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Onslaught of Extreme Weather Has Affected 2.8 Million Hectares of Crop Land in 2024 So Far, Central India Worst-Hit

The onslaught of extreme weather events has affected over 2.8 million hectares of crop area across India in 2024 so far, revealing the hefty cost of climate change suffered by farmers. All states bore the brunt, but Central India, especially Madhya Pradesh, was the hardest-hit, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “In the face of global warming, it has become critical that we improve our response to help farmers become more climate-resilient. On one hand, the increase in climate change-driven extreme weather events has put enormous strain on farmers’ capacity to cope and increased risks. On the other hand, they have to invest more and more to grow food as input costs rise,” said Sunita Narain, Director-General, CSE, at the inaugural edition of Climate Week in Nimli on Tuesday. The extreme weather events ranging from devastating heavy rains, floods, landslides to heatwaves have been on the rise due to a spike in global temperatures. According to the database maintained by the New Delhi-based organisation, extreme weather events hit India on almost 255 of the total 274 days from January to September. Madhya Pradesh witnessed the highest number of such days, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, according to the CSE, which sourced the data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Disaster Management Division for its database. Kiran Pandey, Director, Environment Resources Unit, CSE, highlighted that there has been a 54 per cent increase in the crop area impacted due to extreme weather compared to 2022, when roughly 1.84 million hectares of crop land was affected. “All states suffered the impacts, but the figures show that Central India bore the maximum brunt. Also, the actual cost is likely to be much more due to some missing data,” she remarked. Researchers and experts from across India have gathered for CSE’s inaugural Climate Week in Nimli to explore challenges of climate change, including the need to make India’s agriculture sector more climate-resilient. Experts highlighted that it is not just the spate of extreme weather events, and erratic rains, but shifts in day and night temperature is impacting crops differently.

Cleanest start to Oct in six years, thank shift in wind direction for it

Gurgaon: The city's air pollution levels were among the lowest recorded in the first 15 days of Oct this year since 2018 and the second best after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started monitoring the city's AQI in 2016. The late change in wind direction in the region, according to experts, has contributed to better air quality in the city this year. The average AQI for the first 15 days of Oct was 117, a significant improvement from the same period last year, which saw an average index of 175. The average Oct AQI in 2021 was 120, while the lowest recorded since 2016 was 98 in 2017. The city experienced its most polluted Oct air quality in 2018, with an average index of 208, followed by 2020 (202), 2016 (143), and 2019 (142). This Oct, the city recorded four "satisfactory" and 11 "moderate" air days, compared to four "poor", one "satisfactory", and 10 "moderate" air days in 2023. Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "The numbers are not showing a monumental difference. In Gurgaon, it is just a marginal change when we see the year-on-year data. It can be because Gurgaon;s air might not be coming from the direction of an industrial belt like Delhi or areas where stubble burning is taking place this year. This time the change in wind direction happened a little late, so the city has been witnessing better air. This Oct 10 air direction was southerly, which has helped so far." Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Envirocatalysts, explained that both Delhi and Gurgaon air monitors are picking up stubble burning data, but the impact has been minimal due to the low number of farm fires in the region during the first half of Oct. "If we look at the last 15 days' data, Delhi's average PM 2.5 data was at 67 µg/m³, while Gurgaon was at 61 µg/m³. This means that stations are picking up similar kinds of emissions. Farm fire numbers had not picked up in the region in the first half of Oct. What we are noticing is local factors. Also, Delhi gets air from industrial belts. Moreover, the city has more open spaces and lower emissions compared to Delhi, which is also helping the region," Dahiya said. State Pollution control board (HSPCB) officials highlighted that suspension of road dust due to vehicular traffic and waste burning are of particular concern in the city. HSPCB regional officer Vijay Chaudhary said, "People are aware of the problem now. Things are changing on the ground. In the next two to three years, air pollution in this region can be under control. We have been tackling the problem with a multi-pronged approach. Over the years, highly-polluting industries have moved out of NCR. We also have changed rules for the use of diesel gensets and put a ban on biomass burning. These have definitely yielded some results, but we still need to strengthen the public transportation system and control construction and demolition waste and road dust."

