• Water Programme

Extreme floods across Asia reflect a growing pattern of uncertainty

By August, flash floods from intense rainfall and water release from Indian dams affected 11 districts, including Feni, Cumilla, Noakhali, Khagrachari, and Rangamati. In September, torrential rains caused further flooding and landslides in southeastern regions, particularly in Cox's Bazar. Overall, the devastating floods this year have resulted in over 30 deaths and affected nearly 6 million people. However, Bangladesh is not the only country affected by floods in recent times. A powerful monsoon system has triggered catastrophic floods, landslides, and storms across South Asia and surrounding regions. While rural areas need investment in watershed development, flood-resilient infrastructure, and improved disaster preparedness, urban areas require decentralised water systems with wastewater reuse and institutional reforms for better resource management. In India, torrential rains led to flash floods in Gujarat and Rajasthan, displacing thousands and causing significant damage, while Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand experienced landslides that buried entire villages. China faced historic flooding and Typhoon Doksuri, submerging cities and prompting massive evacuations. Myanmar was also hit by Typhoon Yagi, causing severe flooding and landslides, resulting in over 226 deaths and displacing more than 320,000 people. Vietnam too suffered from Typhoon Yagi, with 344 people reported dead or missing and significant infrastructural damage. The Philippines, Laos, and Thailand experienced significant flooding and infrastructural damage due to the same typhoon. South Korea and Japan faced severe monsoon conditions, leading to floods and landslides, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to evacuate. Meanwhile, massive rainfall inundated parts of Central and Eastern Europe last week, when as much as two-thirds of some cities' annual rainfall occurred in just a few days. Experts assert that these events are directly linked to increasing global warming driven by human activities. Dr Rashed Chowdhury, applications scientist of water, climate and society and also an Adjunct Faculty at Arizona State University, explained that "intense rainfall happens when warmer air holds more moisture, leading to downpours, while the sun can quickly dry the ground, resulting in sweltering heat." Dr Ashraf Dewan, Associate Professor at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Curtin University, added that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are partly due to the weakening of large-scale global phenomena such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), while sea temperatures are rising faster than anticipated before. "Hence, there is a likelihood of these events to be recurrent," he pointed out, noting that global temperatures broke all previous records in 2023, reaching 1.45 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 average. Dr Ashraf also mentioned that carbon emissions reached an all-time high of 423.35 ppm in September 2024, which is 50% higher than levels during the industrial revolution. What's particularly alarming is that the emerging pattern presents greater concerns than many people recognise. Evidence from this year shows that we can expect heightened intensity and unpredictability, with monsoons becoming erratic and storms gaining strength. A pattern of uncertainty Depinder Kapur, Director of the Water Program at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi, noted a clear trend: increasing uncertainty and variability in weather and climate, leading to fluctuations in heat and rainfall patterns. To begin with, Asia was the region most affected by climate change, weather and water-related hazards globally last year, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). To add to that, "increasing temperature at both the day and night time is another clear pattern," Kapur said. The UN weather agency found that Asia has been warming faster than the global average, with temperature rises in 2023 averaging nearly 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1961-90 average. "Many countries in the region experienced their hottest year on record in 2023, along with a barrage of extreme conditions, from droughts and heatwaves to floods and storms," WMO chief Celeste Saulo said in a statement. Extreme heat in South Asia during the pre-monsoon season is becoming more frequent, with studies on the 2022 India-Pakistan heatwave and the 2023 humid heatwave in India, Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Thailand showing that human-induced climate change made these events around 30 times more likely and hotter. While the 2022 heatwave caused widespread harvest loss due to drier conditions, the 2023 humid heat had greater impacts on people. This year, from Israel and Palestine to the Philippines, large parts of Asia saw temperatures exceeding 40°C for days, resulting in hundreds of deaths in countries such as Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Palestine. Still, when it comes to rainfall, there is a significant unpredictability. Monsoon rainfall in 2023 was widely below average, according to the WMO State of the Climate in Asia report. In contrast, what unfolded in 2024 was largely unpredictable. In April, South Asian Climate Outlook Forum, which is backed by WMO and Regional Climate Centre Pune predicted that above normal rainfall is most likely during the 2024 southwest monsoon season (June – September) over most parts of South Asia. "Above-normal rainfall is most likely during the 2024 southwest monsoon season (June-September) over most parts of South Asia, except some areas over northern, eastern, and northeastern parts of the region, where below-normal rainfall is most likely," the Forum said. But what in the end turned out was that many regions that were expected to experience below-normal rainfall instead faced severe monsoon rains in recent months, serving as a "classic example" of climate change intensifying extreme weather events. Kapur predicts this is what we can expect more often from now on. "This is a clear manifestation of climate change that there is increasing uncertainty of rainfall and flooding in the coming years as well. We will not know which areas will get more flooding next year and which will have deficit rainfall," he said. Asia at the forefront of vulnerability The pattern of uncertainty places South Asian regions in a more vulnerable position compared to many others, primarily due to their high population density and intense pressure on natural resources. Kapur also highlights the region's reliance on agriculture for food security, which is further threatened by inconsistent rainfall and flooding. Urban residents are also facing increased risks and vulnerabilities, as disruptions in movement and urban flooding create significant chaos and disturb productivity on an unprecedented scale. Additionally, "many countries in Asia lack the financial and technical resources needed for adaptation, and political instability can hinder efforts to tackle these challenges," believes Dr Rashed. Dr Ashraf also put in that as human activities such as deforestation is high in Asia, environmental issues caused by man-made climate warming could put more people at risk of climate extremes in the coming days. Nevertheless, he noted that African countries are also experiencing extreme events and their vulnerability is compounding as a result. Climate adaptation strategies The urgency for robust climate adaptation is evident as recent disasters highlight the need for resilient infrastructure, stronger early warning systems, and community-level preparedness. Without scaled-up mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, extreme weather will worsen, displacing millions through rising sea levels, collapsing agriculture, and triggering food shortages and economic instability. Dr Ashraf, however, emphasised that it is crucial to first identify the local constraints that lead to poor or maladaptation to climate extremes. "We should look at local contexts because even though climate change is a global phenomenon, climate solutions are actually local. So, we must devise policies and solutions based on the local environment," he said. He believes nature-based solutions (NbS) are often seen as a panacea for climate issues, but there is a gap in understanding how to adapt them to local contexts. According to Dr Ashraf, policies must be grounded in science and quality data, yet many Asian developing countries lack such data. To build climate resilience, strong action is needed alongside climate-literate populations and leadership. Dr Rashed recommends strengthening community protection by building resilient infrastructure like flood barriers and cyclone shelters, while also supporting farmers through climate-smart agricultural practices, including the use of diverse and drought-resistant crops. He further advocates for the restoration of natural buffers such as mangroves and wetlands to mitigate storm impact and sustain local livelihoods. Kapur, on the other hand, said that climate adaptation must be tailored for both rural and urban areas, focusing on heat and water challenges. He suggested that while rural areas need investment in watershed development, flood-resilient infrastructure, and improved disaster preparedness, urban areas require decentralised water systems with wastewater reuse and institutional reforms for better resource management. "A 'global south water-sensitive cities' framework should prioritise equity, ensuring functional, inclusive, and resilient water systems that address stormwater management," Kapur concluded.

