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AQI slips back into ‘severe’ category, smog blankets city

The air quality index (AQI) in the Capital slipped back into the ‘severe’ category on Saturday, following a brief improvement to the ‘very poor’ category the previous day. The minimum temperature also dropped to 15°C as dense smog blanketed the city for the fourth consecutive morning. In response to the deteriorating air quality earlier this week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced stricter measures under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inspected the Kashmere Gate ISBT to oversee the implementation of GRAP-III guidelines alongside Transport Department officials. During the inspection, Rai noted that BS-IV diesel buses from neighbouring states were still entering the city despite the ban. He confirmed that enforcement teams issued challans to BS-IV buses from the Haryana and Uttarakhand Governments. Taking a dig at BJP-led state governments, Rai accused them of deliberately sending banned diesel buses into Delhi, worsening the city’s air pollution. Citing a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Minister Rai said only 30 per cent of Delhi’s pollution originates within the city, while the remaining 70 per cent is contributed by NCR districts. “The Delhi Government has implemented both summer and winter action plans to combat pollution, but BJP-led neighbouring states are aggravating the problem,” Rai stated. He pointed out that diesel buses from Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh were contributing significantly to pollution levels in Delhi and surrounding areas.

Manage C&D waste better to fight air pollution: CSE

With India’s construction industry booming, the country’s cities are all set to see a marked increase in the generation of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. This expected growth in the C&D waste stream is all the more alarming as it will add to the problem of air pollution that Indian cities have been struggling with. “The existing operational C&D waste sector is projected to more than double in the coming years. If not fully recovered and recycled, construction waste can turn into a major polluter choking our cities. Though progressive steps are underway to set up C&D processing plants in cities, these have been marred by complaints of underutilisation and unviability due to inefficient waste management and market linkages,” says a new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that was released here today. Debris Dilemma: Promoting self-sufficiency – as the study is titled – presents a detailed review of 16 C&D waste recycling plants spread across India.

CSE: वायु प्रदूषण से लड़ने के लिए C&D अपशिष्ट का बेहतर प्रबंधन करें

भारत के निर्माण उद्योग में तेजी के साथ, देश के शहरों में निर्माण और विध्वंस (सीएंडडी) अपशिष्ट के उत्पादन में उल्लेखनीय वृद्धि देखने को मिलेगी। सीएंडडी अपशिष्ट प्रवाह में यह अपेक्षित वृद्धि और भी अधिक चिंताजनक है क्योंकि यह वायु प्रदूषण की समस्या को और बढ़ा देगा जिससे भारतीय शहर जूझ रहे हैं। “मौजूदा चालू सीएंडडी अपशिष्ट क्षेत्र के आने वाले वर्षों में दोगुने से अधिक होने का अनुमान है। यदि पूरी तरह से पुनर्प्राप्त और पुनर्चक्रित नहीं किया गया, तो निर्माण अपशिष्ट हमारे शहरों को अवरुद्ध करने वाला एक प्रमुख प्रदूषक बन सकता है। हालांकि शहरों में सीएंडडी प्रसंस्करण संयंत्र स्थापित करने के लिए प्रगतिशील कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं, लेकिन अकुशल अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन और बाजार संबंधों के कारण इनका कम उपयोग और अव्यवहारिक होने की शिकायतों के कारण ये प्रभावित हुए हैं,” सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) द्वारा आज यहां जारी किए गए एक नए अध्ययन में कहा गया है। मलबा दुविधा: आत्मनिर्भरता को बढ़ावा देना - जैसा कि अध्ययन का शीर्षक है - भारत भर में फैले 16 सीएंडडी अपशिष्ट पुनर्चक्रण संयंत्रों की विस्तृत समीक्षा प्रस्तुत करता है। नई दिल्ली में आयोजित राष्ट्रीय हितधारक सम्मेलन में रिपोर्ट जारी करते हुए, सीएसई की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा: "केंद्रीय पर्यावरण, वन और जलवायु परिवर्तन मंत्रालय के राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम के तहत 131 गैर-प्राप्ति शहरों (एनएसी) की सभी स्वच्छ वायु कार्य योजनाओं के लिए सीएंडडी अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन और निर्माण धूल शमन अभिन्न अंग हैं। शहरों को अपशिष्ट को संसाधित करने के लिए पुनर्चक्रण संयंत्र स्थापित करने का आदेश दिया गया है ताकि पुनर्चक्रित समुच्चय, पेवर ब्लॉक आदि जैसे मूल्यवर्धित उत्पाद तैयार किए जा सकें, जिन्हें निर्माण उद्योग में संसाधन के रूप में वापस लाया जा सकता है।" रॉयचौधरी ने कहा: "सीएंडडी अपशिष्ट का पुनर्चक्रण संसाधनों की पूरी वसूली को सक्षम बनाता है और अपशिष्ट में आर्थिक मूल्य जोड़ता है, आजीविका और रोजगार पैदा करता है। लेकिन शहरों में कमजोर अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन प्रणाली और निर्माण एजेंसियों द्वारा पुनर्चक्रित उत्पादों की खराब बाजार मांग के कारण उनका उपयोग और आर्थिक व्यवहार्यता समझौता कर रही है।" सीएसई अध्ययन

