The Government launched the PM-KUSUM scheme in March 2019, which was scaled up in January 2024 to in... A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) titled Implementation Challenges of ...
Prasanna Kumar, a survivor of the deadly landslides that struck Kerala's Wayanad district on July 30, saw his sister and her family being swept away by the swirling and powerful muddy waters. Several others who were sleeping were caught unaware and were also washed away. "I have seen many landslides in this region but this was devastating. The ground shook and the earth under my feet gave way in the blink of an eye. There was a trail of death and destruction after," Kumar told DW from a relief camp. Fragile ecosystems Rescue operations are winding down in the search for some 200 people who are still missing, including Kumar's relatives. The natural disaster took the lives of over 300 people and caused damage to property and infrastructure. It has also prompted soul-searching over whether India should be taking more steps to avoid environmental catastrophes in the future. Sunita Narain, director at the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi, highlighted natural disasters in the Himalayan region as examples of the environment being unable to withstand damaging activities such as deforestation and ill-considered construction. Last year, Joshimath town in the state of Uttarakhand was reported to be "sinking," with cracks in the town's buildings and streets. In October, a dam containing a glacial lake in Sikkim burst. The following month, a cave-in left over 40 Indian workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel of the Himalayas for 17 days. "It is just one example of the mindless way we are making hydroelectric projects in the fragile Himalayan zone. Should there not be better planning to decide what is good for people and good for the ecology? What is important is that we should have viable livelihood options for people in these fraught areas," Narain told DW. Officials ignored recommendations from ecologists In Kerala, the Western Ghats region where the landslides occurred is also an ecologically sensitive region where suggestions from environmentalists have been ignored. Quarrying and deforestation is carried out in unsuitable or dangerous locations. An expert panel led by environmental scientist Madhav Gadgil recommended in 2010 that 75% of the 129,037 square-kilometer (49,821 square-mile) area of the Western Ghats be declared environmentally sensitive, citing its dense forests and the presence of many endemic species. But this was reduced to 50% just three years later based on recommendations by a second panel. There are 5,924 quarries in Kerala, including in the most ecologically fragile zones, according to online outlet Mathrubhumi, citing a report by Gadgil. While not all quarrying is government-sanctioned, there is a lack of enforcement to crack down on quarrying without permits. Gadgil attributed the landslide tragedy to the Kerala government's failure to implement crucial ecological recommendations, telling Indian media: "There is a direct link between hard-rock quarrying and slope failures in the form of landslides, especially in a place like Wayanad." Should India update its weather warning system? Nearly half of Kerala comprises hills and mountainous regions with slopes exceeding 20 degrees. A recent risk assessment, based on nearly 81,000 landslides covering 17 states in the country between 1998 and 2022, showed that Kerala witnessed 6,039 landslides and was the worst hit among non-Himalayan states, according to the Landslide Atlas of India. Human-induced climate change is already intensifying weather extremes in India, including heat waves and flooding. Such events are likely to exacerbate disasters in already sensitive areas, such as on the steep slopes of Kerala. Ahead of the disaster, an unusually large 572 millimeters (22.5 inches) of rainfall was reportedly recorded in Wayanad in just 48 hours, triggering the massive landslides. Akshay Deoras, a meteorologist from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the Department of Meteorology at the UK's University of Reading, called for India to adapt its current warning system to reflect the dramatic changes in climate the country is experiencing. "The efficacy of the current color-coded warning system and the language used in alerts or forecasts must be re-examined by consulting all stakeholders in the country, including the media, citizens, disaster relief forces and state governments. Traditional ways of managing disasters are not going to work for such events," said Deoras. He suggested that early warning systems in India be made more robust by exploiting the use of Doppler radars, satellites, real-time observations and direct communications with people. "The focus needs to be on improving weather prediction models as well," Deoras told DW. "Meteorologists must be empowered to alert people directly, reducing the dependency on state governments or local authorities for the dissemination of alerts. The tornado warnings and prediction systems in the US provides some clues," he said.