• Renewable Energy

Slow to take to biogas

A report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based NGO, has highlighted that the adoption of compressed biogas (CBG) projects in Karnataka has been slow. Without a dedicated bioenergy policy, Karnataka is lagging in generating this renewable energy. The state currently has less than 30% of the sanctioned biogas plants functional. The report states that the country’s renewable energy policy framework at the state level is fragmented. Some states have a comprehensive renewable energy policy, others have distinct policies for solar, hydro, and bioenergy, and a few have no policies at all. Karnataka has state-level Renewable Energy Policy 2022 and Solar Policy 2014. Under the policy, incentives are available for co-generation and waste-to-energy plants that aim to convert biogas into electricity. “Karnataka, along with other states such as Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra have integrated some aspects of biogas into their renewable energy policies, but they focus on producing electricity from biogas rather than biomethane,” noted the report. It also underlines that CBG projects could run on municipal solid waste given strict regulations and enforcement of the Solid Waste Management 2016 mandated by the states. However, there is a need to upgrade the waste collection infrastructure. Regular analysis needed Moreover, the urban local body should conduct regular analysis and surveys to get data for efficient estimation of waste availability fit to be used for CBG generation. “The collection of municipal solid waste could also be done using the public-private partnership model. Even after segregation, there are some food components, like onion peels, lemons, etc., that need to be separated before feeding the organics in the digestor. This is important as these will disturb the biology of the reactor. To ensure this, advanced machinery needs to be in place to segregate these components using modern technology. This needs investment in research and development, as well as incentive support from the state governments,” said the report. According to CSE researchers, a key obstacle to CBG development is the ineffective execution of policies. While several states have significant CBG potential, they still lack clear policies and incentives. Only four states - Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, and Gujarat - currently have bioenergy policies that support CBG. India scenario Out of the 677 CBG projects registered across the country, 408 have yet to begin construction, 172 are currently under construction, and 97 are operational. Approximately 60% of the registered projects have not commenced, likely due to factors such as lack of funding, slow regulatory approvals, difficulties in sourcing feedstock, or technological challenges. The states with the highest number of projects in the pipeline are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana. Gujarat leads with the highest number of operational plants (17), followed by Uttar Pradesh (15) and Haryana (10).

• Down To Earth

Report reveals why African countries face persistent water woes

Africa is facing increasing conflicts and disputes over water resources since 2019 as a result of poor or no management procedures by the governments. A report on the state of Africa’s environment released by Indian Scientists indicates that incidents of violence arising from water conflicts rose to 34 per cent between 2022 and 2023. The numbers went up from 53 in 2022 to 71 cases in 2023. The ‘State of Africa’s Environment’ report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and DownTo Earth found out that African countries are not prioritising water problems and lack guidelines to restrict malpractices and misuse of water. The report released in Nairobi on September 16 through the collaboration of CSE, Down To Earth and Media for Science, Environment, Health and Agriculture (MESHA) covered topics on water security, urban water poverty, water-related migration and conflicts, disease burden, climate change-induced water poverty, and the potential of harvesting rainwater to eliminate water poverty. Population growth All the 54 countries in Africa are ‘water-insecure’, with key drivers of the water insecurity being population growth, climate change and pollution. Globally, three of the five most critically water insecure countries are in Africa. They are Eritrea, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Eritrea is the second most critically water insecure nation in the world followed by Sudan and Ethiopia. CSE Director General and Indian environmental writer and activist Sunita Narain, who released the report, noted a paradox of water scarcity amidst plenty; blaming African leaders for lacking the resilience to build water security systems. “We are water-stressed not because it doesn’t rain or we don’t have water in our rivers but because of the way we are managing it,” said Ms Narain. She said the water crisis in Africa is about inability to build affordable systems of water management at the time the continent is faced with challenges of climate change, population pressure, infrastructural gaps and governance crisis. Ms Narain said: “The scarcity of water that is being faced by Africa and other regions of the world is as much about the lack of the resource as its mismanagement. Climate change is adding to the water crisis and heat stress in our world. But climate change is not the reason for the water crisis – it is just an exacerbating factor.” She noted that unless proper water storage systems are put in place, Africa faces one of the biggest challenges in the coming decades - the balance of increasing demands against the diminishing availability of water. Africa accounts for 22 per cent (about 1.4 billion) of the world’s critically water insecure population. Thirteen African countries have been assessed to be in the critically insecure category. They are Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, South Sudan, Niger, Sierra Leone, Chad and Comoros. The CSE findings point out that as per the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming has been more rapid in Africa than in the rest of the world. The report indicates that up to 700 million Africans are set to be displaced by water stress caused by global warming by 2030. It reads in part: “Food production will be affected severely because heat and water stress could lead to 6-14 per cent food production decline by 2050.” The Middle East and Northern African regions face the greatest expected economic losses from climate-related water scarcity – estimated at between six and 14 per cent by 2050. Kenya, for instance, faces an unprecedented water crisis in its expanding urban areas - one third of its population lacks access to clean drinking water, according to the CSE report. Lakes are the new battlegrounds in Africa. They are impacted by climate change, face massive degradation, and increased pressure from rising population growth. With 17 major river basins, over 160 lakes and vast wetlands, Africa is endowed with abundant water resources, but despite this, the continent remains water-stressed. Mr Mathew Herrnegger, a senior scientist at the Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (HyWa), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, recently studied the Kenyan lakes in the East African Rift Valley on why water levels were rising. Flooding His study revealed that Kenyan lakes in the Rift have witnessed significant water level increases. Homes, schools and hospitals have been affected by floods. Mr Herrnegger highlighted a Kenyan government report which estimates that about 80,000 households and 400,000 people have been affected by floods since 2010. The study pointed out how the lake ecosystem is undergoing changes and impacting local livelihoods. It said: “The results of our study illustrate that minor changes in the water balance are enough to explain the lake level rises. An increase of only 0.4-2 per cent of mean annual effective rainfall leads to the observed phenomena.” Kenyan lakes have shown low fluctuations and smaller water areas between 1984 and 2010, which have increased dramatically since 2010, the study concluded. For instance, Lake Baringo had a water area of 118 square kilometres in 1995, the lowest value from 1984-2020. The water area expanded by over 52 per cent in the years 2020 and 2014 to reach 195 km. The water area of Lake Solai, a smaller and less-known lake south of Lake Bogoria, increased from 3km in 1984 to nearly 12 km in 2014 and 2020, a four-fold increase. In Eastern Africa, witnessed intermittent spells of drought as well as wetter periods in the past have contributed to fluctuations in unusual lake water levels. Mr Herrnegger said: “Compared to the past, much higher population densities around the lakes put more people, their homes and their crops in danger. The massive flooding that followed in lake-adjacent areas displaced over 200,000 people in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. These are three of the five countries that the Lake Victoria Basin covers, also including Burundi and Rwanda.” In 2021, the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) warned that lakes were in fact staring at a wetter future, which threatens livelihoods and also can trigger migration. For instance, Lake Turkana, the world’s largest desert lake, has been predicted to be 'dead' in near future as its river inflows have been drastically curtailed due to a large number of dams being built upstream. Since 1988, Ethiopia has built a series of hydroelectric dams on its main tributary, the Omo River, leading to predictions of Lake Turkana’s demise. The new Unep study has predicted that in the next two decades, climate change would result in more intense rain over Lake Turkana thus raising its levels and also causing severe flooding. This could impact the 15 million people who live on the lake shores. Unep warned governments in Kenya and Ethiopia (both share a border with the lake) that rare floods like the ones that hit the region in 2019 and 2020 would be regular occurrences. Africa is known for its lakes, a major source of fresh water. According to the WORLDLAKE database, there are 677 lakes in the continent, out of which 88 are listed as principal lakes. Three of the 10 largest freshwater lakes on Earth, in terms of area and volume, are located in Africa — Victoria, Tanganyika and Malawi. Many lakes are transboundary. According to Unep, 15 principal lakes cross the political boundaries of two or more countries. According to Narain and Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth, all African nations are water-insecure, hosting 22 per cent of the world’s critically water insecure population. Sub-Saharan Africa is the world's most water-stressed region, with 36 per cent people reported to be water insecure. For example, the World Bank estimates that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has over 50 per cent of Africa’s surface water reserves and approximately one in four of the continent’s water resources. The Congo River Basin – Africa’s largest river by volume having a consistent flow throughout the year – covers 98 per cent of the country. But the report noted that despite this overwhelming natural endowment of water, nearly three in four of Congo’s 70 million citizens don’t have access to safe drinking water. The report on the State of Africa’s Environment pointed out how rich Africa is endowed with rainwater. “As water levels continue to dip, we should plan for rainwater harvesting. This will save us from taxes on water supplied to consumers, sometimes which are impure and have to be treated or boiled before use. Harvesting rainwater can not only help bolster water supplies, it can also involve the community in managing water and making water everybody’s business,” said its authors. The CSE report recommends water harvesting and integrated land-water management. Rainwater harvesting, the report observes, can not only provide a source of water to increase water supplies but also involve the public in water management, making water management everybody’s business. It reads: “It will also reduce the current demand on government institutions to meet water needs, reduce the need for government subsidies, and help everyone to internalise the full costs of their water requirements, thus encouraging the public to be more conserving in its water demand.” According to Ms Narain, to meet future water demands, there is a need to augment supply and this calls for focusing on rainwater harvesting to mitigate flood risk and recharge groundwater. This will build resilience of rural communities to deal with variable rain and for cities to deal with water stress. Further, the report by CSE notes that at least 24 large cities in 15 countries across Africa are likely to be water-scarce by 2050 - Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and Tunisia. In Kenya, Nairobi’s water demand beats supply with a deficit of about 265,000 cubic metres per day. Leakages due to old infrastructure and pipe interference, illegal connections, vandalism and catchment degradation among others are some of the challenges affecting water access in Nairobi City, notes the report. These challenges often leave city dwellers, especially in informal settlements, at the mercy of cartels who sell clean water at exorbitant prices of between Sh20 to 50 (about half a dollar) for a 20 litre jerry can. In Nigeria, there will be a 277 per cent increase in water-scarce urban residents while in Egypt there will be about 3,155 per cent increase. According to Susan Masila, a Water and Sanitation consultant at Amazi Water in Burundi, rainwater harvesting has the potential to solve some of the pressure in urban water systems. Rooftops of homes, schools and office buildings can be fitted with rainwater harvesting systems to provide supplementary water especially for non-portable uses such as irrigation and sanitation, thus reducing the burden on municipal water supplies. Calculations by CSE indicate that Sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to harvest 13,365,000 million cubic metres through rainwater harvesting. This is nearly 44,550 times the average volume of water that flows through the Nile River per day. However, Ms Masila noted water quality and contamination by pollution or debris alongside high costs of additional filtrating and treating of the water as well as lack of space for large scale storage tanks are some of the challenges that come with rainwater harvesting in urban areas. She highlighted: “Cities also lack policies and incentives to promote widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting at the household or institutional levels. Therefore, raising awareness and integrating rainwater harvesting into urban planning is essential.” Already, several countries have started implementing or are gearing up for rainwater harvesting in urban areas. The report identifies Tanzania to have adopted a rainwater harvesting policy to promote sustainable and efficient use of rainwater. Ethiopia has launched a national rainwater harvesting initiative called “My dam at My door”. The Ethiopian government has observed that as a result of the initiative, an additional four million Ethiopians plus are getting access to clean drinking water. “Rainwater harvesting, although traditionally rural, can play a critical role in urban water management provided that the necessary systems are in place to overcome the challenges posed by the urban environments,” she said.