LG gives nod for tax discounts on scrapping old vehicles

Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena has approved a proposal that provides a discount ranging between 10-20% on motor vehicle tax to people purchasing a new vehicle, if their older automobile is scrapped, people aware of the development said on Tuesday. The proposal, floated by the Delhi government in July, will come into effect from the date of the notification, the people said. The discount will only be provided if the buyer provides a certificate confirming the scrapping of the older vehicle, and the concession can range from 10-20%, depending on the vehicle’s fuel type, they said. “The discount is one of the many measures that the Delhi government has taken to promote the use of clean, non-pollution vehicles in the Capital. The discounts will make the purchase of vehicles cheaper, thus it will encourage the scrapping of old, polluting vehicles,” transport minister Kailash Gahlot said. Motor vehicle tax in Delhi ranges from 4% to 12.5% on the ex-showroom price of the vehicle. The tariff can depend on the vehicle’s fuel type as well as the size and ex-showroom price of the vehicles. For example, if a person buys the base petrol version of Tata Nexon (ex-showroom price: ₹8 lakh), they will have to pay motor vehicle tax of 7%. Thus, if they have scrapped a vehicle for ₹50,000, they can get a rebate of ₹11,200. However, the base diesel version of Tata Nexon (ex-showroom price: ₹10.5 lakh), they will have to pay motor vehicle tax of 12.5%, and the rebate is ₹16,406.25. According to orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018), no vehicle which is 15 years old or more can operate on the roads of the national capital. For diesel vehicles, this time period is cut down to 10 years only. The government calls such vehicles “end-of-Iife” vehicles, and driving them in Delhi is illegal. The aim behind these rules is to cut down on the number of vehicles on the city’s roads with dated emission standards. The Delhi government proposal is based on the vehicle scrapping policy of the Union ministry of road transport and highways, notified in 2021, which advised state governments to offer a road tax rebate of up to 25% for personal vehicles and up to 15% for commercial vehicles to people who scrap their older vehicle. In July, the Delhi transport department sent its proposal to Saxena for consideration and approval, and the LG passed the file recently. “The LG has approved the proposal to provide concession in the motor vehicles tax on registration of new transport and non-transport vehicles, against the scrapping of old vehicles, provided that the certificate of scrapping from registered vehicles scrapping facility (RVSF) is provided. A notification will be issued in a couple of days. The concession will come into effect from the date on which the notification is issued,” said a Delhi government official. According to the new policy, the concession cannot exceed 50% of the scrap value of the older vehicle — this means that if the scrap value of the older vehicle is ₹50,000, then the concession to the buyer can’t be more than ₹25,000. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at Centre for Science and Environment, said, “This incentive can enable proactive decision of the vehicle owners to replace old vehicles with new vehicles. As old vehicles emit several times more than the new vehicles, substantial emission reduction is possible.”

Onslaught of Extreme Weather Has Affected 2.8 Million Hectares of Crop Land in 2024 So Far, Central India Worst-Hit

According to agricultural scientists, Rabi crops grown from November to March are bearing more brunt of climate change due to stark shift in temperatures and rainfall during winter. The onslaught of extreme weather events has affected over 2.8 million hectares of crop area across India in 2024 so far, revealing the hefty cost of climate change suffered by farmers. All states bore the brunt, but Central India, especially Madhya Pradesh, was the hardest-hit, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “In the face of global warming, it has become critical that we improve our response to help farmers become more climate-resilient. On one hand, the increase in climate change-driven extreme weather events has put enormous strain on farmers’ capacity to cope and increased risks. On the other hand, they have to invest more and more to grow food as input costs rise,” said Sunita Narain, Director-General, CSE, at the inaugural edition of Climate Week in Nimli on Tuesday. The extreme weather events ranging from devastating heavy rains, floods, landslides to heatwaves have been on the rise due to a spike in global temperatures. According to the database maintained by the New Delhi-based organisation, extreme weather events hit India on almost 255 of the total 274 days from January to September. Madhya Pradesh witnessed the highest number of such days, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, according to the CSE, which sourced the data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Disaster Management Division for its database. Kiran Pandey, Director, Environment Resources Unit, CSE, highlighted that there has been a 54 per cent increase in the crop area impacted due to extreme weather compared to 2022, when roughly 1.84 million hectares of crop land was affected. “All states suffered the impacts, but the figures show that Central India bore the maximum brunt. Also, the actual cost is likely to be much more due to some missing data,” she remarked. Researchers and experts from across India have gathered for CSE’s inaugural Climate Week in Nimli to explore challenges of climate change, including the need to make India’s agriculture sector more climate-resilient. Experts highlighted that it is not just the spate of extreme weather events, and erratic rains, but shifts in day and night temperature is impacting crops differently.

