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Cse In News

Cse In News

Ground-level ozone surges in 10 major cities, presents a new urban crisis in India

Rising Ground-Level Ozone Crisis in Indian Cities: In the summer of 2024, ground-level ozone is emerging as a significant environmental threat across Indian cities, surpassing the more familiar issue of particulate pollution. Recent data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows a surge in ozone concentrations in 10 major cities, including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai-MMR, Kolkata-KMA, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Jaipur.

Hyderabad grapples with killer air as ground-level ozone soars

HYDERABAD: The city's air quality is again in news for the wrong reason. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed that the city is grappling with high levels of ground-level ozone, a pollutant often overlooked in air quality discussions. Of 14 monitoring stations across the city, a staggering 10 recorded ozone levels above the WHO's recommended limit of 100 g/m³ between Jan 1 and July 18 this year. Surprisingly, the highest eight-hour average wasn't found in Hyderabad's industrial zones, but in the residential area of Sanathnagar, where levels spiked to 150.9 g/m³. This was closely followed by ICRISAT Patancheru with 145.9 g/m³ and ECIL Kapra with 140.8 g/m³. These figures were part of a study titled 'Air Quality Tracker: Ground-level Ozone' by CSE researchers Anumita Roychowdhury, Avikal Somvanshi and Sharanjeet Kaur, which analysed ozone levels in 10 major metropolitan regions in India. Hyd sees 115% increase in exceedance days Delhi-NCR tops the list with 176 days of ozone exceedance, followed by Mumbai-MMR and Pune with 138 days. Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Ahmedabad also struggle with 96 exceedance days, but Hyderabad stands out with a 115% increase in exceedance days compared to last year. Ground-level ozone isn't emitted from a single source. It is formed by a complex interaction between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted by vehicles, power plants and factories. These compounds undergo cyclic reactions in presence of sunlight, producing ozone that remains in the air we breathe. Call for more monitoring stns Environmentalists stressed the need for a broader focus on ozone pollution, noting it accounts for 20-30% of Hyderabad's total pollution, followed by PM 2.5 and PM 10. "With more stations, we might find even higher ozone levels in Hyderabad. Delhi has nearly 58 stations, which is why their numbers are so comprehensive," said Narsimha Reddy Donthi, an environmentalist. Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager at CSE's Urban Lab, pointed to an unusual trend - ozone levels in Hyderabad remain elevated well into the night. Ozone should ideally decline after sunset. The city recorded 94 nights with excessive ozone levels, signalling a year-round challenge exacerbated by climate change.

Delhi breathes cleanest air of 2024

The Capital breathed its cleanest air in nearly a year on Thursday, with the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) recorded at 53, which was only three points short of the “good” air category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This was the best air quality in the Capital since September 10, 2023, when an AQI of 45 (classified as “good”) was recorded, according to CPCB data. Meteorology officials said Delhi was helped by good wind speed, up to 30kmph, and moderate showers over the past 24 hours. Forecasts show AQI is likely to remain “satisfactory (up to AQI of 99)” till Sunday, with light to moderate showers expected to continue in the region. Experts said there is generally a washout effect during monsoon, with strong winds helping disperse gases too. “This improved air quality is mainly due to incessant rain during monsoon. This also provides a breather and the cleanest air of the year, before the winter pollution starts to impact Delhi again,” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, the Centre for Science and Environment, said. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Safdarjung weather station, which is representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded 23.8mm of rainfall from Wednesday morning to Thursday evening.

‘Centre should refer to 2013 report’ — ex-ISRO chief on upcoming Western Ghats notification