• Down To Earth

Weather | Caught in extremes

The Wayanad landslides, Rajkot floods and Delhi first reeling under 50°-plus temperatures and then slammed by incessant rain—the past few months have exposed India’s vulnerability to climate extremes. According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report, the country recorded such events on 318 of the 365 days in 2023, claiming 3,287 lives. There seems to have been no let-up this year as well. Rising temperatures are intensifying heat waves while erratic monsoon patterns are causing both prolonged droughts and severe flooding. India’s 7,500-km coastline is increasingly threatened by cyclones and sea-level rise. A recent report, ‘State of Extreme Events 2024’, by IPE Global and Esri India documents these trends and identifies the hotspots across the country.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Atishi govt vows winter of no discontent on Delhi's pollution: Key strategies

It’s that time of the year again when Delhi starts preparation to avoid—without success—being labelled as the city with one of the most polluted air in the world. Mid-October onwards, as Diwali preparations begin, Delhiities with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) start counting down to the dreaded days when they have to constantly battle the city’s air, just to survive. The Delhi government, under new chief minister Atishi, does not want to be caught unawares when that ominous AQI (air quality index) graph starts heading north and never really comes down for a good four months. This time, environment minister Gopal Rai has launched the Winter Action Plan of the government, which integrates both local and national strategies, especially the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The 21-point pollution-abatement plan includes technical measures, rigorous control steps and participation of the civil society. Some key aspects of the action plan are the use of drones to spot pollution; creation of pollution hotspots, followed by use of mobile anti-smog guns; and 360 teams to deal with vehicle emissions. Emergency measures, such as the odd-even traffic proposal and artificial rain, are radical alternatives mentioned in the plan, given the harsh winter pollution prospects. “Due to some historic steps taken by the Delhi government, air pollution levels have decreased by 34.6 per cent,” claimed Rai, in an attempt to instill public confidence that the government is seriously concerned about the problem. This winter is critical in a way because the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faces the Delhi assembly election, due in February next year. The action plan supports the objectives of the NCAP, which aims to reduce polluting particulate matter by 40 per cent by 2026, with approximately 131 cities, including Delhi, being slated as non-attainment areas due to high air pollution within their jurisdictions. The NCAP aims at decreasing particulate emissions (PM10 and PM2.5) through funding based on performance, i.e. cities need to prove they have made progress to access the pollution-control funds. Rai has made it clear that the government would take restrictive measures to control pollution, including 588 teams that will curb open burning of waste—one of the causes of PM2.5 pollution in the national capital. A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report has red-flagged combustion sources such as vehicle and industrial emissions of PM2.5. This particulate matter is more dangerous as it reaches the innermost parts of the lungs. The report says although PM10 levels may be elevated due to dust and meteorological conditions, PM2.5 is the most important indicator of harmful pollutants that can aggravate health problems, especially in winter.