Chennai saw prolonged periods of high ground-level ozone levels in the summer of 2024, though the problem was less widespread than in previous years, a recent study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found. The number of days with ozone levels exceeding safe limits was relatively low, with only nine days of exceedance reported. However, the city’s peak ozone concentration reached 192.7 µg/m³, the third highest among the 10 cities studied, indicating severe spikes despite fewer excess days. Ground-level ozone is a colorless gas that forms just above the Earth’s surface. It is considered a “secondary” pollutant because it results from the reaction of sunlight with primary pollutants. These primary pollutants include nitrogen oxides from vehicle emissions and industrial processes, as well as volatile organic compounds from vehicles, solvents, and various industrial activities. There are two sets of standards for ozone: an 8-hourly standard of 100 µg/m³ and one hourly standard at 180 µg/m³. Significantly, the study notes, as the Central Pollution Control Board caps data at 200 μg/m³, it is difficult to assess how high concentrations actually reach, making it challenging to evaluate the one-hour standard. The CSE assessment examines summer trends (April 1-July 18) from 2020 to 2024 using real-time, 15-minute average data from the CPCB’s online portal. It includes data from the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System at official stations across 10 metropolitan regions, including nine stations in the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA). Anumita Roychowdhury from CSE highlights that ground-level ozone, a harmful gas, poses serious health risks, especially for those with respiratory issues and vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Despite its indirect emission sources—like vehicles and industrial processes—ozone’s toxic effects are undeniable, and its levels have significantly increased over recent years, she says. Velachery, Perungudi most affected The CSE study points out that ozone levels persist year-round, though they peak during the summer. In Chennai, this summer saw a decrease in excess days compared to previous years, but the problem remains critical. Velachery and Perungudi in South Chennai are the most severely impacted areas by ground ozone pollution in CMA. This year, Velachery exceeded the pollution standard for six days, while Perungudi surpassed it for three days. Further, ground-level ozone should ideally become negligible in the night air, but CMA has been witnessing a rare phenomenon where ozone levels remain elevated hours after sunset.
देश की राजधानी दिल्ली समेत कई बड़े शहरों में ओजोन का स्तर बढ़ गया है, जो स्वास्थ्य के लिए बेहद खतरनाक हो सकता है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, ओजोन की अधिक मात्रा फेफड़ों को नुकसान पहुंचा सकती है और सांस की समस्याओं को बढ़ा सकती है। इसका खतरा अब जानलेवा बनता जा रहा है। क्या कहती है CSE की रिपोर्ट ? इस साल देश की राजधानी में रहने वाले लोगों ने प्रचंड गर्मी का एहसास किया है। इस अप्रत्याशित बदले हुए मौसम के पैटर्न का सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (CSE) ने गहन अध्ययन किया। इस नए अध्ययन में बड़ा खुलासा हुआ है जिसको लेकर कहा गया है कि 2024 की गर्मियों में भारत के 10 प्रमुख महानगरीय क्षेत्रों में ओजोन का स्तर बढ़ गया है। ओजोन का स्तर बढ़ जाने से देश की राजधानी दिल्ली बुरी तरह से प्रभावित पाई गई। जिन शहरों में यह अध्ययन किया गया है उनमें बेंगलुरु मेट्रोपॉलिटन एरिया (कर्नाटक), चेन्नई मेट्रोपॉलिटन एरिया (तमिलनाडु), दिल्ली-एनसीआर, ग्रेटर अहमदाबाद (गुजरात), ग्रेटर हैदराबाद (तेलंगाना), ग्रेटर जयपुर (राजस्थान), कोलकाता मेट्रोपॉलिटन एरिया (पश्चिम बंगाल), ग्रेटर लखनऊ (उत्तर प्रदेश), मुंबई मेट्रोपॉलिटन क्षेत्र (महाराष्ट्र) और पुणे मेट्रोपॉलिटन क्षेत्र (महाराष्ट्र) शामिल हैं। इस अध्ययन के लिए 1 अप्रैल से 18 जुलाई तक साल 2020 से 2024 तक का डेटा लिया गया है। CSE की नई रिपोर्ट में देश के जिन बड़े शहरों का जिक्र किया गया है, उनमें आजोन का स्तर सामान्य से अधिक पाया गया है। दिल्ली-NCR में ग्राउंड लेवल ओजोन गैस का स्तर 176 दिनों तक सामान्य से ऊपर रहा, जबकि मुंबई और पुणे में यह स्थिति 138 दिनों तक रही। जयपुर में ओजोन गैस का स्तर 126 दिनों तक असामान्य रहा, हैदराबाद में 86 दिनों तक, कोलकाता में 63 दिनों तक, बेंगलुरु में 59 दिनों तक, लखनऊ में 49 दिनों तक और अहमदाबाद में 41 दिनों तक असामान्य रहा। वहीं, चेन्नई में ऐसे दिनों की संख्या सबसे कम करीब 9 दिन दर्ज की गई है। देश में इस साल हालात काफी बिगड़े दिखाई दिए हैं। CSE की नई रिपोर्ट में इस बात का भी खुलासा किया गया है कि इस बार साल 2024 में ओजोन प्रदूषण की समस्या साल 2020 में लॉकडाउन के दौर में गर्मियों में पैदा हुई समस्या से कई ज्यादा बढ़ी है। यह सब प्रदूषण बढ़ने के कारण हो रहा है। बढ़ते प्रदूषण की समस्या अब जानलेवा होती जा रही है और ये केवल बड़े शहरों में ही नहीं छोटे शहरों में भी पहुंच रही है।
Pune has seen a staggering 500% increase in ground-level ozone levels this year compared to 2023, placing it as the third most polluted city among ten surveyed in India, according to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Ground-level ozone, a hazardous gas resulting from vehicular pollution, poses serious health risks and contributes to severe environmental issues.