दिल्ली की हवा जहरीली होने से लागू हुई GRAP-4 की पाबंदियां, किन चीजों पर लगा प्रतिबंध?

दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण अब खतरनाक स्तर पर पहुंच गया है। इसके बाद दिल्ली और राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र (NCR) में सोमवार (18 नवंबर) से ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (GRAP) के चौथे चरण के प्रतिबंध लागू किए जाएंगे। वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (CAQM) ने दिल्ली में बढ़ते वायु प्रदूषण के बाद यह फैसला लिया है। बता दें कि आज शाम 7 बजे औसतन वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) 457 दर्ज किया गया, जो 'बेहद गंभीर' श्रेणी में आता है। प्रतिबंध किन-किन चीजों पर रहेगा प्रतिबंध? GRAP-4 की पाबंदियों में आवश्यक सेवाओं को छोड़कर BS-III वाले पेट्रोल वाहनों और BS-IV के डीजल वाहनों के दिल्ली और NCR में प्रवेश पर पूर्ण प्रतिबंध रहेगा। इनमें बाहरी राज्यों में पंजीकृत वाहन भी शामिल हैं। इसी तरह हाईवे, सड़क, फ्लाईओवर, बिजली लाइनों, पाइपलाइनों और अन्य सार्वजनिक परियोजनाओं सहित सभी निर्माण गतिविधियों पर अस्थायी रूप से रोक रहेगी। इसके अलावा, दिल्ली के बाहर पंजीकृत हल्के वाणिज्यिक वाहनों के भी प्रवेश पर प्रतिबंध रहेगा और GRAP-3 की पाबंदियां जारी रहेंगी। स्कूल ऑनलाइन होगी कक्षा 6 से 9 तक की पढ़ाई CAQM ने GRAP-4 के तहत दिल्ली और NCR में कक्षा 6 से 9 तक की पढ़ाई ऑनलाइन कराने के आदेश दिए हैं। इसके बाद मुख्यमंत्री आतिशी ने इन कक्षाओं को ऑनलाइन मोड पर चलाने के आदेश जारी कर दिए। हालांकि, कक्षा 10 और 12 की कक्षाएं ऑफलाइन ही जारी रहेंगी। इसी बीच पर्यावरण मंत्री गोपाल राय सोमवार दोपहर 1 बजे दिल्ली सचिवालय में प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस कर GRAP-4 से जुड़ी पाबंदियों की विस्तार से जानकारी देंगे। आपने 50% पढ़ लिया है सिफारिश CAQM ने की कार्यालयों में 50 प्रतिशत स्टाफ करने की सिफारिश CAQM ने अभी कर्मचारियों को घर से काम करने का आदेश नहीं दिया है, लेकिन उसने दिल्ली सरकार को सुझाव दिया है कि वह सरकारी, नगर निगम और निजी कार्यालयों को 50 प्रतिशत क्षमता पर काम करने और बाकी को घर से काम करने की अनुमति दे। इसी तरह केंद्र से भी उसके कर्मचारियों को घर से काम करने की अनुमति देने को कहा है। इसके अलावा, वाहनों के संचालन में ऑड-ईवन नियम लागू करने का भी सुझाव दिया है। वजह दिल्ली में प्रदूषण की क्या है वजह? सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) के सर्वे के मुताबिक, दिल्ली के वायु प्रदूषण में स्थानीय स्रोतों का योगदान लगभग 30 प्रतिशत है। इनमें सड़क की धूल, निर्माण गतिविधियों से प्रदूषण या दिवाली उत्सव के दौरान जलाए गए पटाखों की तुलना में वाहन से निकलने वाले उत्सर्जन की हिस्सेदारी सबसे बड़ी है। इसके अलावा, पड़ोसी राज्यों में फैलने वाले प्रदूषण की हिस्सेदारी लगभग 35 प्रतिशत है। पंजाब और हरियाणा में पराली जलाना प्रदूषण में 8.19 प्रतिशत का योगदान देता है।