• Down To Earth

Report reveals why African countries face persistent water woes

Africa is facing increasing conflicts and disputes over water resources since 2019 as a result of poor or no management procedures by the governments. A report on the state of Africa’s environment released by Indian Scientists indicates that incidents of violence arising from water conflicts rose to 34 per cent between 2022 and 2023. The numbers went up from 53 in 2022 to 71 cases in 2023. The ‘State of Africa’s Environment’ report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and DownTo Earth found out that African countries are not prioritising water problems and lack guidelines to restrict malpractices and misuse of water. The report released in Nairobi on September 16 through the collaboration of CSE, Down To Earth and Media for Science, Environment, Health and Agriculture (MESHA) covered topics on water security, urban water poverty, water-related migration and conflicts, disease burden, climate change-induced water poverty, and the potential of harvesting rainwater to eliminate water poverty.

• Director General Office

UN General Assembly’s High-Level Meet heralds momentous shift

The world has finally decided to move with fresh impetus in its fight against the “silent pandemic” – antimicrobial resistance (AMR). At a High-Level Meeting of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly 2024, the world body has presented a political declaration that heralds a major shift in the global response to the crisis of AMR – by moving the focus on to ‘prevention’ in agri-food systems. “We are pleased to note the text related to agriculture and animal health. It very well recognises the need and importance of preventive measures, which is the best bet for low- and middle-income countries which otherwise cannot afford the cost of containing AMR,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and member, Global Leaders Group (GLG) on AMR. GLG is a group of select world leaders working to accelerate political momentum, leadership and action on AMR. “Compared to the political declaration of 2016, this declaration marks a big positive shift in the way the world wants to address AMR from agri-food systems. It is a huge step forward. It shows that there is political leadership and global leadership for an issue that will need global cooperation for action,” Narain added. AMR is increasingly being recognised as one of the biggest threats to global public health, and is expected to disproportionately impact low- and middle-income countries. Existing antibiotics are becoming ineffective, the pipeline of new antibiotics is near-dry, and access to both old and new antibiotics is a big concern. What the text of the declaration says: The text under the agriculture and animal health section of the declaration clearly acknowledges the need to prioritise and fund the implementation of measures to prevent and control infections and ensure prudent antibiotic use such as through promoting good animal husbandry practices, agriculture practices and animal health. It outlines key drivers that lead to inappropriate use of antimicrobials in animals and plants, and encourages prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials, when used prophylactically by adopting an ambitious, incremental and country-specific approach. “In a first, the need for ambitiously moving towards prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials when used for the purpose of disease prevention is acknowledged at this level,” said Amit Khurana, director, sustainable food systems programme of CSE. “Despite being a big concern, such non-therapeutic use and chemical-based prevention had failed to receive adequate attention at the global level so far. We are pleased to note the change in narrative,” he added. The text also recognises the impact of antibiotic growth promoters on antimicrobial resistance and the need to phase out the use of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion. “The world appears to agree more on the need to conserve critically important antibiotics for human health atleast by not allowing their use as growth promoters in animals,” said Rajeshwari Sinha, programme manager, sustainable food systems, CSE. The declaration also commits to strive to ‘meaningfully reduce’, by 2030, the quantity of antimicrobials used globally in the agri-food system from the current level by taking into account national contexts and by investing in animal and plant health, reducing the need for and inappropriate use of antibiotics, investing in and promoting alternatives, stewardship and animal health systems. Said Sinha: “This was only the second time that the global response to the crisis of AMR was discussed in the UNGA. The theme of the meeting was ‘Investing in the present and securing our future together: accelerating multi-sectoral global, regional and national actions to address antimicrobial resistance’. Earlier, in April 2024, the Global Leaders Group on AMR had proposed two targets — by 2030, reduce the quantity of antimicrobials used in the agri-food system globally by at least 30-50 per cent from the current level; by 2030, eliminate the use of medically important antimicrobials for human medicine in animals for non-veterinary medical purposes, or in crop production and agri-food systems for non-phytosanitary purposes. In her address to the world community gathered at the UNGA, Narain said: “AMR will require us to rethink the ways in which we do agriculture, the way environment is managed so that we can minimise impact. This is where our agendas of conservation, development, environment and most importantly, prevention, have to come from.” “Nobody is safe until everybody is safe,” she added. “This is what underpins the political declaration that we have been part of, and which we now need to act on. This silent pandemic is a war we must win.”

• Director General Office

UN pledges to cut superbug deaths by 2030

Global leaders have agreed to reduce the number of people dying from superbugs by 2030. The United Nations declaration aims for a 10% fall in deaths caused by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the phenomenon where bacteria evolve to resist the drugs most commonly used to treat them. As things stand, antimicrobial resistance is predicted to kill 39 million people in the next 25 years. At the UN General Assembly in New York, officials from 193 countries pledged to make progress in tackling the superbugs crisis. It is the second political declaration on the issue of AMR, with the previous one agreed in 2016. Signatories have agreed to: Have basic water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management services in all healthcare facilities by 2030; Commit $100 million to help at least 60% of countries fund their national action plans on addressing AMR; Prevent and address the discharge of antimicrobials into the environment. Antimicrobials, which include antibiotics, are life-saving drugs that are increasingly losing their effectiveness. This leads to deadly superbugs that cause infections which are difficult or impossible to treat. Cargill cows contaminated with vital antibiotics Read the story The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in agriculture and human medicine has been the greatest contributor to the emergence of superbugs. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has been covering the topic for more than a decade, and was in New York to witness the declaration. One by one, each delegate stood and committed to the pledge. Each had three minutes to speak. David Lammy, the foreign secretary, represented the UK. He said: “To those who say that the world is too divided to agree on anything meaningful, we have shown how wrong they are but this is only the beginning … Let us together ensure that future generations, no matter where they are born, look back at this moment as a time when we collectively resolved to secure this incredible life-saving gift for all humanity.” The political declaration has gone through multiple drafts since May this year as states negotiated various wordings. Experts: it’s a step forward While some were disappointed, experts have said the declaration is a start. However, others noted that the document lacks measurable targets that could have encouraged countries to reduce the use of critically important antibiotics in food and farming, and prevent the spread of AMR into the environment. AMR can spread in the environment through spraying crops, drugs getting into the water at pharmaceutical factories and hospitals and even unused antibiotics being thrown away in the home. The food and farming industry is responsible for more than 70% of all the antibiotics used in the world. “The political declaration [...] is not as far as I would like it to go but it’s a step ahead. [...] For the first time it recognises that in the AMR challenge we have to focus on prevention [of infections],” said Sunita Narain, an environmentalist who helped draft the declaration. She added: “Till now AMR has always been an issue about more money for drug companies, it’s been about surveillance. But never really understanding that [...] across the world, the issue of prevention is going to be even more important to protect us from this silent pandemic. This also links to the issue of clean water and sanitation because if you prevent the disease from happening [...] you bring down the burden of AMR.” “AMR actually turned my life upside down,” John Kariuki Muhia, a Kenyan vet, said. He had survived a drug-resistant infection after surgery for a fractured hip. The infection kept him in hospital for five months. He told the UN: “I urge all stakeholders now to implement their agreements reached today in this historic meeting.” What happens next? Once the formal processes are complete, everyone involved – from governments to pharmaceutical companies to farmers – will work out how the agreement will be implemented, including targets and money that must be raised. There will be another high-level meeting on AMR in five years’ time.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Taste of what lies ahead as Delhi’s AQI hits ‘poor’

