• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Indian Capital Plans Drone Flights To Combat Smog Crisis

India's capital unveiled plans Friday to fly special drones to clear pollution from its smog-choked skies -- a plan derided by experts as another "band-aid" solution to a public health crisis. New Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan area, home to more than 30 million people, consistently tops world rankings for air pollution in winter. The smog is blamed for thousands of premature deaths each year and is an annual source of misery for the capital's residents, with various piecemeal government initiatives failing to measurably address the problem. Friday marked the start of a trial for an aerial drone tasked with flying around the city's pollution hotspots to spray water mist in an effort to clear dust and harmful particulate matter from the air. "We have been examining different technological solutions and best practices from across the world," Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said after launching the initiative. "This one drone is part of a pilot project by a company. We will study, and if it succeeds, we will take this forward." Rai said that once the trial was over, the Delhi government would issue a tender to purchase two more drones. If implemented, the three drones would be responsible for mitigating air pollution across a city that stretches across 1,500 square kilometres (580 square miles) -- around the same size as greater London. A technician at the site, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the drones carried a maximum 16 litres (4.2 gallons) of water and could only operate for a few minutes at a time before they needed to be refilled. "But these are not the solution to air pollution," Sunil Dahiya of advocacy group Envirocatalysts told AFP. "These are band-aid solutions." Prior government efforts to mitigate the smog, such as a public campaign encouraging drivers to turn off their engines at traffic lights, have failed to make an impact in the city. Delhi opened a "smog tower" -- a 25-metre (82-foot) tower in the city centre containing fans that were touted as filtering 1,000 cubic metres of air per second -- to much fanfare in 2021. The project was panned by experts when it was launched and is no longer operational. "Cutting emissions at the sources of the pollution is more important," Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi, told AFP. "We have enough studies to show that vehicles, industry, and construction are the areas that need intervention to tackle the issue." The level of PM2.5 particles -- the smallest and most harmful, which can enter the bloodstream -- registered above 300 micrograms per cubic metre in Delhi this week, according to monitoring firm IQAir.

• Down To Earth

India has faced more extreme weather events and higher damages in 2024 compared to last year, says CSE