The Pune metropolitan region ranked third among 10 most polluted cities surveyed in India with a 500% increase this year in ground-level ozone — a highly toxic gas caused by vehicular pollution — compared to 2023, said a study by researchers at the Centre for Science and Environment. Researchers said exposure for eight hours to the poisonous gas could lead to serious respiratory and cardiovascular problems and for 24 hours could be fatal for vulnerable people. Ozone gas is formed by reactions between nitrogen dioxide emitted by vehicles and the burning of substances and oxygen in the presence of sunlight. While the ozone gas layer is protective in the stratosphere, it is fatal for people at ground level. The study said that in Pune, the gas is formed in areas with heavy vehicular pollution and eventually settles in green spaces. Dr Sundeep Salvi, director of Pulmocare Research and Education Foundation, told TOI that ozone does have a significant impact on the lungs and gets deposited in airways. It manifests mainly into upper respiratory tract infections. “It can worsen asthma, and people with comorbidities, children and senior citizens are heavily affected, because it makes the tract irritable and vulnerable to catching bacterial as well as viral infections. We had a very hot summer this year and ground-level ozone must have increased with motor vehicle pollutants, air and sunlight. This was primarily the reason behind respiratory issues this summer,” he added. Avikal Somvanshi, head, Urban Lab, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and co-author of the study, told TOI, “Once the ground-level ozone is formed, it reacts with nitrogen oxide (NO2) again and gets subdued. However, its continuous formation produces high levels of toxic gas which move to green areas with less NO2 and form pockets of these chambers across the city. Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has a lot of big green areas where the gas deposits and its levels increase.” The study explored the increase based on data from 2020 to 2024 from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) of which there are 12 in Pune and three in Pimpri Chinchwad. The monitors measure the gas only at one- and eight-hour averages and gas concentration every 15 minutes. However, the safety standard is defined only for one-hour and eight-hour averages. According to CPCB standards, the safe limit for ground-level ozone is 100 microgramme per cubic metre and anything above is exceedance. This summer, exceedance was reported on 58 days. In mid-May, six of 16 stations in Pune metropolitan region reported exceedance, making the situation the worst the region had seen in five years. It also marked the 500% increase from last year. Somvanshi said, “The reason is drastic increase in vehicular pollution in Pune over the last five years. The toxic gases concentrate in areas with congestion and also add to the release of natural gases from municipal solid waste. The excessive heat wave observed in 2024 was a primary reason for the increase.” A senior official from the PMC environment department told TOI that the number of vehicles registered with a BSVI engine, which is more advanced, had increased in 2024. “This will help us mitigate the problem of toxic gases. We have been promoting CNG, electric buses, electric personal vehicles and Metro transportation. The traffic police has also taken action to reduce congestion in areas to prevent concentration of the ozone gas. Unfortunately, over the past few years, the city’s population has drastically increased and along with it the number of vehicles. Excessive air pollution is an obvious byproduct. As far as we know, we have kept nitrogen dioxide levels under control.” Meanwhile, the study identified SPPU as most chronically affected by ground-ozone pollution, exceeding the standard for 119 days, so far, this year. It was followed by Gavalinagar and Thergaon in Pimpri with 119 days and 99 days of exceedance each. Shivajinagar’s pollution was calculated with PM2.5 levels making its AQI the worst in the city, though the ozone gas was still at a minimum. Researchers said the hourly peak on average had gone up by 200% from 2020. The maximum eight-hour average was recorded at SPPU when the level hit 212.7 µg/m3 on March 22. “It was startling to see cities smaller than Delhi and Mumbai with such high levels of ozone gas,” Somvanshi said about Pune ranking the third most polluted among the 10 cities surveyed. Ground-level ozone should ideally become negligible in the night air, said researchers. However, night ozone was still observed almost exceeding up to 100 µg/m3 most frequently at Gavalinagar in Pimpri and SPPU. Ozone gas also