Delhi's air quality worsened to 235 AQI, marking its worst level in 99 days, as pollution from stubble burning and dry winds begins to surge. And so it begins, like clockwork. Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday surged past the 200 mark and settled at 235, its worst level in 99 days as dust, dry winds, and the effect of crop stubble being burnt in Punjab heralded the arrival of the national capital’s dreaded annual pollution blight. The routine is now familiar and Wednesday was only an appetiser, although rain later in the week is expected to offer a marginal, and temporary, respite. For the next three months, perhaps more, Delhi’s 20 million-plus residents will inhale lungfuls of toxic air with every breath. Dipping temperatures, slowing winds and smoke from stubble fires in upwind Punjab and Haryana will drive up pollution levels to the worst in the world. The skies will turn grey, silhouettes will blur, and administrative collapse will be on display as authorities turn to the methods that have failed year after year. Wednesday’s AQI was, to be sure, down to only a fraction of the usual factors – local emissions, a six-day dry spell and nearly still winds. But with stubble fires already peppering the farmlands of Punjab, cultivators expecting a bumper paddy crop, the wind direction set to turn northwesterly and temperatures likely to dip, experts warned that Delhi’s problem will only get more acute in the weeks to come. In fact, this is the earliest the city’s post-monsoon AQI has dipped into the “poor” zone (a reading between 201 and 300) in six years. In 2018, the AQI passed 200 on September 29 (219). Last year, it crossed that threshold only on October 6 (212). The year before that, it happened on October 16 (232), and in 2021 on October 7 (215). Delhi’s AQI was last higher on June 19, when the reading hit 306. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorises pollution levels on an ascending band between 0 and 500. It categorises readings between 0 and 50 as “good”, 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 as “moderate”, 201 and 300 as “poor”, 301 and 400 as “very poor” and above 401 as “severe”. The city’s air has tumbled in recent days, buoyed largely by the absence of rains, which kept pollution in check for nearly four months from early June. The AQI first worsened to 116 on September 21, then 164 on September 22, 167 on September 23 and 197 on September 24. Weather scientists pinned this sustained dip to calm winds and lack of rain. “Winds were calm overnight and with no rain, we are gradually seeing a rise in pollution as pollutants accumulate in the Capital. During the day, you are also seeing dust upliftment as the soil is again dry,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet meteorology. However, they underscored that the spike was not an aberration fuelled by atypical weather conditions, but rather a preface to the weeks of laboured breathing that lie ahead. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment said that in the absence of rain, Delhi starts to see a spike in pollution from October, aided by adverse meteorological conditions. “We see a dip in wind speed, little to no rain and low temperatures, all of which negatively impact AQI,” she said.

• Renewable Energy

Wind energy leader faces headwinds

Chennai: Despite being a frontrunner in India’s wind energy sector, Tamil Nadu faces serious challenges in maximising its wind energy capacity. And ironically, one of the key obstacles and challenges has been thrown up by its own wind energy repowering policy – says a new report from New Delhi-based think tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Says Nivit K Yadav, programme director of CSE’s industry and renewable energy teams: “Wind power makes up nearly 30 per cent of Tamil Nadu’s total installed power capacity. But the state struggles with its outdated turbines, that have significantly reduced the contribution of wind energy to just 15 per cent of the state’s power generation. To add to this, the shortfalls and limitations of Tamil Nadu’s wind energy repowering policy have stopped the state from achieving its true potential.”

• Water Programme

Desilting tanks for improving water security and soil health

Travelling through rural Maharashtra evokes memories of the 1972 drought, one of the worst in the state’s history, which prompted the launch of a massive water conservation programme. In response to the severe shortfall of food, fodder, and drinking water, caused by low monsoon rainfall from 1970 to 1973, the state government, with the support of villagers, constructed hundreds of water conservation structures to capture rainwater. Many of these structures were built on community lands as ‘commons’ and are managed by local communities. One such structure — an earthen dam and its 21-hectare percolation tank — is located near Borgaon Math village in Jalna district, about 420 kilometres east of Mumbai. Jalna lies in the semi-arid Marathwada region of Maharashtra, infamous for recurring droughts and high farmer suicide cases. Over the years, the percolation tank in Borgaon Math had collected silt and could no longer capture and store rainwater and runoff. Recently, villagers came together to revive the waterbody as part of a community stewardship initiative. Not only have they desilted the tank, but they have also used the silt in their farmlands and are reporting a higher crop yield. “Our percolation tank was built way back in 1972 and had filled up with gaal [silt]. It no longer could hold any rainwater, which washed away as runoff in no time,” says Namdeo Sahebrao Kakode, secretary of Borgaon Math’s village development committee (VDC). “Two years ago, the villagers pooled their resources and desilted the tank using a JCB. The farmers used the thousands of quintals of silt that came out in their fields. Our tank is now brimming with rainwater, and our crop productivity has gone up manifold,” says the secretary. Borgaon Math has 82 households and a total agricultural land of 495 hectares. Jagan Sukhdev Joshi owns 1.6 hectares of land there. “My farmland was degraded; it had no topsoil and was filled with small stones; hence, whatever I cultivated, the yield remained low,” he tells Mongabay India. “I was part of the team that desilted our tank and I used 1,300 tractors-load of silt on my four-acre land,” says the farmer as he stands in his now waist-high soybean farm. He had to pay Rs. 100 per trip of tractor to transport silt to his farm, but the expenses were worth it, he says. “Earlier, my soybean production was barely eight to ten quintals. Since applying the silt, I have been able to harvest over 40 quintals. Each quintal of soybean is sold for about Rs. 4,500,” says Joshi. About 350 kilometres southeast of Borgaon Math lies Sagroli village in Biloli taluka of Nanded district, also a part of the Marathwada region. The Sagroli village pond had almost dried up, and the groundwater, the only source of irrigation for the farmers there, had plummeted below 150 metres. Sanskriti Samvardhan Mandal, a Nanded-based NGO, and the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Nanded, decided to rope the villagers to desilt the pond to capture the rainwater. Around 11,000 cubic metres of silt was removed from the Sagroli pond, which the farmers used to level their farmlands. And the benefits have been immense, as recorded in a report, Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s Lakes, Ponds and Tanks: A Compendium of Success Stories, released recently by a New Delhi-based think tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report records how “the borewells near the pond became recharged. Groundwater increased by more than 100 metres. The irrigated area in the kharif and rabi seasons increased by 32% and 43% respectively.”