Extreme weather events have been steadily on the rise in India. The report is published every year by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth, the fortnightly that CSE helps publish. In 2024, India faced extreme weather events on 93 per cent of the days in the year’s first nine months — 255 out of 274 days — marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods and landslides. These events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectare (mha) of crops, destroyed 235,862 houses and buildings, and killed approximately 9,457 livestock. Compared to this, the first nine months of 2023 recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days, with 2,923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, 80,293 houses damaged, and 92,519 animal deaths. Down To Earth’s data analysts who have compiled this report point out that “it is very likely that even these reported damages are an underestimation due to incomplete data collection on event-specific losses, particularly on public property and crop damages”. A year that has set climate records The year 2024 also set several climate records. January was India’s ninth driest since 1901. In February, the country recorded its second-highest minimum temperature in 123 years. May saw the fourth-highest mean temperature on record, and July, August and September all registered their highest minimum temperatures since 1901. In the Northwest, January was the second driest, and July recorded the region’s second-highest minimum temperature. The Southern Peninsula saw its hottest February ever, followed by exceptionally hot and dry March and April, but with a 36.5 per cent surplus in July rainfall and the second-highest minimum temperature in August. Speaking at the launch of the report, CSE director general and Down To Earth editor Sunita Narain said: “These record-breaking statistics reflect climate change’s impact, where events that used to occur once every century are now happening every five years or even less. This frequency is overwhelming the most vulnerable populations, who lack the resources to adapt to this relentless cycle of loss and damage.” What kind of extreme weather events have buffeted India? In terms of event types, the past nine months have seen everything from lightning and storms — spanning 32 states and resulting in 1,021 deaths — to relentless monsoon rains, which led to flooding across various regions. In Assam alone, heavy rains, floods and landslides were recorded on 122 days, leaving large parts of the state submerged and communities devastated. Nationwide, 1,376 lives were lost due to floods. Says Rajit Sengupta, associate editor of Down To Earth and one of the writers of this report: “While heatwaves claimed 210 lives, the data does not reflect the extended health impacts of prolonged high temperatures on the wellbeing of people in North India, including farmers and laborers, who endured intense heat with little means of relief. Similarly, the toll of severe cold snaps and frost on crop losses is not captured, highlighting the need for robust compensation systems for weather-induced losses. Without this support, farmers are pushed into debt, exacerbating their marginalisation and poverty.” State and region-specific devastation The report says that Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days — the most in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). Andhra Pradesh had the most houses damaged (85,806), while Maharashtra, which saw extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60 per cent of the affected crop area nation-wide, followed by Madhya Pradesh (25,170 ha). Regionally, Central India faced the highest frequency of extreme events with 218 days, followed closely by the Northwest at 213 days. In terms of lives lost, the Central region had the most deaths (1,001), followed by the Southern Peninsula (762 deaths), East and Northeast (741 deaths) and Northwest (734 deaths). Says Kiran Pandey, programme director of CSE’s environmental resources team and one of the writers of the report: “Twenty-seven states and Union Territories saw a rise in extreme weather days in 2024, with Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh each experiencing 40 or more additional days of such events.” The report is an essential reading Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth, says: “This extreme weather report card is essential reading, as it reveals not only the frequency of such events but also the cumulative and far-reaching damage they cause. This underscores the urgent need for systems that accurately capture losses, giving a human face to the impacts of climate change.” CSE researchers point out that the report highlights a critical shift that is needed in our approach to extreme events — from disaster response to risk reduction and resilience-building. Flood management, for example, requires more than plans on paper; it calls for the strategic development of drainage and water recharge systems, along with expanded green spaces and forests to act as natural water reservoirs in preparation for future storms. The report also emphasises the need for climate reparations from high-emission countries responsible for much of the damage. Climate models are clear: extreme weather events are set to become more frequent and severe. Says Narain: “This trend is no longer hypothetical — it is visible in the escalating crises we face today. 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.”

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi’s air quality remains ‘very poor’, AQI crosses 400 in some areas

As the national capital woke up to reduced visibility due to shallow fog, the air quality Friday continued to stay in the upper end of the ‘very poor’ category. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 383 as of 8 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several areas of Delhi including Bawana (440), Mundka (428), New Moti Bagh (427), Rohini (439), Punjabi Bagh (406), and RK Puram (406) witnessed an AQI of over 400, as per data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). What contributes to pollution in Delhi? As per an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), vehicular emission is the top contributor to Delhi’s toxic air in winter. It has a bigger contribution than stubble burning, road dust, or firecrackers and over 50% of pollution from local sources is linked to the city’s transportation system.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi's 10,000-bus goal still unmet, vehicles drive city's pollution: NGO data

As political debates rage on about stubble burning and Diwali crackers contributing to Delhi's pollution, new data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) placed a sharper focus on vehicular emissions as the city’s primary polluter. Despite the 1998 Supreme Court directive for a public bus fleet of 10,000 to ease congestion and pollution, Delhi currently has only 7,683 buses, including 1,970 electric buses, as of July 2024. This shortage, paired with a lack of accessible and efficient public transit options, has led residents to rely on private vehicles, which now stand as the largest contributors to air pollution.

• Down To Earth

In first 9 months of 2024, Kerala suffers most fatalities due to extreme weather events