Met factors keep Gurgaon air in ‘very poor’ zone, no relief for 6 days

Gurgaon: The city's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) declined to 304, under ‘very poor' category, from 321 the previous day. The monitoring station at Gwalpahari recorded the highest AQI at 368, followed by 350 at Sector 51, Teri Gram (313), and Vikas Sadan (267). Low wind speed and fog trapped pollutants close to the ground, worsening air quality. According to the air quality early system warning for Delhi, meteorological conditions are likely to remain extremely unfavourable for effective dispersion of pollutants. For the next six days AQI is likely to be in the ‘very poor' category. In capital, with an average air quality index of 367 in the first fortnight, Nov is recording higher pollution than two years ago. Though the average AQI in the period was lower than last year, it was higher than in 2022. The Central Pollution Control Board's data shows average AQI during Nov 1-15 was 376 in 2023 and 345 in 2022. During the first 15 days of the month this year, Delhi recorded 13 ‘very poor' air days and two ‘severe' days, including 12 consecutive ‘very poor' days when AQI surpassed 300 before ‘severe' readings on Nov 13 and 14. No ‘good' to ‘poor' days were seen in the fortnight. In comparison, the first fortnight of Nov last year had six ‘severe' days, six ‘very poor' days and three ‘poor' days. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "This year, Diwali was before November. Even though stubble burning increased in this period, its contribution to PM2.5 was highly variable. Once again, this elevation in pollution points at the high influence of local pollution. We need to step up action against key sources of pollution." TOI had earlier reported that Nov 1-15 was the most polluted stretch in the year in Delhi since it coincides with peak stubble burning, Diwali firework use and an increase in traffic intensity around festivals. At this time, meteorological conditions, including slow wind, low temperature and inversion, also adversely impact dispersion of pollutants.

Activists urge Delhi Metro to offer 'Clean Air Concession' amid severe pollution concerns

Given the life-threatening level of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, civil society organisations and environment activists urged Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to provide a “clean air concession” to riders during the severe air pollution period in Delhi-NCR. The concession will encourage daily commuters to choose affordable option of public transport during periods of severe pollution to commute to the workplace after the government imposed GRAP-III measures, which restrict outside activities, including the closure of schools and others. A civil society collective, Public Transport Forum Delhi, and non-profit Greenpeace have called on the DMRC to implement a ‘‘Clean Air Concession” because of higher public transport costs compared to personal vehicle costs. The demand for giving metro concessions is aimed at reducing dependency on private vehicles and encouraging citizens to opt for the Delhi Metro. Recently, the Delhi-based environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment assessed comparative transportation costs in Delhi-NCR. According to the study, the personal car commuting cost comes to Rs 35/km whereas public bus costs Rs 40/km and metro costs Rs 47/km. The lifeline of India’s billion-dollar Gig economy vehicle two-wheeler costs Rs 16/km. Such a high rate of commuting hit lower-income social groups harder than others. The study says about 50% of daily commuters by public transport end up spending about 18% of their annual income. The air quality has reached alarming levels, with AQI often crossing into hazardous categories. Studies suggest that transport emissions are one of the major contributors to the air pollution crisis. Private vehicles contribute to 51.5% of Delhi’s locally generated emissions, exacerbating the PM2.5 and NO2 levels.