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Winter Action Plan: 21 Areas In Focus

On the day Delhi's air quality index turned ‘poor' after almost three months, govt released its 21-point winter action plan to deal with high pollution levels during the upcoming season. Among the areas in focus in the plan, launched by environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday, are the real-time monitoring of pollution sources using drones, giving Harit Ratna awards to individuals or agencies combating air pollution, constitution of a six-member special task force, and emergency measures like the odd-even scheme and artificial rain. The theme of this year's plan is ‘Milkar Chalein aur Pradushan se Ladein' with a focus on public participation and campaigns like Harit Kalash Yatra, e-vehicle parade, anti-pollution march and Red light on, gaadi off. This will be the first time when drones will be used to deal with pollution. "Last year, we had manually prepared an inventory of sources of pollution at hotspots. We will use drones this year to identify real-time sources of pollution," said Rai, adding that the six-member special task force will monitor air quality and take action. Delhi has 13 pollution hotspots, which were identified in 2019. A senior official said they would soon float a tender for procuring drones for monitoring hotspots. Rai claimed there had been a reduction of almost 35% in the number of polluted days. "In 2016, we had 243 days of high pollution, but it dropped to 159 in 2023," he said. Under an anti-dust campaign, which will begin on Oct 7, 523 teams will inspect construction sites, and 85 road sweeping machines, 500 water sprinkling machines and over 200 anti-smog guns in three shifts will also be deployed. To control open waste burning, 588 teams have been formed. To reduce vehicular pollution, 360 teams will monitor both pollution under control certificates and over-age vehicles. Traffic police teams will be deployed on 134 congested roads to free them up. Like previous years, govt will spray bio-decomposer on over 5,000 acres of both basmati and non-basmati paddy farmland in Delhi for free to tackle stubble burning. Rai said the odd-even scheme and artificial rain would be the emergency measures, which were likely to be enforced in case of very high pollution levels. He said they were exploring the possibility of conducting artificial rain from Nov 1 to 15 when Delhi witnesses high pollution. "We will encourage people in govt and private sectors to work from home. An advisory will be issued to encourage voluntary vehicle restriction," said Rai, adding that firecrackers will be completely banned. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said, "Annually, winter pollution action is drawn up to identify sectors of pollution. What is more important is to indicate the scope and scale of interventions planned in each sector to make a difference to the air quality. This needs to be detailed out municipal ward-wise." Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said it was regrettable that Rai kept making announcements instead of taking serious anti-pollution steps. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said it was strange that Rai had blamed the rising pollution levels in the rest of NCR for the toxic air in Delhi, without admitting the gross failure of AAP govt over the past 10 years.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi Air Pollution: इस बार दिल्ली का होने वाला है बुरा हाल, 6 साल में पहली बार सितंबर में ही सांस लेना हुआ मुश्किल

नई दिल्ली: दिल्ली-एनसीआर में रहने वाले लोगों की सांसों पर जहरीली हवा का सितम शुरू हो गया है। 6 साल में पहली बार सितंबर के महीने में ही लोगों को सांस लेने में दिक्कत हो रही है। सोचिए अभी सर्दी का मौसम नहीं आया है, तब ये हाल है आगे तो हालत और खराब होंगे। दिल्ली का प्रदूषण बुधवार को भी खराब स्तर पर रहा। एयर क्वॉलिटी इंडेक्स (AQI) 235 दर्ज किया गया। पिछले कुछ दिनों से दिल्ली का प्रदूषण स्तर लगातार बढ़ रहा था। अब एक्यूआई 200 पार जा चुका है। राजधानी के 36 स्टेशन में से 22 स्टेशन में एक्यूआई 200 से 300 के बीच रहा। एक दिन पहले 18 स्टेशन में यह इतना ऊपर था। क्या कहते हैं एक्सपर्ट? सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में रिसर्च एंड एडवोकेसी की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा, 'बारिश के कम होने के साथ ऐसा होना अपेक्षित है। सर्दियों की शुरुआत के साथ यह ट्रेंड और बिगड़ेगा।' मतलब दिल्लीवालों को अभी से जहरीली और दमघोंटू हवा से निपटने के लिए तैयार रहने की जरूरत है।

• Renewable Energy

TN: पवन ऊर्जा क्षेत्र की अग्रणी कंपनी को चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ रहा