New Delhi: Former ISRO chief K. Kasturirangan wants the Centre to incorporate the best features of a 2013 report on the Western Ghats in its upcoming notification on the ecologically sensitive areas in the hilly belt. The issue of notifying ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats belt is back in the discussion after the Wayanad landslides claimed roughly 350 lives in Kerala. In 2013, a 10-member panel led by Kasturirangan recommended the notification of 37 percent of the 1.29 lakh square kilometres of Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive. The report has been gathering dust for over a decade now. Speaking to ThePrint, Kasturirangan said the panel had prepared “a balanced report” to ensure the protection and conservation of the Western Ghats while considering the plight of the residents in the area. “What we tried to do through our report was to find a good meeting point between environmental conservation and human settlement,” Kasturirangan said. A Centre-constituted five-member expert panel is now preparing a report, reportedly to redefine the ESAs across six states in the Western Ghats belt. Its draft notification included 13 villages from the landslide-hit Wayanad district within the ESAs. The Centre will likely release the final notification on ecologically sensitive areas in the hilly belt at the end of September. Incorporating the 2013 recommendations will provide “long-term stability for the ecosystem in the region”, Kasturirangan told ThePrint. The 2013 report came after ecologist Madhav Gadgil’s report, which suggested declaring 75 percent of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive areas. “Close to 60% of the Western Ghats region is under cultural landscape — human-dominated land use of settlements, agriculture and plantation (other than forest plantations) — and only about 40% of the area can be classified as natural landscape,” the 2013 report read. “Of the natural landscape, the biologically rich area with some measure of continuity is roughly 37% of the Western Ghats — which is about 60,000 km square. We have identified this 37% of the natural landscape as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA),” it added. The 2013 report highlighted widespread mining activities and the expansion of human settlements as posing a significant risk to the already sensitive ecology in the area. Initially, the report received flak for diluting the Gadgil report, which recommended a much larger area as ESA. However, the Kasturirangan panel said they had a dual aim — to protect the ecology and not ignore the existing human settlements in these areas. While neither the Gadgil nor Kasturirangan panel report was implemented, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued the sixth draft notification for declaring 56,800 square kilometres of Western Ghats as ESA a day after the landslides in Wayanad. Kasturirangan told ThePrint that while the 2013 report has been on the back burner so far, it should now be incorporated. “We had some of the best minds in the field that worked together to bring a holistic view of the Western Ghats and its ecology. These recommendations have the best interests of the environment and its residents in mind,” he said. Along with Kasturirangan, the panel included members such as renowned ecologist and Delhi University professor C.R. Babu, Delhi School of Economics professor Kanchan Chopra, professor and expert on the Western Ghats and its environmental systems Darshan Shankar, professor P.S. Roy from ISRO, and the Centre for Science and Environment’s Sunita Narain, among others.

AQI 53: Delhi experiences its cleanest air day after 333 days

New Delhi: Rain and strong winds helped Delhiites breathe the cleanest air on Thursday when the Air Quality Index read 53, at the lower end of the ‘satisfactory’ range, after a gap of 333 days. A lower AQI than this was recorded on Sept 10 last year when it was 45, which qualified as ‘good’ air. Experts said Delhi saw light rain on Thursday, while moderate rain was recorded on Wednesday. Apart from the capital, several parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have seen showers for the past few days. The rain washed out pollutants, while strong winds aided in their dispersion. Parts of Delhi reported strong winds up to 20 kmph on Thursday, India Meteorological Department’s data shows. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said: “This is the result of intense and persistent rainfall during the monsoon months. This provides a breather before winter pollution builds up. This is the time to recalibrate action strategy for more sustained improvement in air quality.” Though the capital experienced the lowest AQI on Thursday, it is yet to record a ‘good’ air day (when AQI is 50 or below) this year. Experts said in Delhi, monsoon months are the cleanest as meteorological conditions help disperse pollutants. However, after the monsoon is over and winter sets in, the pollution soars. Dipankar Saha, former head of Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air laboratory, said: “Even rain is unable to help Delhi meet the national ambient air quality standards on most days in the monsoon season. On Thursday, PM10 was the lead pollutant, which shows that dust was high on a rainy day. Agencies have to work on the ground to cut down pollution at the source level.” CPCB’s data shows that between Jan 1 and Aug 8, Delhi saw 85 days when AQI was in the range of 201 and 500. However, the number of such days was lower last year during the same period as AQI surpassed 200 on 80 days. The air quality of Delhi is likely to stay in the ‘satisfactory’ category till Aug 11, according to Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS), which is the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences. On Thursday, some parts of Delhi saw light rain. Safdarjung and Lodhi Road logged 2.8mm and 2.7mm, respectively, between 8.30am and 5.30pm. Najafgarh got 87.5mm till 8.30am on Thursday. Palam got 41 mm between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm. Light rain is likely on Friday, and light to moderate showers are predicted from Saturday to Monday as the monsoon trough is expected to oscillate. IMD has issued a ‘yellow’ alert (be aware) for rain from Saturday to Monday. The maximum temperature rose to 34.1 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature stood at 25.4.