Air Better Than 2023, But All Not Well

New Delhi: With an average air quality index of 367 in the first fortnight, the month of Nov is recording higher pollution than two years ago. Though the average AQI in the period was lower than last year, it was higher than in 2022. The Central Pollution Control Board's data shows average AQI during Nov 1-15 was 376 in 2023 and 345 in 2022. During the first 15 days of the month this year, Delhi recorded 13 ‘very poor' air days and two ‘severe' days, including 12 consecutive ‘very poor' days when AQI surpassed 300 before ‘severe' readings on Nov 13 and 14. No ‘good' to ‘poor' days were seen in the fortnight. In comparison, the first fortnight of Nov last year had six ‘severe' days, six ‘very poor' days and three ‘poor' days. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "This year, Diwali was before November. Even though stubble burning increased in this period, its contribution to PM2.5 was highly variable. Once again, this elevation in pollution points at the high influence of local pollution. We need to step up action against key sources of pollution." TOI had earlier reported that Nov 1-15 was the most polluted stretch in the year in Delhi since it coincides with peak stubble burning, Diwali firework use and an increase in traffic intensity around festivals. At this time, meteorological conditions, including slow wind, low temperature and inversion, also adversely impact dispersion of pollutants. This year, Diwali was observed on Oct 31, while the festival was celebrated on Nov 12 last year. The average AQI during Nov 1-15 from 2018 to 2023 is 371, according to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee analysis. Oct this year too was the most polluted in the past four years. CPCB's data shows that the city's average AQI of 231 in Oct this year was the highest since 2020, when it was 265. The figure was 219 last October, 210 in 2022 and 173 in 2021. In 2019, it was 234; 269 in 2018; 285 in 2017; 271 in 2016; and 264 in 2015. The air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor' category in Delhi for the next seven days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences.

First nine months of 2024: India faced 255 days of extreme weather crisis

India experienced extreme weather events on 93% of days from January to September this year. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), titled ‘State of Extreme Weather 2024’, reveals the rise in the frequency and severity of these events due to climate change, which impacted millions across the country. In the first nine months, extreme weather events occurred on 255 out of 274 days, affecting nearly every state. The events—ranging from heat and cold waves to cyclones, lightning, heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides—resulted in 3,238 fatalities, damaged 235,862 houses and buildings, affected 3.2 million hectares of crops, and killed approximately 9,457 livestock. The report compared this year’s figures to the same period in 2023, when extreme weather events were recorded on 235 days. In 2023, the events led to 2,923 deaths, impacted 1.84 million hectares of crops, damaged 80,293 houses, and led to 92,519 livestock deaths. According to the report, 2024 set multiple climate records. January was India’s ninth driest since 1901, while February registered the country’s second-highest minimum temperature in 123 years. May saw the fourth-highest mean temperature on record, and the months of July, August, and September all posted their highest minimum temperatures since 1901. In Northwest India, January was the second driest month, while July had the region’s second-highest minimum temperature. In the Southern Peninsula, February was the hottest on record, followed by an exceptionally dry and hot March and April. However, July brought a 36.5% surplus in rainfall, along with the second-highest minimum temperature recorded in August. Over the past nine months, extreme weather types varied from lightning and storms, which spanned 32 states and resulted in 1,021 deaths, to relentless monsoon rains that caused flooding across various regions. Assam was particularly affected, recording heavy rains, floods, and landslides on 122 days, which left large parts of the state submerged. Nationwide, floods claimed 1,376 lives. Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days, the most in the country, while Kerala saw the highest number of fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 353 deaths and Assam with 256. Andhra Pradesh reported the highest number of houses damaged, with 85,806 buildings affected. Maharashtra, which recorded extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60% of the affected crop area nationwide, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 25,170 hectares of crop damage. Regionally, Central India faced the highest frequency of extreme events with 218 days, followed closely by the Northwest with 213 days. In terms of deaths, the Central region was the worst affected, with 1,001 fatalities, followed by the Southern Peninsula with 762, the East and Northeast with 741, and the Northwest with 734. The report emphasised the need for climate reparations from high-emission countries, whose activities are responsible for much of the damage. Climate models project that extreme weather events will only become more frequent and severe—a trend no longer hypothetical but visible in the escalating crises today. In the first nine months of 2024, India faced extreme weather on 255 out of 274 days, surpassing the 235 days recorded in 2023 and the 241 days in 2022 during the same period. This increase has led to significant human and economic losses, with 3,238 lives lost in 2024 compared to 2,755 in 2022, marking an 18% rise over just three years. Necessary warning The report calls the findings a necessary warning, urging action to address the effects of climate change. “This report is not good news, but it is a necessary warning, a call to recognise nature’s backlash and the urgent action required to mitigate it. Without combating climate change at a meaningful scale, today’s challenges will only worsen tomorrow.”