Chennai चेन्नई: भारत के पवन ऊर्जा क्षेत्र में अग्रणी होने के बावजूद, तमिलनाडु को अपनी पवन ऊर्जा क्षमता को अधिकतम करने में गंभीर चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। और विडंबना यह है कि, प्रमुख बाधाओं और चुनौतियों में से एक इसकी अपनी पवन ऊर्जा पुनर्संचालन नीति द्वारा उत्पन्न की गई है - नई दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की एक नई रिपोर्ट कहती है। सीएसई के उद्योग और नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा टीमों के कार्यक्रम निदेशक निवित के यादव कहते हैं: “पवन ऊर्जा तमिलनाडु की कुल स्थापित बिजली क्षमता का लगभग 30 प्रतिशत बनाती है। लेकिन राज्य अपनी पुरानी टर्बाइनों से जूझ रहा है, जिसने पवन ऊर्जा के योगदान को राज्य के बिजली उत्पादन में केवल 15 प्रतिशत तक कम कर दिया है। इसके अलावा, तमिलनाडु की पवन ऊर्जा पुनर्संचालन नीति की कमियों और सीमाओं ने राज्य को अपनी वास्तविक क्षमता हासिल करने से रोक दिया है।” तमिलनाडु में पवन ऊर्जा पुनर्संचालन में तेजी लाने शीर्षक वाली रिपोर्ट एक कार्यशाला में जारी की गई। सीएसई के नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक बिनीत दास कहते हैं: “पुनःशक्तिकरण का अर्थ है तमिलनाडु के पुराने टर्बाइनों को अधिक उन्नत, कुशल मॉडलों से बदलना। इससे राज्य के क्षमता उपयोग कारक (सीयूएफ) में संभावित रूप से तीन गुना वृद्धि हो सकती है, जिससे ऊर्जा दक्षता में सुधार होगा और चल रहे सुरक्षा खतरों और ब्रेकडाउन को संबोधित किया जा सकेगा। हमारी रिपोर्ट ने राज्य में पवन ऊर्जा पुनर्शक्तिकरण की क्षमता का विश्लेषण किया है और राज्य की हालिया पुनर्शक्तिकरण नीति की आलोचनात्मक जांच की है। यह नीति ढांचे को मजबूत करने के लिए मूल्यवान अंतर्दृष्टि और सिफारिशें प्रदान करता है, जिससे तमिलनाडु के लिए अपनी पवन ऊर्जा क्षमता को अधिकतम करने का मार्ग प्रशस्त होता है।” रिपोर्ट बताती है कि भारत की पवन फार्म पुनर्शक्तिकरण की कुल क्षमता 25.4 गीगावाट है, जिसमें अकेले तमिलनाडु 7.3 गीगावाट का योगदान देता है। यादव कहते हैं: “पवन ऊर्जा उत्पादन को अनुकूलित करने के लिए इस पुनर्शक्तिकरण क्षमता का लाभ उठाना महत्वपूर्ण है, जो इसे राज्य के स्वच्छ ऊर्जा संक्रमण में एक महत्वपूर्ण तत्व बनाता है।” नीति की मुख्य सीमाएँ बुनियादी ढाँचागत चुनौती: वर्तमान नीति डेवलपर्स को अपने पुराने टर्बाइनों को अपग्रेड करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित नहीं करती है, क्योंकि पुनर्शक्तिकरण के बाद बढ़े हुए बिजली उत्पादन को संभालने में महत्वपूर्ण बुनियादी ढाँचागत कमियाँ हैं। पवन ऊर्जा तमिलनाडु की अक्षय ऊर्जा की रीढ़ है, जिसकी जून 2024 तक क्षमता 10.7 गीगावॉट है। पुनर्शक्तिकरण परियोजनाओं में 7.3 गीगावॉट जोड़ने की क्षमता है, जिसके परिणामस्वरूप बिजली उत्पादन में तीन गुना वृद्धि हो सकती है। इससे बाजार की अधिशेष बिजली को अवशोषित करने की क्षमता और इसे संभालने के लिए ग्रिड की तत्परता के बारे में महत्वपूर्ण चिंताएँ सामने आती हैं। अपर्याप्त बिजली निकासी बुनियादी ढाँचा: नीति बेहतर बिजली निकासी बुनियादी ढाँचे की आवश्यकता को संबोधित करने में विफल रहती है, विशेष रूप से 11-केवी लाइनों को अपग्रेड करना, जो पुनर्शक्तिकृत टर्बाइनों के लिए अपर्याप्त हैं और अस्थिर हैं और अक्सर बाधित होती हैं। पुनर्शक्तिकृत टर्बाइनों से कुशल बिजली निकासी के लिए इन नेटवर्क को कम से कम 33 केवी तक अपग्रेड करने की तत्काल आवश्यकता है। डेवलपर्स के लिए अतिरिक्त लागत: 30 लाख रुपये प्रति मेगावाट का महत्वपूर्ण बुनियादी ढांचा विकास शुल्क चुकाने के बावजूद, डेवलपर्स को सबस्टेशनों को अपग्रेड करने और वैकल्पिक बिजली निकासी की व्यवस्था करने के लिए अतिरिक्त लागत का सामना करना पड़ता है। तमिलनाडु ने सेंट्रल ट्रांसमिशन यूटिलिटी (सीटीयू) पवन परियोजनाओं पर 50 लाख रुपये प्रति मेगावाट का संसाधन शुल्क भी लगाया है, जिससे डेवलपर्स के लिए केंद्रीय ग्रिड से जुड़ना कम आकर्षक हो गया है और उन्हें इसके बजाय राज्य ग्रिड की ओर धकेल दिया गया है। प्रतिबंधात्मक पवन बैंकिंग प्रावधान: नीति पवन बैंकिंग को नई परियोजनाओं के लिए मासिक बैंकिंग तक सीमित करती है और उपयोग को गैर-पीक घंटों तक सीमित करती है - इससे यह समझना मुश्किल हो जाता है कि पीक सीजन के दौरान पुनर्शक्तिकरण के बाद अतिरिक्त उत्पादन के साथ डेवलपर्स क्या करेंगे। खंडित स्वामित्व: पवन टर्बाइनों का खंडित स्वामित्व पिछले पुनर्शक्तिकरण प्रयासों में एक महत्वपूर्ण बाधा रहा है - वर्तमान नीति में इसे संबोधित करने के लिए पर्याप्त उपायों का अभाव है। कई निजी खिलाड़ियों के पास कम संख्या में पवन चक्कियाँ होने के कारण, पुनर्शक्तिकरण के लिए भूमि और टर्बाइनों को समेकित करना लगातार जटिल होता जा रहा है। यह विखंडित स्वामित्व भूमि उपयोग को अनुकूलित करने और अधिक कुशल टर्बाइनों में अपग्रेड करने की क्षमता में बाधा डालता है, जो पुनर्शक्तिकरण पहलों के सफल कार्यान्वयन के लिए एक महत्वपूर्ण चुनौती पेश करता है। सीएसई के आर्थिक विश्लेषण से पता चलता है कि तमिलनाडु में पवन फार्मों को पुनर्शक्तिकरण करने के लिए पुनर्शक्तिकरण और नई ग्रीनफील्ड परियोजनाओं के बीच लागत के अंतर को पाटने के लिए अतिरिक्त 6,336 करोड़ रुपये की आवश्यकता होगी। यादव बताते हैं कि पुनर्शक्तिकरण को आर्थिक रूप से व्यवहार्य बनाने के लिए यह निवेश महत्वपूर्ण है। सीएसई रिपोर्ट ने राज्य की पुनर्शक्तिकरण नीति में सुधार के लिए कुछ उपाय प्रस्तावित किए हैं: बिजली निकासी बुनियादी ढांचे को उन्नत करें: 11 केवी लाइनों को कम से कम 33 केवी तक तत्काल अपग्रेड करें; हरित ऊर्जा खुली पहुंच की अनुमति दें: हरित ऊर्जा खुली पहुंच जैसी नीतियों के माध्यम से समय पर भुगतान और वित्तीय प्रोत्साहन सुनिश्चित करना परियोजना व्यवहार्यता को बढ़ा सकता है; भूमि अदला-बदली कार्यक्रम और सामूहिक स्वामित्व मॉडल पेश करें:

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi Air Pollution: इस बार दिल्ली का होने वाला है बुरा हाल, 6 साल में पहली बार सितंबर में ही सांस लेना हुआ मुश्किल

नई दिल्ली: दिल्ली-एनसीआर में रहने वाले लोगों की सांसों पर जहरीली हवा का सितम शुरू हो गया है। 6 साल में पहली बार सितंबर के महीने में ही लोगों को सांस लेने में दिक्कत हो रही है। सोचिए अभी सर्दी का मौसम नहीं आया है, तब ये हाल है आगे तो हालत और खराब होंगे। दिल्ली का प्रदूषण बुधवार को भी खराब स्तर पर रहा। एयर क्वॉलिटी इंडेक्स (AQI) 235 दर्ज किया गया। पिछले कुछ दिनों से दिल्ली का प्रदूषण स्तर लगातार बढ़ रहा था। अब एक्यूआई 200 पार जा चुका है। राजधानी के 36 स्टेशन में से 22 स्टेशन में एक्यूआई 200 से 300 के बीच रहा। एक दिन पहले 18 स्टेशन में यह इतना ऊपर था। डरा रहे हैं आंकड़े बुधवार को आनंद विहार में 313 दर्ज किया गया, जो कि गंभीर स्तर पर है। सोनिया विहार में 279, करती सिंह शूटिंग रेंज में 261, जहांगीरपुरी और अलीपुर में यह 258 रहा। बारिश ना होने की वजह से गर्मी और उमस के साथ-साथ दिल्ली का प्रदूषण स्तर लगातार बढ़ा है। इससे पहले बारिश के बीच दिल्ली की हवा कई दिनों तक साफ रही। हर साल की तरह अक्टूबर से हालात बिगड़ने की आशंका है। 6 सालों में पहली बार सितंबर में बढ़ा प्रदूषण बुधवार को दिल्ली में हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब श्रेणी में रही, AQI 235 दर्ज किया गया। यह सितंबर महीने में पिछले 6 सालों में पहली बार हुआ है जब AQI 'खराब' श्रेणी में पहुंचा है। सितंबर 2018 में AQI 219 दर्ज किया गया था। इससे पहले 19 जून को AQI 306 के साथ 'बहुत खराब' श्रेणी में था। पिछले छह दिनों से बारिश न होने के कारण प्रदूषण का स्तर बढ़ा है। क्या कहते हैं एक्सपर्ट? सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में रिसर्च एंड एडवोकेसी की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा, 'बारिश के कम होने के साथ ऐसा होना अपेक्षित है। सर्दियों की शुरुआत के साथ यह ट्रेंड और बिगड़ेगा।' मतलब दिल्लीवालों को अभी से जहरीली और दमघोंटू हवा से निपटने के लिए तैयार रहने की जरूरत है।