More than 93 per cent of days in the first nine months of 2024 were marked by extreme weather events, with Madhya Pradesh being the most affected. The greatest number of fatalities were reported from Kerala, as per a report released by the Centre of Science and Environment. In the first nine months of this year, 255 out of 274 days were marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rains, floods and landslides. These events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectare (mha) of crops, destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings, and killed approximately 9,457 livestock. In 2023, the first nine months recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days, with 2,923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, 80,293 houses damaged, and 92,519 animal deaths. The report’s authors caution that these numbers could be under-reported and that the actual number of events might have been much higher. The report says Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days—the most in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). Andhra Pradesh had the most houses damaged (85,806), while Maharashtra, which saw extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60 per cent of the affected crop area nationwide, followed by Madhya Pradesh (25,170 ha). Kerala saw lightning and storms; heavy rains, floods and landslides; and heatwaves. Madhya Pradesh experienced all these in addition to cyclones and cold waves. While in central, east and north-eastern India, days of extreme weather events increased as did related losses; in the south, the number of deaths outstripped the combined number of the last two years. North-west India has seen an increase in the number of extreme weather incidents, but the losses have decreased. The report highlights the need for a critical shift in our approach to extreme events—from disaster response to risk reduction and resilience-building.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Centre doubles fine forburning farm stubble

Those with plots larger than two acres but smaller than five will be fined ₹10,000 and cultivators with over five acres of land will have to pay ₹30,000 per incidence The Union government has doubled the fines issued against farmers for burning stubble up to ₹30,000, depending on the size of their plots, in a last-minute bid to stop the annual scourge that drives up Delhi’s winter pollution into hazardous levels, even as the city’s air quality index (AQI) spiralled to the upper reaches of the “very poor” zone on Thursday. The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (Imposition, Collection, and Utilization of Environmental Compensation for Stubble Burning) Amendment Rules, 2024, were notified on Wednesday, and were made public on Thursday. On the same day, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) also issued an order, asking for states to implement the directions and revised environmental compensation needs to be imposed with immediate effect. “The Commission through its order dated November 7 has authorized all nodal/supervisory officers appointed by the respective governments in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, state of Punjab, state of Haryana and the NCR areas of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to impose and collect Environmental Compensation (EC) from farmers causing air pollution by stubble burning, as per the revised rates. This order is required to be implemented by the respective state governments with immediate effect,” the statement said. “It is more important to have enablers. For example, farmers should have access to straw management machinery on time so the roster should be well managed. There are two ways of managing stubble — in situ where the straw is utilised in the farm and ex-situ management where the stubble is transported out to make pellets etc. For ex situ strategies storage and transportation support is needed. For example, after CAQM prohibited the use of coal as a fuel in the NCR, the use of biomass has increased and price has also increased. But farmers are not benefitting from this because storage and transportation remain challenges,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Get ready to pay double penalty for stubble burning