Delhi-NCR enters choke season? Grap-I enforced

The 27 measures announced under Grap Stage I to combat the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR are preventive actions, directing govt agencies to intensify measures to control air pollution. Among the worst hit in Delhi at 4 pm This includes stopping construction and demolition (C&D) activities for projects with a plot size equal to or more than 500 sqm that have not yet registered on the respective web portals of Delhi, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh govts. Among the measures under Stage I are enforcing a complete ban on coal or firewood in tandoors in hotels, restaurants, and open eateries; enforcing orders of NGT and Supreme Court on overage vehicles; carrying out periodic mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling on roads; and ensuring that diesel generator sets are not used as a regular source of power supply. “While comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario in the region as well as the air quality forecast, it was noted that there was a notable dip in air quality parameters in the last 24 hours in the region, which led to the AQI for Delhi moving into the ‘poor’ category. The forecasts also predict air quality to mainly remain in ‘poor’ category in the coming days owing to the unfavourable meteorological conditions,” said CAQM in a statement on Monday. It added that all agencies in NCR have been asked to implement Stage I’s measures from 8 am on Tuesday. CAQM has asked people across NCR to follow steps mentioned in the ‘citizen charter’ of Stage-I of Grap to help in reducing pollution. The measures include reporting air pollution activities through the 311 App, Green Delhi App, and Sameer App; keeping engines tuned properly; ensuring correct tyre pressure; keeping PUC for vehicles up-to-date; not idling vehicles at red lights; preferring hybrid or electric vehicles to control pollution; and celebrating festivals in an eco-friendly manner. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “AQI is expected to worsen with the intensification of calm and cold conditions. We need stronger preparedness to prevent pollution build-up. GRAP Stage Iand II need to be implemented as default measures for the entire winter period. But the focus has to be on sustained action to control emissions from vehicles, industries, waste burning and solid-fuel burning. The action needs to be scalable across the NCR region and beyond.” Meanwhile, the maximum temperature was recorded at 34.4 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal, while the minimum temperature dropped to 18.6 degrees C, one notch below normal. The minimum temperature is likely to dip further to around 18 degrees C on Tuesday and 17 degrees C on Wednesday.

Delhi govt to procure drones to ‘spray’ mist at pollution hot spots

The Delhi government has floated tenders and is looking to procure “mist-spraying drones” for pollution hotspots across the city this winter, officials aware of the matter said. These drones will also be able to record air quality data and capture images of the surface below. The drones, in addition to spraying mist to control dust pollution, will also have sensors that will enable it to record air pollution data, including PM 2.5 and PM 10, said government officials aware of the project. The official cited above said that the environment department of Delhi government is looking to procure three such drones. “The idea behind this is to track pollution at Delhi’s pollution hotspots in a comprehensive manner. The drones will primarily be used to identify local sources of air pollution from a height but will also be able to record air quality data. We have further looked at the possibility of spraying mist from these drones, in order to bring down dust in particular,” the official said, adding that more drones will be added if the pilot project of three drones is successful. Using drones to monitor air pollution is part of the government’s 21-point Winter Action Plan, announced on September 25. Environment minister Gopal Rai, while announcing the plan, had said that using these drones will allow the government to take swift action against violators. “This is the first time we are using drones. Earlier, sources at these hotspots were identified manually. This will allow real-time identification and action against sources of pollution there,” Rai had said. In 2018, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had identified 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi, based on their annual PM2.5 concentration. This includes Anand Vihar, Mundka, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, RK Puram, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh, Okhla, Bawana, Vivek Vihar, Narela, Ashok Vihar and Dwarka. A senior environment department official said if successful, the idea is to eventually have at least one drone for each of the 13 hotspots. “For larger hotspots, we may also have two drones,” the official added. Experts said that even if using drones is an innovative idea, such pilots should have been done much earlier. “We have had these hotspots for the last several years now. We already know the sources of pollution at each hotspot. The need of the hour is not to map sources but to act against the sources. An action taken report should be released by the government, detailing what has been done at each hotspot to control local pollution,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

Drop in wind speed likely to turn city’s air ‘poor’ in next two days

Gurgaon: The city's air quality index (AQI) remained in the "moderate" range for the third consecutive day on Monday though Delhi and other NCR cities like Noida Ghaziabad witnessed "poor" air. The city's AQI improved slightly to 108 on Monday compared to 169 on the previous day. Throughout Oct, Gurgaon hasn't witnessed "poor" air days. Instead, it has logged four "satisfactory" days and 10 "moderate" days. However, an HSPCB official said local surface winds are likely to remain calm for next two days, resulting in deterioration of air quality to "poor" category. "Surface winds are expected to remain calm, at around 8kmph, for the next two days. This will not help disperse pollutants, with AQI likely to deteriorate to "poor," he said. So far, the average AQI was recorded at 113 from Oct 1 to 14, which is better than the past six years. Last year, the average AQI was clocked at 176 during the same period, while it was 114 in 2022, 141 in 2021, 194 in 2020, 132 in 2019 and 223 in 2018. According to experts, though the region witnessed less showers and low wind speed this month, long-range transportation of pollutants was less than previous years. In the last two weeks, the southeast wind direction prevented pollutants from farm fires from reaching the city, resulting in a minor difference in air quality compared to previous years. However, the recent change in wind direction to northwest is expected to have an impact on the AQI. Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), explained the situation. "The first half of Oct was much better this year. This change is because farm fires didn't pick up in Sept and till the first week of Oct. We are witnessing a rise now, so it is impacting Delhi's AQI. Also, a few days before Dussehra, air was stagnant and after that, it became stagnant. As a result, pollutants from bursting of crackers, vehicular pollution, road dust and others failed to disperse," he said. As Delhi's air quality has worsened, with the daily AQI reaching 234, the authorities have implemented stage-I of GRAP to control air pollution. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) sub-committee has been closely monitoring the situation. According to experts, the AQI in Delhi has increased due to a combination of factors, including rising vehicular emissions, ongoing construction work and weather conditions. As GRAP stage 1 kicks in, NCR cities will have to ensure regular lifting of municipal solid waste, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and any other trash considered "hazardous" from dedicated dumpsites. Authorities must ensure that no waste is dumped illegally in open areas. Construction & demolition activities in housing projects with plot sizes equal to or more than 500 sqm, which are not registered on the web portals of NCR states for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures, will be suspended in the region.