Dehli: दिल्ली 2024 में सबसे स्वच्छ हवा में सांस लेगी

दिल्ली Delhi: केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) के अनुसार, राजधानी ने गुरुवार को लगभग एक साल में सबसे स्वच्छ हवा में सांस ली, 24 घंटे का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) 53 दर्ज किया गया, जो “अच्छी” वायु श्रेणी से केवल तीन अंक कम था। CPCB के आंकड़ों के अनुसार, 10 सितंबर, 2023 के बाद से राजधानी में यह सबसे अच्छी वायु गुणवत्ता थी, जब AQI 45 (जिसे “अच्छी” श्रेणी में वर्गीकृत किया गया था) दर्ज किया गया था। मौसम विज्ञान अधिकारियों ने कहा कि पिछले 24 घंटों में 30 किमी प्रति घंटे तक की अच्छी हवा की गति और मध्यम बारिश से दिल्ली को मदद मिली है। पूर्वानुमानों से पता चलता है कि रविवार तक AQI “संतोषजनक (99 के AQI तक)” रहने की संभावना है, इस क्षेत्र में हल्की से मध्यम बारिश जारी रहने की उम्मीद है। मौसम विज्ञान अधिकारियों ने कहा कि पिछले 24 घंटों में 30 किमी प्रति घंटे तक की अच्छी हवा की गति और मध्यम बारिश से दिल्ली को मदद मिली है। पूर्वानुमानों के अनुसार, रविवार तक AQI "संतोषजनक (99 AQI तक)" रहने की संभावना है, तथा क्षेत्र में हल्की से मध्यम वर्षा जारी रहने की उम्मीद है। 1199/- प्रति वर्ष पर हिंदुस्तान टाइम्स ई-पेपर और अभिलेखागार तक असीमित पहुँच प्राप्त करें विशेषज्ञों ने कहा कि मानसून के दौरान आम तौर पर वाशआउट प्रभाव होता है, जिसमें तेज़ हवाएँ गैसों को फैलाने में भी मदद करती हैं। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की कार्यकारी निदेशक, अनुसंधान और वकालत, अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, "यह बेहतर वायु गुणवत्ता मुख्य रूप से मानसून के दौरान लगातार बारिश के कारण है। इससे दिल्ली में सर्दियों के प्रदूषण के फिर से प्रभाव शुरू होने से पहले एक राहत और साल की सबसे साफ हवा भी मिलती है।"