Amid worsening air quality in Delhi and neighbouring areas, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has updated air quality management rules on Thursday, doubling the penalty amount for stubble burning, effective immediately, under which farmers are required to pay an environmental compensation on the size of their land holdings. A notification to this effect came after the Supreme Court pulled up the government for ‘toothless environmental laws’ to curb Delhi’s deteriorating air quality every winter. Under the new rules, farmers with less than two acres of land will face a fine of Rs 5,000. Those with between two and five acres will be fined Rs 10,000, while farmers with more than five acres of land will be penalised Rs 30,000 for engaging in stubble burning. The revised rules come into effect immediately. Meanwhile, farmers’ leaders from Punjab have strongly condemned the Centre’s move of raising fines for stubble burning and asked why the government was not providing crop residue management machinery to them to check farm fires. Reacting to the union government’s move, farmers’ unions pointed out that farmers never want to set the crop residue on fire but they are forced to do so for want of required machinery. They also asked why farmers were always being “targeted” for pollution, and asked the government about action taken against the industry for polluting the environment. Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan slammed the Centre for its “anti-farmer” move of increasing fine on farmers. “We strongly condemn this decision,” Kokrikalan said. The ministry notified the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (Imposition, Collection and Utilisation of Environmental Compensation for Stubble Burning) Amendment Rules, 2024, for doubling of environmental compensation imposed against stubble burning. The amended rules were notified under the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, and will come into effect immediately, without a draft being placed in the public domain for public consultation. As many as 12,514 burning events were detected in the six states between September 15 and November 6, according to the satellite data monitored by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). Majority of cases were reported from Punjab (5041), followed by Haryana (888), Uttar Pradesh (1544), Delhi (12), Rajasthan (1332) and Madhya Pradesh (3697). However, the number of fire counts in Punjab have dropped significantly from 19,463 reported last year to 5,041 this year. The environmental compensation rates were first fixed by the National Green Tribunal’s principal bench in a November 2015 order. Taking cognisance of the contribution of stubble fires to Delhi-National Capital Region’s (NCR) air pollution, the NGT had ordered Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi-NCT governments to impose these penalties. Besides amending the rules to double the penalties for burning farm stubble, the Ministry also notified the Environment Protection (Manner of Holding Inquiry and Imposition of Penalty) Rules, 2024. It laid down the process of filing complaints with pollution control boards, the Commission for Air Quality Management, and offices of the Union environment ministry. It also laid out the process of holding an inquiry on complaints against environmental pollution and that of adjudicating such complaints. Stubble burning also contributes to it, along with rising levels of emissions from vehicles, industries and waste-burning in and around the National Capital. The government has been urging farmers to shift to more sustainable ways of managing the stubble, which has also significantly brought down the number of fire counts over the years. According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) analysis, the city experiences peak pollution from November 1 to 15 when the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana increases. Major factors behind stubble burning include the paddy-wheat cropping system, cultivation of long-duration paddy varieties, mechanised harvesting that leaves standing crop stubble in the field, labour scarcity, and the lack of a viable market for crop residue. Studies estimate that during peak burning periods, farm fires contribute up to 30 per cent of PM levels in the Delhi-NCR region and surrounding areas. However, according to senior environmentalist Sunita Narain, the episodic burning of crop residue by farmers in winter is not the primary concern for poor air quality in Delhi-NCR. Instead, the persistent and major sources of pollution within the city, including transport and industries, are more worrisome.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi Air Pollution: दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का कारण सिर्फ पराली का जलना नहीं, जान लीजिए कौन है सबसे बड़ा विलेन!

दिल्ली में बढ़ते प्रदूषण के स्तर के लिए राष्ट्रीय राजधानी की सड़कों पर चलने वाले वाहनों को सबसे ज्यादा जिम्मेदार ठहराया जा रहा है। एक नए अध्ययन से पता चला है कि सर्दियों के महीनों में दिल्ली के वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) को प्रभावित करने वाले प्रदूषकों में वाहनों से निकलने वाला उत्सर्जन सबसे बड़ा योगदानकर्ता है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ने अपने अध्ययन का समर्थन आंकड़ों के साथ किया है। आंकड़े बताते हैं कि स्थानीय स्रोतों से फैलने वाले प्रदूषकों में आधे से ज्यादा हिस्सा वाहनों का है। दिल्ली वर्तमान में बहुत खराब वायु गुणवत्ता की चपेट में है। क्योंकि 31 अक्तूबर को दिवाली के त्योहार के बाद से प्रदूषण का स्तर उच्च बना हुआ है।

• Down To Earth

Extreme weather killed over 3,200 people in India in first nine months of 2024, says report

Extreme weather events claimed over 3,200 lives and destroyed over 2.3 lakh houses in India in the first nine months of 2024, according to a new report. The report by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said India faced extreme weather events on 93 per cent of the days in the year’s first nine months -- 255 out of 274 days. The report said extreme weather events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectares (mha) of crops, destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings, and killed 9,457 livestock.

• Down To Earth

India Faced More Extreme Weather Events in 2024, Higher Damages Than Last Year: CSE Report