traps heat, which is attributed to the high night temperatures observed in Pune, this year. “The gas has an immediate impact unlike PM2.5 which affects a person due to long-term exposure. Ozone gas is correlated to the most number of deaths from air pollution. In order to mitigate the problem, vehicular congestion must be reduced, emission testing done and instruments to process nitrogen dioxide installed within vehicles. Taking a walk at the park becomes dangerous if levels are so high,” said Somvanshi. Even though the ground-level ozone exceedance is the worst during summer months, it remains a year-long problem for Pune which provides hot and sunny weather conditions for the gas to build up. Air pollution activist Hema Chari Madabhushi told TOI, “We had always known that ozone gas formation was occurring dangerously in the city, but didn’t know how bad it was. Especially near SPPU, the traffic is extremely congested and all heritage trees along the road have been chopped. It causes a significant amount of air pollution.” She said children, senior citizens, traffic police personnel and autorickshaw drivers were at greater risk now, considering how much pollution occurs along roadsides. “Ozone is affecting temperatures, increasing heat island effect and also impacting precipitation. The civic body needs to take the study seriously and must immediately focus on ensuring back-to-back and well-connected public transportation, otherwise the problem will never be resolved,” Madabhushi added.
Gurugram: The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has formed multiple teams to crack down on illegal contractors who continue to dump construction and demolition (C&D) waste and debris at various locations across the city, officials said on Friday. These illegal dumping activities, often carried out at night under cover of darkness, have turned into a nightmare for the municipal corporation since they lead to traffic snarls, pollution as well as environmental degradation. Joginder Singh, former president RWA said that the dumping of C&D waste along city roads, especially on the service lanes of NH-48, the Gurugram-Faridabad Road, and in Sector-12, has become a significant problem. “It not only disrupts traffic flow but also poses a threat to public health and safety. The resurgence of illegal C&D waste dumping has alarmed residents and environmentalists alike. The Aravallis, once celebrated for their picturesque landscapes and ecological significance, are now under threat due to the mounting heaps of C&D waste. This issue, which was largely brought under control in 2020 and 2021, has emerged once again raising concerns about the current waste management practices in Gurugram,” Singh said. The MCG was the first municipal corporation in the country to implement a door-to-door C&D waste collection system. However, this service is currently non-functional, leaving residents with no option but to rely on unauthorised transporters to dispose of their waste. These transporters charge anywhere from ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 per tractor-trolley, only to dump the waste illegally along roadsides or in low-lying areas, leading to blocked drains and waterlogging during the monsoon season. MCG commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar said their teams are penalising people dumping C&D waste illegally on the road or in the Aravallis. “We are keeping a close watch on unauthorised transporters and have registered cases against them in the last two months,” he said. “The lack of a functional door-to-door waste collection service and an effective enforcement mechanism has led to the rampant dumping of C&D waste across the city. This indiscriminate dumping not only brings down air quality but also clogs drains and sewage pipelines, aggravating the city’s waterlogging problems,” said Rajkumar Yadav, president RWA, Sector 46. Moreover, illegal land sharks are involved in this as they use the dumped waste to fill low-lying areas, enabling them to grab land for unauthorised constructions. These activities not only pollute the environment but also contribute to the city’s recurring issues with waterlogging. The situation marks a stark contrast to the progress made in 2020 and 2021 when Gurugram was lauded for its exemplary C&D waste management strategies. A 2021 report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and NITI Aayog, titled ‘Waste-wise Cities,’ recognized Gurugram’s approach to C&D waste management as a model practice worthy of replication across India. The report, which documented best practices in municipal solid waste management, highlighted Gurugram’s success in reducing illegal C&D waste dumping by 60%.