सुनीता नारायण का कॉलम:स्वच्छ हवा के लिए पूरे साल उपाय करने की जरूरत है

एक बार फिर से दिल्ली और आस-पड़ोस के लोग खतरे के अंदेशे से भर गए हैं। सर्दी शुरू हो गई है। हल्की हवा बहना बंद कर देगी और हवा में मौजूद प्रदूषक असर दिखाएंगे। तब हम सांस नहीं ले पाएंगे। हम सिर्फ उम्मीद करेंगे कि हवा-पानी राहत देकर जाए। ये हालात इसलिए हैं क्योंकि हमने प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए कुछ भी नहीं किया। हम इन्हीं दिनों में कदम उठाते हैं, जाहिर तौर पर ये बहुत थोड़े होते हैं और देर भी हो जाती है। अब कहा जा रहा है कि क्लाउड सीडिंग पर विचार हो रहा है। जबकि यह स्पष्ट है कि प्रदूषक कारक नमी में फंसकर रह जाते हैं, जिससे स्थिति विकट हो जाती है। 1990 के दशक में सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वॉयरमेंट ने ‘स्लो मर्डर’ रिपोर्ट में प्रदूषण के मुख्य कारक बताए थे। इनमें वाहन, ईंधन की खराब गुणवत्ता व वाहन निर्माताओं के कार्बन उत्सर्जन मानकों में कमी थी। उसी दशक के उत्तरार्ध में सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने दिशानिर्देश जारी किए, जिसमें सरकार से ईंधन की गुणवत्ता में सुधार करने, गाड़ियों के लिए उत्सर्जक मानक अनिवार्य बनाने (यह भारत स्टेज 1,2,3 और अब 6 की शुरुआत थी) और सार्वजनिक परिवहन को बढ़ावा देने के लिए कहा था। 1998 में कोर्ट ने निर्देश दिया था कि सड़कों पर 11 हजार बसें चलाई जाएं। पर ऐसा नहीं हुआ। पेट्रोल-डीजल की गुणवत्ता सुधारने के बजाय विकल्प के रूप में सीएनजी आई। हालांकि यह तत्काल राहत साबित हुई। आज, जब हम ईवी की ओर बढ़ रहे हैं, ऐसे में सीएनजी अपनाने से जुड़े कई सबक काम आ सकते हैं। पहला है टेक्नोलॉजी की चुनौती। किसी भी देश ने इतनी व्यापकता से सीएनजी की ओर रुख नहीं किया था, जैसा 90 के दशक में दिल्ली में प्रस्ताव था। मूल्य की भी चिंताएं थीं। मतलब टेक्नोलॉजी में इनोवेशन के लिए नीतिगत मार्गदर्शन की जरूरत थी। वित्तीय मदद दी गई, ताकि पुरानी वाहन हटाए जा सकें और सीएनजी वाहन आ सकें। दूसरा था लागू करने की चुनौती और क्रियान्वयन। कोर्ट ने दो से तीन साल में पूरी तरह से सीएनजी वाहनों पर शिफ्ट होने को अनिवार्य किया था। इसमें समन्वय के साथ कुछ कड़े निर्णयों की जरूरत थी। आज जब दिल्ली में ई-बसों की महत्वाकांक्षी परियोजना है, लेकिन यह वांछनीय गति से नहीं हो रहा है, ताकि निजी वाहन बढ़ने से रोके जा सकें। साल 2023 में रजिस्टर्ड हुए निजी वाहनों की संख्या 2022 के मुकाबले दोगुनी थी। भले ही नए वाहन ज्यादा स्वच्छ हों, लेकिन उनकी भी बहुत ज्यादा संख्या से इसके फायदे कहीं खो जाते हैं। यह साधारण- सा गणित है। दूसरा महत्वपूर्ण फैक्टर ईंधन हैं, जो कि घरों में चूल्हे से लेकर फैक्ट्री और थर्मल पावर प्लांट में इस्तेमाल होता है। ज्यादातर मामलों में यह बायोमास या कोयला है। सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने पेट कोक, वहीं दिल्ली सरकार ने कोयले पर प्रतिबंध लगाया है। यह भी सहमति हुई कि थर्मल पावर प्लांट सफाई करेंगे या बंद हो जाएंगे। पर ऐसा हुआ नहीं। सीएनजी की तरफ शिफ्ट होने के सबक ये हैं कि किसी चीज के बैन को प्रभावी बनाने से पहले लोगों को विकल्प चाहिए होते हैं। जब डीजल बसें बंद हुईं, तो सीएनजी की आपूर्ति सुनिश्चित करनी पड़ी। कोर्ट ने कहा था कि स्वच्छ ईंधन को सस्ता रखने के लिए राजकोषीय उपायों की आवश्यकता है। लेकिन प्राकृतिक गैस की कीमत उद्योग को अप्रतिस्पर्धी बनाती है। हमें समझना जरूरी है कि स्वच्छ हवा के लिए पूरे साल कदम उठाने होंगे। (ये लेखिका के अपने विचार हैं)