India Condemns ‘Discriminatory’ & Unilateral Trade Measures At COP29

India criticised unilateral trade measures implemented under the banner of climate action during Friday's presidential consultations at COP29 in Baku, calling them discriminatory and detrimental to multilateral cooperation. The nation argued that such measures could potentially restrict the development trajectories of developing countries. The stance received substantial support from other developing nations, with both the G77 bloc, representing over 130 nations, and Like-Minded Developing Countries expressing firm opposition. In contrast, developed nations, particularly the European Union, contended that such discussions belong in the World Trade Organization rather than the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At the heart of the debate is the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which proposes taxation on energy-intensive imports including iron, steel, cement, fertilisers, and aluminium from countries such as India and China. The United Kingdom and United States are reportedly developing similar mechanisms. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, this measure could impose an additional 25 percent tax on Indian carbon-intensive exports to the EU, amounting to 0.05 percent of India's GDP. India argued that such measures effectively force developing and low-income nations to shoulder the costs of low-carbon transition, undermining climate finance commitments from developed nations who have historically contributed most to greenhouse gas emissions. Indian officials likened it to ‘asking the victim to pay for the remedy,’ noting that these measures violate principles of equity and UNFCCC provisions. The controversy significantly delayed COP29's opening plenary on Monday, following China's proposal on behalf of the BASIC group to address unilateral trade measures at this year's conference. India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had previously characterised CBAM as ‘unilateral and arbitrary,’ expressing concerns about its potential impact on Indian industries and international trade balance. India emphasised that climate policies should prioritise concessional finance and capacity building for both mitigation and adaptation, rather than imposing trade restrictions. The nation called for careful assessment of such measures' impact on equitable transitions, sustainable development, and poverty eradication efforts.

McDonald’s Burgers Causing Diseases in India yet safe in western countries

This paper examines the health effects of McDonald's burgers in India, with specific reference to their saturated fats, sugars, and salt content. The comparison brings attention to enormous nutritional disparities between what is sold under the brand name McDonald's in India and what is sold in the Western world where the regulations are far stronger. The amount of preservatives used and its potential health implications are discussed. Since comprehensive food safety legislation is lacking in the country, it has worsened the situation that increased the spread of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes. The results made recommendations to strengthen the regulations in addition to public education to address these dietary-related health concerns. McDonald’s, the global fast food giant, has in very short time become an integral part of Indian food system. The brand, highly popular for its convenience and taste, had been popular for decades. However, over the last few decades, health concerns relating to their nutritionally poor product offerings, especially their burgers, have begun to surface. Scientific research has clearly shown that high levels of saturated fats, sugars, and salt in the diet lead to a myriad of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension. With the peculiar synergy of factors in India’s regulatory and dietary landscape, the challenge is even more threatening. Nutritional Composition of McDonald’s Burgers The amount of saturated fats, sugars, and salt contained in McDonald’s burgers varies with the type. Many of these ingredients, specially at high levels, cause health problems including obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Compared studies show that nutritional standards for products may vary from country to country when considering McDonald’s. Saturated Fats and Trans Fats: There is evidence suggesting that high intake of saturated fats raises LDL cholesterol concentration, which upon deposition to the arterial wall contributes towards plaque buildup as well as most cardiovascular diseases. Generally, burgers sold under the McDonald’s brand available in India contain higher contents of these fats compared to its Western counterparts. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2019 said that saturated fats in Indian burgers even exceeded recommended daily intake levels in just one serving. Sugar: Sugars themselves are not generally a key ingredient in burger recipes, but added sugars find their way into condiments through ketchup and buns.

First nine months of 2024: India faced 255 days of extreme weather crisis

India experienced extreme weather events on 93% of days from January to September this year. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), titled ‘State of Extreme Weather 2024’, reveals the rise in the frequency and severity of these events due to climate change, which impacted millions across the country. In the first nine months, extreme weather events occurred on 255 out of 274 days, affecting nearly every state. The events—ranging from heat and cold waves to cyclones, lightning, heavy rainfall, floods, and lands...