Brief, but intense, spells of rain lashed the city on Friday evening leading yet again to widespread episodes of waterlogging and traffic congestion across Delhi. People on their way back home from work were greeted with packed roads as peak-hour traffic was thrown out of gear with most of the rain coming in the evening. Delhi will be on a “yellow alert” for rain over the weekend with light to moderate rain on the cards, according to a forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Serpentine jams, meanwhile, were reported by commuters on several pockets of key arterial roads, including the Ring Road and Outer Ring Road. Congestion was also reported in areas like Sewa Marg, Nahar Singh Marg, Uttam Nagar, Sarita Vihar to Kalindi Kunj, and Khanpur Road near Sainik Farms, traffic police said. Some commuters, meanwhile, reported congestion at Raja Dhir Sen Marg, Moti Nagar Metro station, NH48 to Gurugram, Shiv Murti Dhaula Kuan, Bhishma Pitamah Marg and Mukarba Chowk among others. The Delhi Traffic Police issued advisories, saying that traffic was affected on Rohtak Road on both carriageways from the Tikri border to Peeragarhi and vice versa. The traffic police advised commuters to avoid these routes and try to commute via UER-II, Najafgarh-Nangloi Road to reach Peeragarhi. A cluster bus also broke down on a waterlogged stretch on the Najafgarh-Phirni Road. The combination of waterlogging and congestion — a perennial mess that plagues Delhi every monsoon — pointed to a crumbling infrastructure once again. An array of issues including inadequate desilting of drains, encroachment on public infrastructure like drain covers and footpaths, and unauthorised construction deteriorate the situation every year. Between 5.30pm and 8.30pm, Safdarjung, representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded 14mm of rain, while Palam recorded 29.6mm, Najafgarh 37.5mm and Mayur Vihar 28mm, IMD data showed. On Friday, the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) recorded multiple calls about waterlogging and uprooted trees. PWD received 17 complaints about waterlogging and 28 about uprooted trees, from Karkardooma Metro Station road, Dichaon Kalan, Rohini Sector 7, Tilak Nagar, Kishanganj, east of Loni Road, and other areas, officials said. From 6am to 2pm, the central control room of MCD received 14 calls about waterlogging and one call about an uprooted tree. From 2pm to 6pm, the agency received three waterlogging calls and four regarding uprooted trees. MCD said waterlogging was reported at Sector 16 Rohini, Mahipalpur Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Sonia Vihar, Mahavir Enclave, Tagore Garden Extension, Kamla Nagar, Karol Bagh, Prem Nagar and Dilshad Garden. Fallen trees were reported at Nangal Raya, Ashok Nagar, Budhela, Sonia Vihar, Sector 5 Dwarka, near Tis Hazari court, Trilokpuri and Mayur Vihar Phase 2 Pocket B. Meanwhile, an interplay of patchy rain and good wind speed kept Delhi’s average air quality index (AQI) reading in the “satisfactory” for 13th consecutive day. The city’s average 24-hour average AQI was 60, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin. On Thursday, Delhi recorded its cleanest air day of this year at 53 also “satisfactory”. The last time Delhi had a similar streak was last July when 13 consecutive “satisfactory” air days between July 5 and 17 were recorded. Forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) show that more rain is in store for Delhi over the weekend. Light to moderate showers is expected to continue across Delhi-NCR on Saturday and Sunday, which will likely allow the clean air streak to prevail. The Safdarjung observatory, considered representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded 2.8mm in the 24 hours till 8.30am and 3.4mm in the next nine hours. Palam received 41.9mm till 8:30 am and 0.5mm in the next nine hours. Lodhi road had 2.7mm till 8:30 am and 8.6mm till 5:30 pm. North Delhi’s Ridge meanwhile recorded 3.9mm till 8:30 am and 11.3mm in the next nine hours. East Delhi’s Mayur Vihar had the highest rainfall during the day, recording just 1mm till 8:30 am, followed by 37.5mm in the next nine hours. “Most parts of Delhi recorded patchy light rain. Light to moderate showers are expected in the early hours of Saturday and towards the evening again. Some isolated places may even record a short but intense spell,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, a private observatory. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said monsoons bring clean air to Delhi-NCR but ideal meteorological conditions were required for these conditions to persist — a combination of good wind speed and rain. “What is needed is consistent rain over several days, which has a washout effect. The rain brings down pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10 and then, you start to see gases like CO, or O3 become prominent pollutants in the air. If wind speed is good, they also blow away to an extent and you get clean air, close to national standards. This is what we are seeing right now,” she said.
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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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।"
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.
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.