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

दिल्‍ली से भी ज्‍यादा प्रदूषित हो जाएगा नोएडा? जहर उगलेगी हवा, ये 5 खतरनाक संकेत दे रहे गवाही

अभी तक प्रदूषण के मामले में पूरे एनसीआर में दिल्‍ली शहर का ही नाम सबसे ऊपर रहता आया है. सर्दियां अभी शुरू भी नहीं हुईं कि दिल्‍ली में धूल और प्रदूषित हवा की चादर बिछने लगी है. लेकिन अब एक और शहर है जो एयर पॉल्‍यूशन की रेस में इससे भी आगे निकलता दिखाई दे रहा है. खराब एयर क्‍वालिटी में भारत में टॉप करने वाली दिल्‍ली को छोड़कर नोएडा और ग्रेटर नोएडा में बसने वाले लोगों के सामने अब बड़ा संकट खड़ा होने वाला है क्‍योंकि यही प्रदूषण अब उन्‍हें नोएडा में और भी ज्‍यादा खतरनाक रूप से परेशान कर सकता है. हालिया आंकड़े और पर्यावरण से जुड़े एक्‍सपर्ट्स की मानें तो आने वाले समय में नोएडा दिल्‍ली से भी ज्‍यादा प्रदूषित शहर बन सकता है. बता दें कि पिछले सेंट्रल पॉल्‍यूशन कंट्रोल बोर्ड और यूपीपीसीबी के आंकड़ों के अनुसार पिछले 3 दिनों से जहां दिल्‍ली में एयर क्‍वालिटी इंडेक्‍स खराब या बहुत खराब श्रेणी में पहुंच गया है, वहीं नोएडा के कुछ इलाकों में एयर क्‍वालिटी सीवियर यानि गंभीर स्‍तर पर दर्ज की गई है. जिसमें नोएडा का सेक्‍टर 125 सहित कई इलाके शामिल हैं. यहां एयर क्‍वालिटी इंडेक्‍स 400 से ऊपर पहुंच गया था. एक्‍सपर्ट की मानें तो ऐसा होना आने वाले समय में बड़े खतरे का संकेत है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायनमेंट में एयर पॉल्‍यूशन कंट्रोल यूनिट में प्रिंसिपल प्रोग्राम मैनेजर विवेक चट्टोपाध्‍याय, News18hindi से कहते हैं कि आने वाले समय में नोएडा-ग्रेटर नोएडा दिल्‍ली से ज्‍यादा प्रदूषित हो जाएं, इसकी संभावना से इनकार नहीं किया जा सकता. इसके पीछे कई ठोस वजहें हैं. डाउन विंड क्षेत्र विवेक कहते हैं कि प्रदूषण का स्‍तर हवा की स्‍पीड पर भी निर्भर करता है और इन दोनों शहरों में प्रदूषण बढ़ने का एक बड़ा कारण हवा की गति और हवा का रुख भी है. नोएडा और ग्रेटर नोएडा दिल्‍ली के डाउन विंड क्षेत्र में आते हैं. मौसम बदलता है तो हवा की दिशा बदलती है. आमतौर पर दिल्‍ली का प्रदूषण इन दोनों क्षेत्रों से होकर निकलता है. वहीं अगर हवा की गति कम है तो वह इन क्षेत्रों में ठहर भी जाता है. 2. औद्यौगिक क्षेत्र दिल्‍ली के मुकाबले नोएडा, ग्रेटर नोएडा, गाजियाबाद, साहिबाबाद औद्योगिक क्षेत्र हैं. यहां इंडस्‍ट्रीज बहुत ज्‍यादा हैं, इनमें से निकलने वाली गैसें और प्रदूषण तत्‍व यहां की हवा में जहर घोलते रहते हैं. जिनकी वजह से प्रदूषण का स्‍तर यहां रेजिडेंशियल इलाकों के मुकाबले ज्‍यादा ही रहता है. 3. पॉवर कट दिल्‍ली में पॉवर कट बहुत कम होता है जबकि नोएडा और ग्रेटर नोएडा में रोजाना ही पॉवर कट की समस्‍या बहुत ज्‍यादा है. ऐसे में इलेक्टिसिटी बार-बार कट होने से यहां मौजूद इंडस्‍ट्रीज काम चालू रखने के लिए डीजल आदि से चलने वाले हैवी जेनरेटर या अन्‍य विकल्‍पों को अपनाती हैं जो प्रदूषण फैलाने में बहुत आगे हैं. 4. पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट कम होना दिल्‍ली के मुकाबले नोएडा-ग्रेटर नोएडा में पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट की सुविधा 50 फीसदी भी नहीं है. मेट्रो, इलेक्ट्रिक बसें आदि की सुविधा बहुत कम है. यहां रहने वाले ज्‍यादातर लोग निजी वाहनों का ही इस्‍तेमाल करते हैं. साथ ही पार्किंग के लिए पर्याप्‍त जगह होने के चलते, यहां एक-एक घर में कई-कई टूव्‍हीलर और फोर व्‍हीलर गाड़‍ियां आसानी से मिल जाती हैं. ऐसे में जब ये गाड़‍ियां चलती हैं तो इनसे निकलने वाला धुआं, पार्टिकुलेट मेटर प्रदूषण के लेवल को बढ़ाने में योगदान देते हैं. 5. तेजी से कंस्‍ट्रक्‍शन दिल्‍ली के अलावा अन्‍य शहरों की लाखों की आबादी के नोएडा और ग्रेटर नोएडा में शिफ्ट होने के चलते यहां इन लोगों के लिए रिहाइशी सुविधाएं उपलब्‍ध कराने के लिए कंस्‍ट्रक्‍शन में तेजी आई है. साथ ही इंडस्ट्रियल और कॉमर्शियल निर्माण भी बढ़ा है. जिस तरह दिल्‍ली में प्रदूषण को लेकर निर्माण कार्य आदि पर रोक लगती है, नोएडा में ऐसा कम ही देखने को मिला है. नोएडा में जहरीली हो जाएगी हवा? विवेक चट्टोपाध्‍याय कहते हैं कि जैसे-जैसे ठंड का मौसम आएगा और दिल्‍ली में प्रदूषण स्‍तर बढ़ेगा, नोएडा और ग्रेटर नोएडा में हालात और भी विकट हो सकते हैं. यहां की हवा में अभी से जहर घुलने लगा है, अगर अभी से इन शहरों में प्रदूषण स्‍तर को कंट्रोल करने की कोशिशें नहीं की गईं तो आने वाले दिनों में यहां रहना ज्‍यादा मुश्किल हो सकता है.