PM KUSUM : किसानों को सोलर पंप देने का लक्ष्य अब तक महज 30 फीसदी ही पूरा हुआ

प्रधानमंत्री किसान ऊर्जा एवं उत्थान महाभियान यानी ''पीएम कुसुम'' के तहत किसानों को Irrigation Facility के लिए सोलर पंप दिए जाने हैं. इस योजना की समय सीमा 2026 निर्धारित की गई है. इस समय सीमा में जितने किसानों को सोलर पंप दिए जाने हैं, अभी उसका महज 30 प्रतिशत लक्ष्य ही हासिल हो पाया है. पर्यावरण के क्षेत्र में कार्यरत शोध संस्था सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ने पीएम कुसुम योजना के अब तक के परिणामों को लेकर एक अध्ययन रिपोर्ट जारी की है. सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में पीएम कुसुम योजना को पर्यावरण और खेती किसानी के लिहाज से बेहतर बताया गया है. साथ ही इसे लागू करने में हो रही कमियों का भी जिक्र किया है. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार इस योजना में अब तक पूरे देश में 12 लाख से ज्यादा Solar Pump किसानों को देने का अनुमोदन किया जा चुका है. मगर इनमें से महज 4 लाख सोलर पंप ही किसानों के खेत पर लगे हैं. किसान बना रहे 1944 मेगावाट बिजली सरकार की ओर से पेश किए गए आंकड़ों से भी सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में पेश किए गए तथ्यों की पुष्टि होती है. इस समय चल रहे संसद के मानसून सत्र में पीएम-कुसुम योजना को लेकर पूछे गए प्रश्नों के उत्तर में नवीन एवं नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा और बिजली राज्य मंत्री श्रीपद येसो नाइक ने लोकसभा में अहम जानकारी दी है. उन्होंने बताया कि इस साल 30 जुलाई तक पीएम कुसुम योजना के तहत पूरे देश में कुल 3,97,437 सोलर पंप किसानों के खेत पर लगाए जा चुके हैं. इससे लाभान्वित होने वाले किसानों की कुल संख्या 4,11,222 हो गई है. नाइक ने कहा कि किसानों को दिए गए 3,97,437 सोलर पंपों की कुल बिजली उत्पादन क्षमता 1944 मेगावाट है. इससे इतर सीएसई द्वारा किसानों के दृष्टिकोण से पीएम कुसुम योजना के जमीनी कार्यान्वयन पर डेटा और जानकारी एकत्र की गई. 'पीएम कुसुम योजना के कार्यान्वयन की चुनौतियां' शीर्षक वाली रिपोर्ट में पीएम कुसुम योजना को लागू करने में राज्यों का रिपोर्ट कार्ड भी पेश किया गया है. सीएसई के औद्योगिक प्रदूषण और नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के कार्यक्रम निदेशक निवित कुमार यादव की अगुवाई में तैयार की गई रिपोर्ट के अनुसार पीएम कुसुम योजना में राज्य सरकारों ने अब तक 12 लाख 94 हजार 787 सोलर पंप लगाने का अनुमोदन किया है. इनमें से 4 लाख 2 हजार 792 सोलर पंप ही किसानों के खेत पर लग सके हैं. यह कुल लक्ष्य का महज 30 फीसदी ही है. सोलर पंप लगाने में हरियाणा के किसान अव्वल रिपोर्ट के अनुसार जलवायु परिवर्तन की चुनौतियों को देखते हुए सौर ऊर्जा को खेती में शामिल करना जरूरी हो गया है. इसके लिए लंबे समय तक काम में आने वाली तकनीक पर निवेश करना और भी महत्वपूर्ण है. ऐसे में, पीएम-कुसुम जैसी योजनाएं भारत के Climate Action Plan को आगे बढ़ा सकती हैं. यादव ने कहा कि इस रिपोर्ट के माध्यम से पीएम कुसुम योजना को लागू करने के बारे में राज्य सरकारों की सक्रिय भागीदारी को भी उजागर किया गया है. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार इस योजना के तहत हर राज्य की सरकार किसानों को अनुदान पर दिए जाने वाले सोलर पंप की संख्या का सालाना अनुमोदन करती है. इसके तहत 2019 से लेकर अब तक अनुमोदित सोलर पंप को खेत पर लगाने के मामले में हरियाणा सबसे आगे है. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार हरियाणा सरकार ने अब तक 2 लाख 52 हजार 655 सोलर पंप अनुमोदित किए हैं. इनमें से 1 लाख 19 हजार 792 पंप किसानों के खत में लगा दिए गए हैं. वहीं, सोलर पंप अनुमो‍दित करने में महाराष्ट्र सरकार सबसे आगे है. महाराष्ट्र सरकार ने अब तक 4 लाख 5 हजार किसानों को सोलर पंप अनुमोदित कर दिए हैं. इनमें से 1 लाख 01 हजार 819 पंप खेत पर लगा दिए गए हैं. सोलर पंप अनुमोदन करने के मामले में राजस्थान दूसरे स्थान पर है. राजस्थान सरकार ने 2 लाख 48 हजार 720 सोलर पंप अनुमोदित तो कर दिए हैं, मगर अब तक सिर्फ 75 हजार 56 पंप ही किसानों के खेत पर लगे हैं. किसानों के खेत पर Solar Pump Installation के मामले में यूपी का रिपोर्ट कार्ड अन्य राज्यों से बेहतर है. हरियाणा और यूपी ही ऐसे राज्य हैं, जहां अनुमोदित सोलर पंप के एवज में 50 फीसदी से ज्यादा पंप किसानों के खेत पर लगा दिए गए हैं. यूपी में सरकार द्वारा 1 लाख 14 हजार 790 सोलर पंप का अनुमोदन किए जाने के बाद अब तक 54 हजार 943 पंप खेत पर दिए गए हैं. बिहार फिसड्डी साबित हुआ रिपोर्ट के अनुसार कुछ राज्यों में पीएम कुसुम योजना के तहत सोलर पंप को लेकर राज्य सरकार पूरी तरह से उदासीन बनी हुई हैं. इनमें आश्चर्यजनक तरीके से बिहार के चौंकाने वाले आंकड़े सामने आए हैं. रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक बिहार सरकार ने पिछले 6 साल में किसी भी किसान को सोलर पंप देने का अनुमोदन नहीं किया है. नतीजतन, पीएम कुसुम योजना के तहत बिहार के किसी किसान को कोई सोलर पंप नहीं मिला है. हालांकि, बिहार में इस योजना के तहत किसानों को बिजली या डीजल पंप की जगह सोलर पंप लगाने और 14 एकड़ से ज्यादा बंजर भूमि पर सोलर पार्क बनाने के लिए 1.60 लाख परियोजनाएं अनुमोदित की गई हैं. मगर, इससे भी ज्यादा हैरत की बात ये है कि इनमें से एक भी परियोजना को जमीन पर नहीं उतारा गया है. गौरतलब है कि पीएम कुसुम योजना में किसानों को तीन श्रेणियों में सौर ऊर्जा से लैस करने का प्रावधान है. पहली श्रेणी बंजर भूमि पर Solar Park लगाने की है. जबकि दूसरी श्रेणी में किसानों को सिंचाई के लिए अनुदान पर सोलर पंप दिए जाते हैं और तीसरी श्रेणी में सोलर पार्क एवं सोलर पंप] दोनों देने का प्रावधान है. बिहार में सिर्फ तीसरी श्रेणी में ही अनुदान को अनुमोदित किया गया है, मगर अनुमोदन के एवज में एक भी Solar Unit स्थापित नहीं हुई है. पीएम कुसुम से किसान उठा सकते हैं ये लाभ केंद्र सरकार ने पीएम कुसुम योजना को तीन श्रेणी में विभाजित किया है. इसकी पहली श्रेणी में कोई किसान अपनी कम से कम 14 एकड़ बंजर भूमि पर 2.5 मेगावाट बिजली उत्पादन क्षमता की Mini Solar Grid स्थापित कर सकता है. इस श्रेणी में लगने वाली यूनिट की Project Cost लगभग 8 करोड़ रुपये है. इससे किसान प्रतिदिन औसतन 16 हजार 900 यूनिट बिजली सरकार को 3.14 रुपये प्रति यूनिट की दर से बेच कर प्रतिदिन 53 हजार रुपये (प्रति माह 15 लाख 91 हजार 980 रुपये) कमा सकता है. दूसरी श्रेणी में किसानों को सिंचाई के लिए डीजल या बिजली पंप की जगह 70 से 80 फीसदी अनुदान पर सोलर पंप दिए जाते हैं. सरकार का दावा है कि सोलर पंप के इस्तेमाल से किसान सिंचाई के लिए डीजल या बिजली पर खर्च होने वाली राशि में सालाना 64 हजार 890 रुपये की बचत कर सकता है. इस योजना के तहत दूसरी श्रेणी में ही किसानों को सौर ऊर्जा से लैस करने के लिए सभी राज्य सरकारें सबसे ज्यादा प्रोत्साहन दे रही हैं. तीसरी श्रेणी खेती करने वाले उन किसानों के लिए है, जिनके पास कम से कम 14 एकड़ बंजर जमीन भी है. इस श्रेणी में किसान को सिंचाई के लिए अनुदान पर सोलर पंप देने के साथ बंजर जमीन पर 2.5 मेगावाट बिजली उत्पादन क्षमता का सोलर पार्क भी बनाने में मदद की जाती है. बिहार में तीसरी श्रेणी के तहत ही 1.60 लाख Project Sanction हुए हैं. यह बात दीगर है कि इनमें से कोई भी प्रोजेक्ट अब तक लगाया नहीं गया है.

