the Hindon. Only copper and zinc were below WHO standards, raising concerns about the future quality of underground water. The situation calls for immediate action to address the pollution crisis affecting the rivers. In summary, Noida weather is increasingly influenced by the water crisis stemming from the pollution of the Yamuna and Hindon rivers. As the city continues to grow, it faces challenges in ensuring safe drinking water for its residents. The need for effective pollution control and sewage treatment is more critical than ever, as environmentalists advocate for a sustainable approach to restore these vital water sources.

Uttar Pradesh | No place in Agra for Taj of sweets

The smell of syrup in the air, the hot petha rolling out of factories on both sides of the road, their candied memories travelling up and down the country in tiny coloured boxes by road, rail and now air—this is the identity of Agra’s Noori Gate area. About seven kilometres from the Taj Mahal, these desi ptisseries also churn out tiny, delicate monuments to the sweetness of composite culture. If the Taj was born in Shah Jahan’s mind, legend has it that the petha was born in his royal kitchen—upon a royal firman to create a sweet delicacy as pure and white as the Taj! Marble was traded for white pumpkin, Agra’s magic spell was spoken, and voilathe world was suddenly sweeter. That magic spell is being broken. The Noori Gate petha manufactories, running unbroken since the Mughal period, have been ordered to shift out of the city. That also breaks other ties with history. In 1929, the revolutionary Bhagat Singh, after shooting down British police officer John Saunders (the Lahore Conspiracy Case that led to his hanging), spent a few days hiding in a two-storey house right here in Noori Gate area. Girish Singhal, 63, lives next to this house, beginning his petha-making career in his two-room abode in 1980. Over 40 years on, he’s worried. “I do not have the resources to go 30 km away and set up business afresh. If there’s too much pressure, I’ll stop making petha and open a grocery shop but not move.” Anoop Mittal, 50, another Noori Gate native, conjures up the Gilauri Patta, a special sweet made from petha. “I make petha on the ground floor of my two-storey house,” he says. “It’s a cottage industry for my family. If I shift out, I won’t be able to bear the costs. I’ll have to stop.” Noori Gate has over 500 small and big units related to petha production. Over 5,000 people work here, churning out some 1,000 quintals of petha daily. For about three decades, the locality has attracted the attention of disapproving government planners due to an ironic inversion of the petha’s relation to the Taj: the fear that pollution caused by this sweet-making industry could be damaging the heritage monument. On April 3, the Supreme Court ordered the evacuation of petha units from the city. It was hearing cases related to the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), a designated 10,400 sq. km area around the Taj, established to protect it from pollution. After this, the Agra administration and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) have started surveying these petha units. Pollution is indeed an issue. After the TTZ was set up in 1983, the use of coal in kilns was banned and petha units adopted gas-based technology. In 2013, the UPPCB imposed a complete ban on the entry of coal-laden trucks into Agra. But problems persisted. According to a 2021 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city’s petha industry generates about 17,800 kg of solid waste per day, mostly petha peels, sugar syrup and lime water. District officials say a campaign was launched in 2018 to educate petha producers about the importance of proper waste disposal, also granting aid to the big players to procure equipment for it. A large part of the industry, though, falls under the unorganised sector, beyond the pale of government benefits.

Delhi PNG Rollout to 111 Villages: A Crucial Step in India's Clean Energy Drive

Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi's airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. May 16 Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi's periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India's clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative,” Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government's latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India's reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi's airshed and contribute significantly to the city's pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi's airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE's 2024 report India's Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India's population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions.