CAQM took no learnings from its earlier reactionary ways: Experts

Environmental advocates and public health experts criticised the apparent delay in implementing Stage-3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), arguing that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) appears to have lost sight of its primary mission—to act pre-emptively before air emergencies arise, not after. On Thursday, Delhi entered its second consecutive day of “severe” air quality, making it 48 hours of exposure to toxic air which can not only impact vulnerable groups, but healthy people. Experts condemned the delay, particularly highlighting the plight of the elderly and children. In 2022, officials had announced that Grap measures would be made pre-emptive, rather than reactive – meaning under this approach, stages of response would be introduced at least three days before predicted air quality declines. Previously, CAQM’s sub-committee would wait until AQI touched certain thresholds. For instance, severe-plus measures could only be introduced if AQI remained in “severe plus” zone for 48 hours. However, the panel’s actions on Thursday suggested a return to the outdated reactive approach. Bhargav Krishna, coordinator of the Environmental Governance and Policy vertical at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative questioned the very purpose of the CAQM sub-committee, if it did not meet in advance of AQI deteriorating to such levels. “We need to look at everything. Our forecasts, which are not accurate, and how they feed into proactive implementation of GRAP. We also need to know what means of review CAQM undertakes to ensure continuous improvement in its process,” Krishna said. On Wednesday, CAQM had forecast an improvement in Delhi’s AQI, predicting a shift to “very poor” by Thursday due to anticipated strong winds. But with air quality remaining in the “severe” category, Stage-3 was eventually triggered late on Thursday. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at the think-tank Envirocatalysts stressed that a stronger forecasting system needs to form the basis of CAQM’s actions. “Grap is designed as a preemptive system using forecasts based on regional emissions and meteorology. However, the current limitations in accurately predicting pollution levels hinder its effectiveness as a precautionary measure. Enhancing forecast accuracy is essential for timely, proactive action,” he said. CAQM officials cited unexpected meteorological conditions as a factor in the delay. Arvind Nautiyal, CAQM member secretary said Wednesday’s deterioration was an “episodic event”, with forecasts by both IMD and IITM showing stronger winds likely on Thursday. “The AQI was supposed to show a declining trend on Thursday and was likely to move back to the Very Poor category. Comprehensively reviewing this scenario, it was accordingly decided by the sub-Committee to keep a close watch on the situation, before invoking these stringent and restrictive measures under stage-3. This stage is to be imposed when the daily average AQI is expected or forecasted to be above the 400 mark for a sufficiently long duration, say three days,” Nautiyal said, stating an improvement was seen from Wednesday night onwards, but on Thursday morning, stagnation was once again recorded due to continued fog, requiring action. An IITM official acknowledged flaws in their prediction model. “Wednesday’s deterioration was completely missed. The levels surged to unprecedented highs, exceeding even Diwali levels, with particulate matter spiking tenfold within 12 hours,” the official said, attributing much of the increase to pollution from India’s northwest. “We will need to consider dynamic models.” The Supreme Court’s Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, which oversaw air quality control before the CAQM’s formation in 2021, faced similar criticism over delayed implementation of GRAP measures. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said forecasting models needed to be utilised better. “Grap measures require stronger application of our forecasting systems to enable proactive action. This needs to be done to prevent rapid worsening of the situation. Reactive and slow responses are not effective and expose people to toxic air,” she said.

Delhi’s continuing severe air pollution challenge

On Wednesday, the temperature in Delhi dipped below normal for the first time this winter. The onset of the cold weather was accompanied by a deterioration in the city’s air quality. The city’s air quality index (AQI) registered as “severe” for the first time this season — the most delayed arrival of the extreme polluting condition in the past 10 years. That, however, is no respite for the city’s residents. Analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment has shown that while the peak particulate matter (PM) levels have fallen this season, the city’s average pollution has risen. In other words, pollutant concentration remains a cause for worry. The average PM 2.5 levels, this year, are the highest in five years. Also, the fact that Delhi continues to experience bad air way past the crop residue burning season points to an imperative long highlighted by experts — a policy focus beyond a seasonal approach. In recent years, Delhi’s AAP government has experimented with smog towers and water sprinklers. Smog towers are supposed to act as giant air purifiers. However, by all accounts, their efficacy is restricted to the immediate vicinity, leaving the broader cityscape unaffected. There has also been no audit of the emissions from these machines. Similarly, the jury is out on cloud seeding and the use of drones, two measures that have found prominence in the Delhi government’s recent list of solutions. Excessive emphasis on such questionable responses has detracted from building the institutional capacities required to clean up the city’s air. This task, of course, cannot be undertaken in an emergency mode. But in the three years since it replaced the Supreme Court-mandated EPCA as Delhi’s nodal pollution control agency, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invested very little in data-driven, science-based solutions. Advertisement Farm fire incidents in Haryana and Punjab have been coming down in the past few years. However, reports continue to indicate high pollution levels in the two states. On Tuesday, Chandigarh recorded the second-worst air quality in the country. The city municipality’s response to the crisis is similar to its counterpart’s in Delhi — sprinkling water and using fogging machines. Joining the dots between local and regional pollution could be beyond the capacities and mandate of municipalities. This is where an agency such as the CAQM should step in. Solutions such as airshed pollution management — which zeros in pollution hotspots in regions — require coordination between local and state-level agencies. The CAQM has largely been operating as a regulatory agency. The central government agency needs to step up and join the dots between local and regional pollution, beyond seasonal issues such as stubble burning.