Indian cities battle a silent and invisible foe: Ozone pollution

Centre for Science and Environment has alerted from time to time about the growing problem of ground-level ozone in Indian metropolitan areas A silent and invisible enemy is tightening its grip on the air we breathe in the bustling metropolises of India — rising levels of ground-level ozone pollution. A new study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has uncovered a troubling trend: ground-level ozone pollution is on the rise across India’s major cities, posing a serious health threat, particularly to those with respiratory issues, as per a report by Down to Earth. While most of us fret over visible pollutants like dust and smog, this sneaky gas is slipping through the cracks, wreaking havoc on our lungs.\ The report, aptly titled 'Air Quality Tracker: An Invisible Threat,' sheds light on how researchers analysed data from April to July 2024 across ten metropolitan areas, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru and revealed a concerning rise in ozone levels. Delhi-NCR emerged as the worst-hit, with a staggering 176 days of ozone exceedance recorded. But the capital isn't alone in this, cities like Mumbai and Pune are also grappling with high levels of this gas, which was found to be particularly persistent, even under the cover of night. Ironically, greener, high-end neighborhoods with fewer other pollutants are more prone to ozone build-up, transforming them from havens of fresh air into unsuspecting danger zones. So, what exactly is this elusive gas doing to our bodies? Ground-level ozone is a highly reactive substance that can inflame and damage the airways, exacerbating conditions like asthma and bronchitis. Children, the elderly, and those with existing respiratory issues are particularly vulnerable, added the report. Ground-level ozone, a highly reactive gas, has serious health consequences. Those with respiratory conditions, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — as well as children with premature lungs and older adults — are at serious risk. This can inflame and damage airways, make lungs susceptible to infection, aggravate asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis and increase the frequency of asthma attacks leading to increased hospitalisation. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE The report warns that as we succeed in reducing particulate pollution, the problem of ozone and nitrogen oxides might just get worse. This calls for a major shift in how we tackle air pollution.