Air quality worsens to ‘poor’ in Delhi, minimum stays below 20°C

The Capital’s air quality deteriorated significantly on Sunday morning, which brought with it the dreadfully familiar haze of dirty air that experts attributed to smoke from Dussehra effigy burning and calm conditions typical of the winter. The 24-hour average air quality index was at 224 at 4pm in the “poor” category — a bleak 69 points worse from 155 (moderate) recorded at the same time the day before, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin. This is the first “poor” air day day since the monsoon withdrew, marking the beginning of a transition to winter when meteorological factors, farm fires in Punjab and Haryana, and local emissions create a toxic cocktail that has, at its worst, led to schools closing and stay-at-home advisories being issued. The commission for air quality management (CAQM), a high-powered body that monitors and implements curbs during the air pollution crisis, said it had noted a rise in AQI “owing to episodic events” since Saturday night till about noon on Sunday. “However, the pollutant concentrations and thereby the AQI are now exhibiting a declining trend, with AQI improving to 222 at 5PM, and it is further expected to improve with time,” it added in a statement, forecasting “moderate” air pollution on by Monday. Citing this improvement, the agency said it will monitor the situation for one more day before deciding to invoke stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), which includes, 24 preventive measures like increasing mechanised sweeping, shutting down construction and demolition sites with an area over 500 sqm, increased deployment of traffic police at congestion points, etc. Another expert said Sunday’s bad air was down to both, meteorology and concentrated burning. “With the onset of the winter, the city and the larger NCR region requires strong preventive measures to be better prepared,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment.

Ratan Tata: An environmentalist's homage to India's business icon

Our first interaction with the late Ratan Tata was not pleasant. Delhi was choking with pollution, and our campaign on the right to clean air had been launched. Diesel was a fuel that was being indicted for emissions of tiny particulate matter PM2.5. This all was new in the mid-1990s, as science was discovering how fuel and vehicle quality, when improved, would lead to an unexpected outcome of smaller particulates, which could go deep into our lungs. So, my late colleague Anil Agarwal and I wrote about the dangers of diesel. And we promptly got a defamation notice of some consequent sum of money from Tata Motors. That was when Ratan Tata had just launched his car enterprise. It was riding on the change of fuel — diesel, which would give his company an edge over the petrol variants of Maruti Suzuki and others. We were not the kind to back down. Nor was he. It was a messy battle in the highest court of the country. Slowly, what went on was anger in this contest. As the matter proceeded, I realised that Ratan Tata was driven to the case genuinely believing that we were doing this on behalf of his competitors — petrol car guys. But once it was established that our campaign was based on the emerging science of PM2.5, and the health impact of diesel as an automotive fuel — the mood changed. This is not to say that Tata Motors backed down from its diesel car ambition. And it is not as if we gave up our fight against diesel vehicles. But it settled into what you can say were good old-fashioned democratic traditions of acceptance of contrary views. In fact, when Ratan Tata launched his pet project, the Nano cars, at the Delhi automobile exhibition, he called out my name, saying that he hoped this affordable vehicle would meet my approval. Amazing and humbling. My second experience was more personal but equally touching. I was at a rather high-level lunch table — this was when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister. It was a table of the rich and powerful, and Ratan Tata was explaining how his automobile company catered to every segment of India’s population. He had just bought the iconic Jaguar in the UK, which was the car of the famous, and had launched the Nano for the first-time buyer. I intervened and said he had forgotten something. I could see the worried glint in his eyes as he expected the activist in me to say something inconvenient. But I said that he had forgotten to list the fact that Tata Motors also made buses and that these moved more people — thousands more than cars — and his buses were now modern (the low-floor bus had just been launched) and clean (running on compressed natural gas). There was appreciation all around. The conversation then moved on to other banalities, and I thought the matter was over. But no. A few days later, I got a visit from a top executive of Tata Motors. I presumed that it was about our anti-diesel campaign. He said he was not from the car side of the Tata but from the bus business. He asked what I had said to Ratan Tata; I asked why he was asking, and then he explained. The fact is that after my lunch-time comment to his boss, he had received a call asking what was this amazing work that was happening that even Sunita Narain appreciated and praised it. I was then told that this led to a huge interest from the boss in mobility transformation and the role of modern buses to move people and not vehicles. I am writing this today not because I want to show off my interactions with the great man. But to explain what, in my view, this greatness was about — an ability to listen and to accept different positions, however inconvenient. I am also saying this because of what we have seen from other industry leaders. When I look back, the most aggressive and obnoxious reactions to our work came from the two multinationals when we revealed our study on pesticides in their product. Their response was to dismiss us, saying that they could not be wrong because they were what they were — US-based companies. Their arrogance was absolute. The second-worst response we have had is from pesticide-manufacturing companies. We continue to face a barrage of threats, intimidation tactics, and legal cases on our work against toxins in food. There is no understanding here that our work is not personal but about the other side of business and that balance is all that we seek. So, as we mourn the demise of Ratan Tata, let’s also mourn the passing of the time when business leaders like him ruled our world, when values of frugality and simplicity in personal life were cherished, and when business was not only about private gain but also about securing the public good. Let’s hope that when we pay homage to Ratan Tata, we also reject the idea of that obscene lavishness of the powerful of today and that we pledge to bring back the idea that dissent is not dissent, it is the idea that we did not know existed.