Delhi in grey scale:In a matter of hours, PM10 rises by up to 44 times

NEW DELHI: At 5pm on Wednesday, the hourly PM10 concentration in southwest Delhi's Najafgarh was 68 micrograms per cubic metre. It had spiralled immensely to 2,969 micrograms per cubic metre by 8am on Thursday. The reason why the coarse pollutants jumped 44 times within a few hours was the wind that brought dust from west Rajasthan, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. In fact aer the dust intrusion, the hourly PM10 concentration across the city jumped in no time. Though DPCC's hourly PM10 data was unavailable for Wednesday night, the data showed that the concentration was below 200 micrograms per cubic metre. This crossed 1,200 micrograms per cubic metre early on Thursday, with some monitoring stations recording an hourly PM10 level of 2,000 micrograms per cubic metre. The hourly PM10 touched 2,163 micrograms per cubic metre at Sri Aurobindo Marg in south Delhi at 8am on Thursday compared with 133 at 4pm on Wednesday. In northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar, the hourly PM10 concentration soared from 204 micrograms per cubic metre at 3pm on Wednesday to 2,396 at 9 on Thursday morning. The 24-hour average national ambient air quality standard for PM10 is 100 micrograms per cubic metre and that of the World Health Organization is 45 micrograms per cubic metre. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "During summer months, Delhi experiences wind-blown dust events that impact the PM10 levels. In an urban environment, coarse particles of dust mix with combustion material and turn toxic.

'PNG rollout to 111 Delhi villages key correction in clean energy drive'

Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi's periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India's clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative, Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government's latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India's reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi's airshed and contribute significantly to the city's pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi's airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE's 2024 report India's Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India's population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The report also noted that while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) expanded access to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, it did not guarantee sustained clean cooking transitions for many beneficiaries. Many continue to use mixed fuels due to affordability and supply issues, limiting the scheme's health and environmental impact. "PNG connectivity, with its pipeline infrastructure, can overcome issues of fuel refilling and access, making a continuous supply of clean fuel possible," Roy Chowdhury told PTI. "But affordability, safety awareness, and community support will be key to the sustained use of PNG in these villages. Noting the gendered impact of clean fuel access, founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group Bharati Chaturvedi said that enabling poor women to access cleaner cooking fuels is vital for women's health and that of their children. Indoor air pollution kills thousands monthly in India, and infants often bear the brunt because they stay close to their mothers during cooking, she told PTI, adding that many women in these peri-urban villages work in informal sectors such as waste collection, domestic work, or vending, where taking time off to navigate subsidy paperwork or installation procedures is challenging. Air pollution contributed to 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with India and China recording 2.1 million and 2.3 million fatalities, respectively, said a 2024 report by an independent US-based research organisation, in partnership with UNICEF. The report stated that air pollution contributed to the deaths of 1,69,400 children in India under the age of five in 2021 and also said that air pollution was the leading risk factor for deaths in South Asia, followed by high blood pressure, diet, and tobacco.

Delhi's PNG rollout to 111 villages crucial course correction in India’s clean energy drive Experts

Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi’s periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India’s clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative,” Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government’s latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India’s reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi’s airshed and contribute significantly to the city’s pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi’s airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE’s 2024 report India’s Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India’s population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The report also noted that while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) expanded access to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, it did not guarantee sustained clean cooking transitions for many beneficiaries. Many continue to use mixed fuels due to affordability and supply issues, limiting the scheme’s health and environmental impact. "PNG connectivity, with its pipeline infrastructure, can overcome issues of fuel refilling and access, making a continuous supply of clean fuel possible," Roy Chowdhury told PTI. "But affordability, safety awareness, and community support will be key to the sustained use of PNG in these villages.” Noting the gendered impact of clean fuel access, founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group Bharati Chaturvedi said that enabling poor women to access cleaner cooking fuels is vital for women’s health and that of their children. “Indoor air pollution kills thousands monthly in India, and infants often bear the brunt because they stay close to their mothers during cooking,” she told PTI, adding that many women in these peri-urban villages work in informal sectors such as waste collection, domestic work, or vending, where taking time off to navigate subsidy paperwork or installation procedures is challenging. Air pollution contributed to 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with India and China recording 2.1 million and 2.3 million fatalities, respectively, said a 2024 report by an independent US-based research organisation, in partnership with UNICEF. The report stated that air pollution contributed to the deaths of 1,69,400 children in India under the age of five in 2021 and also said that air pollution was the leading risk factor for deaths in South Asia, followed by high blood pressure, diet, and tobacco.