Hyderabad grapples with killer air as ground-level ozone soars

HYDERABAD: The city's air quality is again in news for the wrong reason. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed that the city is grappling with high levels of ground-level ozone, a pollutant often overlooked in air quality discussions. Of 14 monitoring stations across the city, a staggering 10 recorded ozone levels above the WHO's recommended limit of 100 g/m³ between Jan 1 and July 18 this year. Surprisingly, the highest eight-hour average wasn't found in Hyderabad's industrial zones, but in the residential area of Sanathnagar, where levels spiked to 150.9 g/m³. This was closely followed by ICRISAT Patancheru with 145.9 g/m³ and ECIL Kapra with 140.8 g/m³. These figures were part of a study titled 'Air Quality Tracker: Ground-level Ozone' by CSE researchers Anumita Roychowdhury, Avikal Somvanshi and Sharanjeet Kaur, which analysed ozone levels in 10 major metropolitan regions in India. Delhi-NCR tops the list with 176 days of ozone exceedance, followed by Mumbai-MMR and Pune with 138 days. Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Ahmedabad also struggle with 96 exceedance days, but Hyderabad stands out with a 115% increase in exceedance days compared to last year. Ground-level ozone isn't emitted from a single source. It is formed by a complex interaction between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted by vehicles, power plants and factories. These compounds undergo cyclic reactions in presence of sunlight, producing ozone that remains in the air we breathe. Call for more monitoring stns Environmentalists stressed the need for a broader focus on ozone pollution, noting it accounts for 20-30% of Hyderabad's total pollution, followed by PM 2.5 and PM 10. "With more stations, we might find even higher ozone levels in Hyderabad. Delhi has nearly 58 stations, which is why their numbers are so comprehensive," said Narsimha Reddy Donthi, an environmentalist.

Death From Sky: Lightning Kills 1,876 People Annually In India, Study Reveals

Lucknow: Lightning in India has emerged as one of the most lethal and challenging natural hazards. Over the past 54 years, lightning has caused a total of 101,309 human fatalities, averaging 1,876 deaths annually. This was revealed in a study titled: “Lightning-related fatalities in India (1967-2020): A detailed overview of pattern and trends” carried out by Manoranjan Mishra, Tamoghna Acharya, Rajkumar Guria, Nihar Ranjan Rout and others. Lightning fatality data from 1967 to 2020 (53 years) across the Indian states were collected from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). The NCRB provides the longest available time series of gender-disaggregated lightning fatality data. The data highlights an increasing trend, with the last two decades showing the highest increase, an alarming development. The rising trend of extreme climate conditions will likely exacerbate the situation in a country like India. “The increase in recorded lightning deaths in the last 20 years can be attributed to both improved recording methods of lightning deaths and the effects of climate change,” Mishra told this reporter. The analysis reveals that Madhya Pradesh registered the highest number of deaths, followed by Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. Explaining more deaths in MP than in UP, the most populated state in India Mishra said “It all depends on cloud-to-ground activity and exposure of the population during that time. The relation is non-linear.” Ongoing research indicates that Central and Eastern India have the highest incidence of lightning, with Northeast India showing an increase since 2001. States like Madhya Pradesh, which lack substantial disaster management institutions at the state or local level, need serious and immediate attention, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh need to develop and implement a scientific, evidence-based action plan, the study said. Furthermore, states including Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu must continue and intensify their lightning risk management efforts. Sunita Narain, director-general of the Center for Science and Environment, said global warming plays a role in the rising number of lightning strikes. A one-degree Celsius rise in temperature increases lightning by 12 times. She said that deforestation, the depletion of bodies of water, and pollution all contribute to climate change, which leads to more lightning. Gender disparity There is marked gender disparity among lightning strike fatalities in India, underscoring the variable impact across genders. Specifically, Punjab and Haryana exhibit the highest male fatality rates, at 86% and 80% respectively, starkly contrasting with Kerala, where the gender gap narrows, with male fatalities constituting 65% and female fatalities 35%. The findings highlight the distinct vulnerabilities and exposures of men and women to lightning hazards, suggesting that socio-cultural factors, occupational exposure, and behavioral patterns, which differ markedly between genders across various regions, likely contribute to this disparity. Mitigation The study says that lightning, while an inherent natural hazard, has a considerable potential for mitigation. This can be substantially achieved through a research and knowledge-based community-centric approach, complemented by collective actions, as opposed to a solely bureaucratic approach. “The emphasis should be on enhancing public awareness and sensitization through preparedness, prevention, mitigation, and capacity building. The essence of success in reducing lightning-related fatalities and injuries lies in two critical aspects – firstly, implementing local research and knowledge-based actions, and secondly, undertaking aggressive capacity building before and during high-risk periods such as Kal baishakhi, pre-monsoon, and monsoon seasons,” the study said.