Delhi AQI: दिल्ली में गर्मी से राहत… लेकिन खराब स्तर पर पहुंची राजधानी की ‘हवा’

Delhi AQI: दिल्ली में सर्दियों की शुरुआत होने के साथ ही वायु गुणवत्ता खराब होने लगती है। राजधानी में दशहरे पर हुई आतिशबाजी से रविवार को AQI 224 दर्ज किया गया। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड ने बताया कि यह इस महीने का सबसे ज्यादा एक्यूआई रहा है। पिछले दो दिनों में दिल्ली में मौसम भी बदलने लगा है, इस दोरान हवाएं 8 किमी प्रतिघंटे की रफ्तार से चलीं। हालांकि सोमवार से हवा में सुधार की संभावनाएं जताई जा रही हैं। 224 दर्ज किया गया AQI केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के राष्ट्रीय बुलेटिन के मुताबिक, 24 घंटे का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता शाम 4 बजे 224 रही, जो कि खराब श्रेणी में आती है। एक दिन पहले इसी समय की बात करें तो ये 155 (मध्यम) दर्ज किया गया। मानसून जाने के बाद ये पहली बार है जब वायु गुणवत्ता खराब हुई है। इससे ये भी पता चलता है कि दिल्ली में सर्दियों की आमद होने वाली है। इस मौसम में दिल्ली की हवा में जहर घुलना शुरू हो जाता है। दशहरे की आतिशबाजी से बढ़ा प्रदूषण वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) ने कहा कि शनिवार रात से लेकर रविवार दोपहर तक एक्यूआई में वृद्धि देखी है। दिल्ली की हवा में दशहरे पर आतिशबाजी के बाद से बदलाव आया। हालांकि शाम 5 बजे एक्यूआई में सुधार होने लगा, ये 224 से 222 तक पहुंच गया। आने वाले समय में इसमें और सुधार होने की संभावनाएं हैं। सोमवार तक ये मध्यम श्रेणी में पहुंच सकता है। दशहरे के अलावा इसका एक कारण पराली जलाना भी बताया गया। हिंदुस्तान टाइम्स की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, रविवार की खराब हवा मौसम विज्ञान और सघन पराली जलाने दोनों के कारण थी। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में रिसर्च और एडवोकेसी की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा सर्दियों की शुरुआत के साथ, शहर और बड़े एनसीआर क्षेत्र को बेहतर तैयारी के लिए मजबूत निवारक उपायों की जरूरत है। कितना रहा तापमान? दिल्ली का न्यूनतम तापमान लगातार दूसरे दिन 20 डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे रहा। रविवार को यह सामान्य से एक डिग्री कम 18.6 डिग्री सेल्सियस रहा। शनिवार को इस मौसम में पहली बार न्यूनतम तापमान 20 डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे गया था, तब भी यह 18.6 डिग्री सेल्सियस था। पिछले सालों में कितना रहा AQI? इस साल इस समय तक AQI पिछले साल से बेहतर रहा। पिछले साल दशहरे के अगले दिन (25 अक्टूबर) दिल्ली का AQI 243 (खराब) था। 2022 में 6 अक्टूबर को यह 79 (संतोषजनक) था। ये 2015 के बाद से दशहरे के बाद के दिन दिल्ली में सबसे अच्छा AQI था। दशहरे के बाद सबसे ज्यादा AQI 2020 (26 अक्टूबर) में 353 (बहुत खराब) था।

दिल्ली में गर्मी से राहत… लेकिन खराब स्तर पर पहुंची राजधानी की ‘हवा’