With climate change a reality that has been affecting millions around the world, in India also extreme weather events have been steadily on the rise, says the annual ‘State of Extreme Weather’ report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think-tank. “India has faced more extreme weather events and higher damages in 2024 compared to last year. This year (2024) India faced extreme weather events on 93 per cent of the days in the year’s first nine months -- 255 out of 274 days -- marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods and landslides. These events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectare (mha) of crops, destroyed 235,862 houses and buildings, and killed approximately 9,457 livestock,” says the report that was released on Friday in Delhi. Compared with this, the first nine months of 2023 recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days, with 2,923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, 80,293 houses damaged, and 92,519 animal deaths, it says. According to report ,the 2024 also set several climate records. January was India’s ninth driest since 1901. In February, the country recorded its second-highest minimum temperature in 123 years. May saw the fourth-highest mean temperature on record, and July, August and September all registered their highest minimum temperatures since 1901. In the Northwest, January was the second driest, and July recorded the region’s second-highest minimum temperature. The Southern Peninsula saw its hottest February ever, followed by exceptionally hot and dry March and April, but with a 36.5% surplus in July rainfall and the second-highest minimum temperature in August. CSE director general Sunita Narain said, “These record-breaking statistics reflect climate change’s impact, where events that used to occur once every century are now happening every five years or even less. This frequency is overwhelming the most vulnerable populations, who lack the resources to adapt to this relentless cycle of loss and damage.” The report highlights event types the past nine months have seen from lightning and storms -- spanning 32 states and resulting in 1,021 deaths -- to relentless monsoon rains, which led to flooding across various regions. In Assam alone, heavy rains, floods and landslides were recorded on 122 days, leaving large parts of the state submerged and communities devastated. Nationwide, 1,376 lives were lost due to floods. Rajit Sengupta, associate editor of Down To Earth magazine, and one of the writers of this report, said “While heatwaves claimed 210 lives, the data does not reflect the extended health impacts of prolonged high temperatures on the wellbeing of people in North India, including farmers and labourers, who endured intense heat with little means of relief.” Similarly, the toll of severe cold snaps and frost on crop losses is not captured, highlighting the need for robust compensation systems for weather-induced losses. Without this support, farmers are pushed into debt, exacerbating their marginalisation and poverty, he added. The report says that Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days -- the most in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). Andhra Pradesh had the most houses damaged (85,806), while Maharashtra, which saw extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60% of the affected crop area nation-wide, followed by Madhya Pradesh (25,170 ha). Regionally, Central India faced the highest frequency of extreme events with 218 days, followed closely by the Northwest at 213 days. In terms of lives lost, the Central region had the most deaths (1,001), followed by the Southern Peninsula (762 deaths), East and Northeast (741 deaths) and Northwest (734 deaths). Kiran Pandey, programme director of CSE’s environmental resources team and one of the writers of the report, said “27 states and Union Territories saw a rise in extreme weather days in 2024, with Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh each experiencing 40 or more additional days of such events.” Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth, said “This extreme weather report card is essential reading, as it reveals not only the frequency of such events but also the cumulative and far-reaching damage they cause. This underscores the urgent need for systems that accurately capture losses, giving a human face to the impacts of climate change.” CSE researchers point out that the report highlights a critical shift that is needed in our approach to extreme events -- from disaster response to risk reduction and resilience-building. Flood management, for example, requires more than plans on paper; it calls for the strategic development of drainage and water recharge systems, along with expanded green spaces and forests to act as natural water reservoirs in preparation for future storms. The report also emphasises the need for climate reparations from high-emission countries responsible for much of the damage. Climate models are clear: extreme weather events are set to become more frequent and severe. Narain said: “This trend is no longer hypothetical -- it is visible in the escalating crises we face today. 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.”

• Down To Earth

Extreme weather claimed over 3,200 lives in first 9 months of 2024: CSE report

Extreme weather events claimed over 3,200 lives and destroyed over 2.3 lakh houses in India in the first nine months of 2024, according to a new report. The report by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said India faced extreme weather events on 93 per cent of the days in the year’s first nine months -- 255 out of 274 days. The report said extreme weather events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectares (mha) of crops, destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings, and killed 9,457 livestock.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi’s air pollution: vehicular emissions top contributor, says study