Ozone Pollution: देश के 10 बड़े राज्यों में तेजी से बढ रहा प्रदूषण, CSE की रिपोर्ट में खुलासा

Ozone Pollution तेजी से बढ़ रहा है. देश के 10 बड़े राज्यों में ओजोन प्रदूषण बढ़ा है. इनमें दिल्ली के हरियाली वाले इलाकों में ये तेजी से बढता पाया गया. CSE (Centre for Science and Environment) की रिपोर्ट सामने आई है जिसमें इसका खुलासा हुआ है. Ozone Pollution : देश के 10 बड़े राज्यों में तेजी से बढ रहा प्रदूषण, CSE की रिपोर्ट में खुलासा Ozone Pollution तेजी से बढ़ रहा है. देश के 10 बड़े राज्यों में ओजोन प्रदूषण बढ़ा है. इनमें दिल्ली के हरियाली वाले इलाकों में ये तेजी से बढता पाया गया. CSE की रिपोर्ट सामने आई है जिसमें इसका खुलासा हुआ है.

In the national capital Delhi, vehicles have emerged as the major reason for air

pollution, according to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The CSE study said that vehicles contributed to more than 50% of Delhi's pollution between October 24 and November 8, this year. This is followed by household pollution (13.5%). Industries contributed 9.9% of air pollution while construction activities accounted for 6.9% of pollution in the national capital Clearly, after the closure of all cool-based power plants, the expansion of natural gos usage in industries, and control on dirty fuels, vehicles have emerged as the biggest real-time contributor among the local sources of winter pollution in Delhi this year. Due to poor air quality, there is a rise in cases of sore throat, runny nose, chest infections, allergic reactions and aggravated asthma among the citizens of Delhi. Breathing in air pollutants, blocks your airways and causes serious health problems. Constant exposure may even cause lung cancer. Name a few problems arising in human beings due to air pollution

तेजी से आगे नहीं बढ़ पा रही पीएम कुसुम योजना: रिपोर्ट

नयी दिल्ली, सात अगस्त (भाषा) देश में कृषि क्षेत्र में सौर ऊर्जा को बढ़ावा देने वाली पीएम कुसुम योजना तेजी से आगे नहीं बढ़ पा रही है। योजना के तहत अबतक लक्ष्य का केवल 30 प्रतिशत हासिल किया गया है। एक रिपोर्ट में यह कहा गया है। प्रधानमंत्री किसान ऊर्जा सुरक्षा एवं उत्थान महाभियान (पीएम कुसुम) योजना 2019 में शुरू की गई। योजना का लक्ष्य किसानों को सौर ऊर्जा अपनाने में मदद करना, खेती-बाड़ी को पर्यावरण अनुकूल बनाना और पारंपरिक ऊर्जा स्रोतों पर निर्भरता कम करना है। शोध संस्थान सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट में हरियाणा, पंजाब, राजस्थान और छत्तीसगढ़ में किये गये सर्वेक्षण के अनुसार योजना ने छह साल बाद भी अपने लक्ष्य का केवल 30 प्रतिशत ही हासिल किया है। जबकि लक्ष्य को हासिल करने की समयसीमा 2026 करीब आ रही है।

तेजी से आगे नहीं बढ पा रही पीएम कुसुम योजना: रिपोर्ट

नयी दिल्ली, सात अगस्त (भाषा) देश में कृषि क्षेत्र में सौर ऊर्जा को बढ़ावा देने वाली पीएम कुसुम योजना तेजी से आगे नहीं बढ़ पा रही है। योजना के तहत अबतक लक्ष्य का केवल 30 प्रतिशत हासिल किया गया है। एक रिपोर्ट में यह कहा गया है। प्रधानमंत्री किसान ऊर्जा सुरक्षा एवं उत्थान महाभियान (पीएम कुसुम) योजना 2019 में शुरू की गई। योजना का लक्ष्य किसानों को सौर ऊर्जा अपनाने में मदद करना, खेती-बाड़ी को पर्यावरण अनुकूल बनाना और पारंपरिक ऊर्जा स्रोतों पर निर्भरता कम करना है। शोध संस्थान सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट में हरियाणा, पंजाब, राजस्थान और छत्तीसगढ़ में किये गये सर्वेक्षण के अनुसार योजना ने छह साल बाद भी अपने लक्ष्य का केवल 30 प्रतिशत ही हासिल किया है। जबकि लक्ष्य को हासिल करने की समयसीमा 2026 करीब आ रही है। सीएसई में औद्योगिक प्रदूषण और नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा मामलों के कार्यक्रम निदेशक निवित कुमार यादव ने कहा, ‘‘चूंकि जलवायु परिवर्तन का व्यापक प्रभाव लगातार बढ़ रहा है, ऐसे में खासकर कृषि जैसे प्रमुख क्षेत्रों में पर्यावरण अनुकूल गतिविधियों में निवेश करना पहले से कहीं अधिक महत्वपूर्ण हो गया है।’’

PM KUSUM Scheme Achieved Only 30% Targets in Past 6 Years Since Inception: CSE Study