Delhi AQI: दिल्ली में सर्दियों की शुरुआत होने के साथ ही वायु गुणवत्ता खराब होने लगती है। राजधानी में दशहरे पर हुई आतिशबाजी से रविवार को AQI 224 दर्ज किया गया। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड ने बताया कि यह इस महीने का सबसे ज्यादा एक्यूआई रहा है। पिछले दो दिनों में दिल्ली में मौसम भी बदलने लगा है, इस दोरान हवाएं 8 किमी प्रतिघंटे की रफ्तार से चलीं। हालांकि सोमवार से हवा में सुधार की संभावनाएं जताई जा रही हैं। 224 दर्ज किया गया AQI केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के राष्ट्रीय बुलेटिन के मुताबिक, 24 घंटे का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता शाम 4 बजे 224 रही, जो कि खराब श्रेणी में आती है। एक दिन पहले इसी समय की बात करें तो ये 155 (मध्यम) दर्ज किया गया। मानसून जाने के बाद ये पहली बार है जब वायु गुणवत्ता खराब हुई है। इससे ये भी पता चलता है कि दिल्ली में सर्दियों की आमद होने वाली है। इस मौसम में दिल्ली की हवा में जहर घुलना शुरू हो जाता है। —विज्ञापन— ये भी पढ़ें: Congestion Tax क्या? टोल टैक्स से कैसे अलग? दिल्ली वालों की जेब पर पड़ेगा असर दशहरे की आतिशबाजी से बढ़ा प्रदूषण वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) ने कहा कि शनिवार रात से लेकर रविवार दोपहर तक एक्यूआई में वृद्धि देखी है। दिल्ली की हवा में दशहरे पर आतिशबाजी के बाद से बदलाव आया। हालांकि शाम 5 बजे एक्यूआई में सुधार होने लगा, ये 224 से 222 तक पहुंच गया। आने वाले समय में इसमें और सुधार होने की संभावनाएं हैं। सोमवार तक ये मध्यम श्रेणी में पहुंच सकता है। —विज्ञापन— दशहरे के अलावा इसका एक कारण पराली जलाना भी बताया गया। हिंदुस्तान टाइम्स की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, रविवार की खराब हवा मौसम विज्ञान और सघन पराली जलाने दोनों के कारण थी। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में रिसर्च और एडवोकेसी की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा सर्दियों की शुरुआत के साथ, शहर और बड़े एनसीआर क्षेत्र को बेहतर तैयारी के लिए मजबूत निवारक उपायों की जरूरत है। कितना रहा तापमान? दिल्ली का न्यूनतम तापमान लगातार दूसरे दिन 20 डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे रहा। रविवार को यह सामान्य से एक डिग्री कम 18.6 डिग्री सेल्सियस रहा। शनिवार को इस मौसम में पहली बार न्यूनतम तापमान 20 डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे गया था, तब भी यह 18.6 डिग्री सेल्सियस था। पिछले सालों में कितना रहा AQI? इस साल इस समय तक AQI पिछले साल से बेहतर रहा। पिछले साल दशहरे के अगले दिन (25 अक्टूबर) दिल्ली का AQI 243 (खराब) था। 2022 में 6 अक्टूबर को यह 79 (संतोषजनक) था। ये 2015 के बाद से दशहरे के बाद के दिन दिल्ली में सबसे अच्छा AQI था। दशहरे के बाद सबसे ज्यादा AQI 2020 (26 अक्टूबर) में 353 (बहुत खराब) था।