As Delhi chokes, GRAP Stage 3 brings ban on diesel vehicles & construction

New Delhi: For the second consecutive day, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category, prompting authorities to impose stricter restrictions under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The measures, which include a ban on construction activities and restrictions on older vehicles, will take effect from 8 am on Friday. The Delhi government has also announced the suspension of physical classes for primary schools until further notice. However, online classes will continue. “Due to rising pollution levels, all primary schools in Delhi will be shifting to online classes, until further directions,” Chief Minister Atishi, who also holds the education portfolio, said in a post on X.

Pollution choke is on Delhi again

Delhi’s pollution was firmly in the “severe” zone of the air quality index (AQI) for a second straight day on Thursday, as calm winds amplified the effects of local pollutants and stubble-fire smoke sheathed the Capital in a dome of filthy grey, hurling residents into an unmitigated public health disaster and underscoring the incompetence of agencies and officials who, once again, failed to fend off a nightmare that haunts the city every year. The Capital recorded a 24-hour AQI of 424 at 4pm, worse than the reading of 418 at the same time on Wednesday, showed data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Agencies and governments expressly responsible for quelling the crisis either shrugged their shoulders at the rapidly worsening crisis or chose to pass the blame to everyone but themselves. “This is an air emergency. Like previous years, we seemed to have learned no lessons and people who suffer every year continue to suffer,” said Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmental activist part of the citizens’ group Warrior Moms. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the central agency whose sole task is to control pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), belatedly imposed curbs under Stage 3 of its response plan on Thursday evening, a day after the air quality first hit “severe”. The agency had met on Wednesday evening as the AQI surged into the upper margins of the “severe” category towards record levels, but, inexplicably, refrained from taking any control measures. CAQM’s own charter says: “Actions under Stages 2, 3 and 4 of the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) shall be invoked in advance of the AQI reaching to the projected levels of that stage.” And yet, the body was again behind the curve on pollution control. This, despite the Supreme Court pulling up the agency several times over the past two months alone, along with Delhi government agencies and the state government of Punjab and Haryana. During a hearing in September, the top court pulled up CAQM for failing to act once again. “Calling meetings will not yield anything. Actions must follow,” it said. Though agencies said inspection teams fanned out across farmlands in north India to snuff out stubble fires, it clearly hasn’t worked. Punjab has recorded 7,626 fires so far and Haryana 1,035. Arvind Nautiyal, CAQM member secretary, told HT Wednesday’s deterioration was due to an episodic event, with forecasts by both IMD and IITM showing stronger winds were likely on Thursday. This led to them not invoking Grap, he said. “The AQI was supposed to show a declining trend on Thursday and was likely to move back to the Very Poor category. Comprehensively reviewing this scenario, it was accordingly decided by the sub-committee to keep a close watch on the situation, before invoking these stringent and restrictive measures under Stage 3. This stage is to be imposed when the daily average AQI is expected or forecasted to be above the 400 mark for a sufficiently long duration, say three days,” he said. Also in the dock was the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which runs the governments in Delhi and Punjab, home to the bulk of India’s winter farm fires. Instead of acting on pollution within the states it governs, it trained its guns on Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The 12-member panel took few preventive or mitigatory measures for months, even as the triggers and causes for the toxic smog that masks north India every winter are now well known : Vehicular emissions, local industries, construction, garbage burning, and above all, smoke from Punjab’s and Haryana’s burning paddy fields. The party came to power in Punjab in 2022; before that, its leaders periodically blamed the agrarian state and its administration for the pollution crisis. But on Thursday, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai shifted track. Referring to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) of data from October 12 and November 3, he said a large chunk of pollution was coming from outside Delhi. “It shows only around 30% is from sources within Delhi and the remaining 70% from outside. For this, we need cooperation from NCR governments too,” he said. In winter, long-range transport winds blow from Punjab and Haryana towards Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, bringing dense, toxic plumes of smoke from scorching paddy fields to the National Capital Region (NCR). Last year, the contribution of farm fires to Delhi’s PM2.5 (an ultrafine pollutant) concentration peaked at 35.43% on November 3, when the AQI hit 450.