Patna: Contrary to government claims, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM KUSUM scheme), has achieved only about 30% of its targets in the past six years since its inception. This was revealed in a study by New Delhi- based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) The PM KUSUM scheme that was introduced in 2019 and to solarise agriculture in India. But it appears that its implementation is slow and lagging. The CSE report, titled "Implementation Challenges of the PM KUSUM Scheme: Case Studies from Selected Indian States", was released on Wednesday in New Delhi, and focuses on gathering data and information, especially from the perspective of farmers on on-ground implementation. The report wonders that with its deadline year – 2026 – approaching fast, will the scheme be able to cover the remaining ground? Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution and renewable energy, CSE, said in a webinar: “Our report outlines findings from surveys conducted by CSE in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. With climate change exerting increasing impacts and at scale, it has become all the more critical to invest in sustainable practices, especially in important sectors like agriculture. In such a scenario, schemes like PM-KUSUM can drive India’s climate action – but only if implemented with care and caution.” The scheme is divided into three components, (a) focusing on installation of mini grids on barren lands, (b) installation of off-grid solar water pumps to replace diesel water pumps, and (c) installation of on-grid solar water pumps to replace electric water pumps and installation of mini-grids for agriculture feeder solarisation. Most of the implementation has taken place under component (b), with Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh among the top performing states. Components (a) and (c)have seen minimal implementation, it adds. The report points out that farmers who have opted for solar water pumps are satisfied, as it has enabled them to irrigate their fields during the day. It recounts the testimony of a beneficiary of the PM-KUSUM scheme from Aterna village in Sonipat district of Haryana, who says: “The solar water pump has eased farming activities. We used to get agricultural electricity supply on the basis of a time table set by the state implementing agencies, who would also set the timings during night hours in some weeks. Irrigation of land at night is inconvenient for us farmers. The addition of a solar water pump on our land has meant that we now have the freedom to irrigate our lands during the day without the threat of power cuts.” Farmers who have moved from diesel or electric pumps to solar-powered pumps have found it profitable, but only if the pumps installed are of the correct size. Farmers in Haryana, says the report, are saving up to Rs 55,000 a year after shifting from diesel water pumps to solar variants. One of the principal challenges that the scheme has faced in its implementation, as per the report, has been the availability of cheap electricity for farmers. However, this cheap electricity has its flip side – it leads to increases in a state’s subsidy burden. This access to cheap electricity leads to a lack of incentive for farmers to shift from electric water pumps to solar water pumps, it adds. Farmers are often forced to opt for pump sizes that are bigger than needed for their land. According to Debajit Palit, professor of energy at NTPC School of Business in Noida and a panelist at the CSE webinar, the scheme needs to be tailored as per farmers’ requirements so that it proves financially viable for them. “If pump sizes are based on the land size and water requirements of different areas, rather than keeping them uniform throughout the country, farmers could avoid the extra expenditure,” he said. Another challenge is centralisation of the implementation model in some states. In Punjab, the report notes, the scheme’s implementation is overseen by the Punjab Renewable Energy Development Agency, as opposed to Rajasthan, where each component of the scheme has a different implementing agency. Yadav said that to truly realise the potential of the PM-KUSUM scheme, a decentralised model is important. “State implementing agencies with the necessary knowledge about each component should be responsible for the components that are under their expertise,” he added. The CSE report has recommended some measures to speed up the implementation of the PM KUSUM scheme. It suggested a decentralised implementation model and farmers should get the option to pay upfront costs in installments in order to make the scheme financially more viable for them, among others.

PM-KUSUM scheme – Recent Updates

The PM-KUSUM scheme, started in 2019 to introduce solar energy in Indian agriculture, is facing difficulties. According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), only 30% of the scheme’s targets have been met. With the 2026 deadline approaching, improvements are urgently needed. Overview of the PM-KUSUM Scheme The scheme has three main parts: Component A: Installing mini-grids on barren lands. Component B: Replacing diesel water pumps with off-grid solar water pumps. Component C: Replacing electric water pumps with on-grid solar pumps and creating mini-grids for agricultural solarisation. Progress and Successes Component B has made good progress in states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. By replacing diesel pumps with solar-powered ones, farmers are saving up to Rs 55,000 annually. This also helps them avoid power cuts, making irrigation more reliable. Challenges in Implementation Cheap Electricity: The availability of inexpensive electricity makes farmers less interested in switching to solar pumps. Pressure to Buy Larger Pumps: Farmers are often pressured to buy bigger pumps than they need, which increases their costs. Centralisation: The centralized implementation process is inefficient and varies by state. Recommendations for Improvement The CSE report suggests several strategies to improve the scheme’s success: Decentralisation: Allow local agencies with expertise to manage implementations more effectively. Financial Viability: Offer installment payment options for upfront costs to make solar pumps more accessible to farmers.