Delhi Air Quality Declines to ‘Poor’ As Temperatures Stay Below 20°C

On Sunday morning, residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) awoke to a disheartening haze as air quality plummeted sharply. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 224 at 4 PM, categorizing the air quality as “poor.” This marks a troubling increase of 69 points from the previous day’s AQI of 155, which was classified as “moderate.” Causes of Deterioration Experts attribute the decline in air quality to several factors, primarily the smoke emanating from Dussehra effigy burnings and the stagnant atmospheric conditions typical of winter. This episode is the first significant drop in air quality since the end of the monsoon season, signaling the onset of a period often fraught with poor air quality. The combination of meteorological conditions, agricultural burning in Punjab and Haryana, and local emissions contribute to a toxic mix that can lead to severe health impacts, including school closures and stay-at-home advisories. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reported that since Saturday night, air quality had deteriorated due to “episodic events.” However, there was a glimmer of hope as the CAQM noted a slight improvement in AQI readings, reporting a decline to 222 by 5 PM. The commission anticipates further improvement in air quality, projecting “moderate” pollution levels by Monday. Potential Measures and Expert Insights In light of the current situation, the CAQM indicated that they would continue to monitor air quality for another day before deciding whether to invoke Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This plan encompasses 24 preventive measures aimed at mitigating air pollution, such as enhancing mechanized street sweeping, closing construction sites larger than 500 square meters, and deploying additional traffic police at congestion points. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, elaborated on the causes of the poor air quality. She stated, “With the onset of winter, the city and the larger NCR region require strong preventive measures to be better prepared.” Weather Conditions and Historical Context On Sunday, Delhi’s minimum temperature recorded a drop below 20°C for the second consecutive day, settling at 18.6°C, which is a degree below normal. This was the first time this season that the temperature dipped below 20°C, mirroring the same reading on Saturday. Comparing historical data, last year, the AQI in Delhi a day after Dussehra (October 25) was recorded at 243 (poor). This figure significantly contrasts with 2022, when the AQI was just 79 (satisfactory), marking it as the best air quality in Delhi for the day after Dussehra since 2015. Notably, the worst post-Dussehra AQI was 353 (very poor) in 2020. The fluctuation in air quality trends is closely linked to the timing of festivals. The upcoming weeks are critical, as this period sees a rise in pollution levels, particularly due to the smoke from stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, where farmers resort to burning paddy stubble as a cost-effective and swift method for clearing fields for subsequent crops. This year, Diwali, a festival that typically features firecracker celebrations despite a ban, falls within this high-pollution window. Temperature Insights On Sunday, the maximum temperature reached 35.1°C, two degrees above normal, an increase from the previous day’s high of 33.6°C. According to forecasts from the India Meteorological Department, warm conditions are expected to persist, with maximum temperatures hovering around 35°C and minimums settling at 19°C in the coming days.

India industries confident of 2030 renewable energy aim

Indian industries are confident about reaching the country's renewable energy target of 500GW by 2030, senior executives said at the Financial Times' Energy Transition Summit in New Delhi last week. This is especially given strong capacity installation of solar and wind projects in the coming years, delegates heard. India's renewable energy capacity stands at 199.5GW as of August, a rise of 12pc on the year, data from the Central Electricity Authority show. "India's [renewable] power sector has already grown at a [compound annual growth rate] of nearly 20pc in the last 10 years … The pace at which some of the bids are coming, we should reach 500GW by 2030," said domestic utility Tata Power's chief executive officer Praveer Sinha. A record 69GW of renewable energy tenders were issued during the April 2023-March 2024 fiscal year, surpassing the government-mandated target of 50GW. Tata Power is operating 4.5GW installed capacity of renewable energy that produced 64.6Th of electricity in the April 2023-March 2024 fiscal year. It aims to add another 5GW of installed capacity in the coming years, underscoring its commitment to providing round-the-clock renewable energy through solar, wind, and pumped hydro storage projects, Sinha added. Indian steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AMNS) also plans to add 1GW/yr of renewable energy capacity for its captive power consumption, managing director Dilip Oommen said. AMNS has developed a 975MW hybrid renewable energy project at Alamuru village in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The project will generate 661MW of solar and 314MW of wind power capacity, which will be integrated with a pumped hydro storage facility owned by renewables developer Greenko to overcome the intermittent nature of wind and solar power generation, ensuring round-the-clock power. Power generated from the solar and wind sites will be connected from Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district via a 400kV interstate transmission system up to AMNS' Hazria facility. The firm is also considering using hydrogen in its electric arc furnace, but remains skeptical about the cost economics. "At present, the cost of hydrogen is $3.50/kg," Oommen said, adding that if this falls below $2/kg, it would be feasible for commercial use at its facilities. The reduction in the cost of renewable power generation over the last few years has also raised interest in the sector, incentivising the coal-dominated eastern regions of India to adopt renewables, said Indian independent power provider Ampin Energy's chief executive officer Pinaki Bhattacharya. The domestic steel sector, one of the country's largest carbon emitters, is looking at ways to reduce emissions in light of the policies under the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which will take effect on 1 January 2026. This was echoed during a session on 9 October when India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman noted that India has been consistent in promoting domestic investment in renewables and establishing transmission lines. But she described CBAM as "a trade barrier" that could hurt investment in India's heavy industries and hinderthe country's transition away from fossil fuels. CBAM is a "unilateral" and "arbitrary" measure, which would "not be helpful" for India, she said, adding that India's concerns "would definitely be voiced" with the EU. Her sentiments were in line with that of commerce minister Piyush Goyal, who said last year that India will not accept any unfair taxes on steel that the EU imposes under the CBAM. Coal to renewables switch "We are not on track yet to displace coal," said Indian not-for-profit thinktank Centre for Science and Environment's director general Sunita Narain, when asked about India's transition from coal to renewables, considering that coal still dominates the country's electricity mix. Renewable energy generation capacity has currently increased to 13pc of the total electricity mix, but the country needs to hit the 35pc target by 2030, she added. India's power generation continues to rely on coal because of an abundant supply of the fuel as well as its cheaper price over other alternatives. Out of India's total installed capacity of 451GW, coal comprises 48.27pc, followed by solar at 19.84pc and wind at 10.47pc, as of August, data from government think tank Niti Aayog show.