Vehicles in the Capital contributed more to air pollution than stubble burning in neighbouring States during the period from October 12 to November 3, said the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based research and advocacy group. “While meeting clean air benchmark requires deep cuts in emissions from all key sources of pollution in the region, the mobility crisis will require immediate attention and upscaled intervention to cut down the prime contributor to the toxic pollution build-up,” the CSE said in a statement. “The mobility crisis cannot hide behind the smokescreen of pollution from farms and other sources,” it added. The organisation said slow incremental change in public transport systems, lack of integration, inefficient last-mile connectivity and hidden subsidy for the use of personal vehicles cannot address this mobility crisis in the city. “This immediately requires a game-changing strategy to upscale infrastructure for buses, metro and their integration, incentive for usage of these systems and disincentives for usage of personal vehicles as is the global good practice,” it said. According to the research group, the neighbouring districts accounted for 34.97% of the city’s air pollution while the contribution of ‘Delhi’s local sources’ was 30.34%. The contribution of farm fires stood at only 8.19% during the period while the remaining sources of pollution were in areas beyond the National Capital Region. Providing a breakdown of the local sources of pollution, the CSE said as per its analysis, vehicular emissions contributed the most (51.5%) while the share of dust particles was 3.7%. The analysis is based on data from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management in Delhi, developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. Inspection teams Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said 58 teams have been formed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation for regular inspection of industrial units. He added that 191 patrol teams have been deployed to oversee the disposal of industrial waste in the Capital.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Car emissions largest contributor to Delhi's poor AQI: CSE study

It is not the Haryana and Punjab farmers, but the vehicular pollution that is the largest contributor to the national capital’s poor Air Quality Index (AQI), accounting for over 50% more harmful pollutants than other sources. A new study by the Delhi-based environmental think tank ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)’ reveals that vehicular emission is the top contributor to Delhi’s pollution during winter -- more than stubble burning, road dust or bursting of firecrackers. CSE has analysed the current trends in particulate matter pollution, trends in motorisation, congestion impacts, and the state of public transport to understand this growing challenge. An estimated 1.1 million vehicles enter and exit Delhi daily, worsening the air quality. The traffic caused by this vehicle influx intensifies pollution, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx), which account for 81 per cent of NOx pollution in the city. The analysis says Delhi needs to cut current 60% of its air pollution to meet the target of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM2.5. Additionally, the annual PM 2.5 levels show an improvement of 7% in 2023 when compared to the 2019 levels. Further, the PM2.5 winter peak has reduced by almost 35% in 2023-24 compared to the 2019-20 level but the average PM2.5 concentration has almost stagnated and has been the highest in the last five years. When stubble burning was at peak between October 10-20, the contribution of average farm fire to Delhi’s PM2.5 level was only 0.7%, says the report. Further, when stubble burning induced pollutants increased sharply since October 22, the PM2.5 levels reached 213 µg/m³, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category. On October 31, the concentration was 206 µg/m³, only 3 per cent lower than the October 23 peak, even though the stubble burning contribution on October 31 doubled compared to October 23. “The data clearly indicates that local sources are the primary contributors to the elevated PM2.5 levels in Delhi, as concentrations remained high even when the impact of stubble burning was minimal,” says Anumita Roy Choudhary, Executive Director of CSE and one of the authors of the study. The study underlines that explosive motorisation, choking congestion and inadequate public transport services are weakening the emission gains from different technology measures in the transport sector. Delhi Government has taken a number of measures such as implementing the largest ever CNG programme for the public transport and local commercial transport, phasing out of 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles, restrictions on entry of non-destined trucks, introduction of Bharat Stage 6 emissions standards, and onset of the fleet electrification. Despite that, vehicles are still the key polluter due to the growing mobility crisis.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi AQI today: Smog lingers as air quality remains ‘very poor’

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality remained in the "very poor" category on Thursday morning, with a layer of smog hanging over areas such as Akshardham temple. Delhi's AQI was 367 at 9 am. Nine areas, including Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri, reported "severe" air quality, says the Central Pollution Control Board. Following Diwali, the Supreme Court raised concerns over lax enforcement of the firecracker ban, questioning authorities on pollution control measures. The Centre for Science and Environment pointed to vehicular emissions as a major contributor, accounting for 51.1% of the pollution, and called for enhanced public transport to address the ongoing crisis. A thin layer of smog hung over many areas of the city on Wednesday morning, marking the sixth day of poor air quality after Diwali celebrations, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Your Wheels Are To Blame For Half Of Bad Air

New Delhi: The Centre for Science and Environment has said that despite technical measures to curb emissions, vehicular pollution is the top pollutant in the city, accounting for 51.1% of pollution from all local emission sources. The CSE analysis points out that the existing "mobility crisis" — major lapses despite the strengthening of transport infrastructure over the years — has led to a sharp rise in the private vehicle fleet and these account for a high contribution to pollution in the winter, so much so that even when harvest stubble burning has been low, Delhi's air quality has remained at the ‘poor' or ‘very poor' level. On Wednesday, Sunita Narain, director general, CSE, and Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, held urban transport to be the main source of local emissions. They batted for the strengthening of local transport while pointing out that less than 1% of the city's bus stops had a waiting period of less than 10 minutes. CSE also asserted that while peak pollution levels in the city have declined in recent years, the average has increased, suggesting local pollution sources are at play. It pointed out how while pollutant levels have dropped since 2019, Delhi still needed to reduce them by huge volumes to meet acceptable norms. Based on the analysis of CPCB data, CSE found that from Oct till Jan, the 24-hour peak PM2.5 concentration in the winter months reduced from 566 micrograms per cubic metre in 2019-20 to 366 in 2023-24. Yet, despite the 35% drop, it was still six times the 24-hourly national average of 60 units. Despite this dip in the peak pollution levels, CSE noted that the average PM2.5 has steadily increased from 173 micrograms per cubic metre in 2019-10 to 189 last winter. "In 2023, Delhi's citywide annual average for PM2.5 stood at 101 micrograms per cubic metre, reflecting a 7% improvement since 2019, when the level was at 109. Despite this progress, the city still faces a significant challenge in curbing air pollution because Delhi needs to reduce PM2.5 levels by an additional 61% to meet the national annual air quality standard of 40 microgram per cubic metre," adds the CSE assessment. "The findings suggest that while emergency actions are working, the overall sources are likely to increase, including vehicles, which have emerged as the largest polluters in the city," said Roychowdhury. "The emission inventory studies for Delhi done by IIT Kanpur in 2015, TERI-ARAI in 2018 and Safar, also in 2018, have determined the transport sector's contribution to PM2.5 to be, respectively, 20%, 39% and 41%. Among combustion sources, it is the highest source and annually, it is the second biggest source behind dust." Roychowdhury said that more efforts were required to improve public transport. The CSE analysis underlines issues like the lack of reliability on public transport. For example, instances of buses breaking down mid-journey rose to 1,259 in 2022-23 from 781 in 2018-19. The analysis also called attention to the high waiting times for buses, revealing that passengers had to wait for less than 10 minutes at fewer than 1% of the city's bus stops. Around 50% of the bus stops currently had a waiting time of over 15 minutes. As per the Economic Survey Delhi 2023-24, the capital has 79 lakh vehicles and 6.5 lakh new vehicles were added in 2023-24 itself (6.1 lakh annual addition in the pre-pandemic years). In addition, 1.1 million vehicles entered and exited the city daily. Two-wheelers and cars are growing at the same annual pace of 15%, adding that transport accounts for 81% of nitrogen oxide emissions. CSE observed that the city's expansion into peripheral areas has caused the per capita trip rate to rise 12.3% and average trip length to go up by a staggering 81.7%. These were also factors leading to the rise in private vehicle use.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi pollution: Vehicle emission is the biggest local contributor: Report

Vehicles plying on the streets of the national capital is to be blamed the most for rising pollution levels in Delhi. A new study has revealed that vehicle emission is the biggest contributor of pollutants that affects Delhi's air quality index (AQI) during the winter months. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has backed its study with data that shows vehicles share more than half of pollutants spread through local sources. Delhi is currently under grip of very poor air quality as pollution levels remain high since Diwali festival on October 31.