The report by the think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) outlines fin surveys conducted in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh and says the sc achieved only 30 per cent of its targets after six years, with the 2026 deadline fast approaching
कार्बन डाईऑक्साइड, मीथेन और नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड के अलावा अब ओजोन (Ozone) गैस भी भारत के पर्यावरण और यहां के लोगों की सेहत (Health) के लिए खतरा बन रही है। देश के 10 महानगरों में जमीनी स्तर पर इसकी मौजूदगी काफी ज्यादा पाई गई है। CSE का अध्ययन सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की स्टडी के मुताबिक, गर्मियों में इस बार दिल्ली-एनसीआर में इसका लेवल देश के और शहरों से कहीं ज्यादा था। यहां इस दौरान 176 दिनों तक इसका स्तर तय मानक से ज्यादा था तो और शहरों में 138 दिन। इस स्टडी में दिल्ली-एनसीआर, बेंगलुरु, चेन्नई, कोलकाता, मुंबई और पुणे के साथ ग्रेटर अहमदाबाद, ग्रेटर हैदराबाद, ग्रेटर जयपुर और ग्रेटर लखनऊ में ओजोन स्तर का विश्लेषण किया गया।
रिपोर्ट के महत्वपूर्ण निष्कर्ष इस रिपोर्ट में दिल्ली एन.सी.आर., बेंगलुरु, चेन्नई, कोलकाता, मुंबई व पुणे के साथ अहमदाबाद, हैदराबाद, जयपुर एवं लखनऊ में ओजोन के स्तर का विश्लेषण किया गया। अध्ययन के अनुसार, सभी 10 क्षेत्रों में राष्ट्रीय ओजोन मानक से अधिक प्रदूषण देखा गया, जिसमें दिल्ली सर्वाधिक प्रभावित रहा। ओजोन न केवल महानगरीय क्षेत्रों में जमा होता है बल्कि लंबी दूरी तक भी फैलता है, जिससे एक क्षेत्रीय प्रदूषक उत्पन्न होता है रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, कणीय प्रदूषण कम होने के साथ-साथ नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड (NOx) एवं पृष्ठीय ओजोन (ग्राउंड-लेवल ओजोन) की समस्याएँ बढ़ती हैं। अपर्याप्त निगरानी, सीमित डाटा और अप्रभावी प्रवृत्ति विश्लेषण विधियों से इस बढ़ते हुए सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य जोखिम को समझने में बाधा उत्पन्न होती है। देश में प्रदूषण से निपटने को लेकर अधिकांश नीतियां और आम लोगों का ध्यान विशेषकर पर पीएम 2.5 जैसे अन्य प्रदूषकों पर रहा है। ओज़ोन प्रदूषण धरातल पर पाई जाने वाली ओज़ोन या पृष्ठीय ओज़ोन एक हानिकारक वायु प्रदूषक है, जिसका लोगों के स्वास्थ्य एवं पर्यावरण पर नकारात्मक प्रभाव पड़ता है। यह सीधे हवा में उत्सर्जित नहीं होता है, बल्कि इसका निर्माण नाइट्रोजन के ऑक्साइड (NOx) और वाष्पशील कार्बनिक यौगिकों (VOC) के बीच रासायनिक अभिक्रियाओं द्वारा होता है। ऐसा तब होता है जब कारों, बिजली संयंत्रों, औद्योगिक बॉयलरों, रिफाइनरियों, रासायनिक संयंत्रों और अन्य स्रोतों से निकलने वाले प्रदूषक सूर्य के प्रकाश की उपस्थिति में रासायनिक रूप से अभिक्रिया करते हैं। हालाँकि, स्ट्रैटोस्फेरिक ओजोन (समताप मंडलीय ओजोन) की तुलना में पृष्ठीय ओजोन कम केंद्रित होता है किंतु स्वास्थ्य आदि पर इसका प्रभाव इसे ‘बैड ओजोन’ बनाते हैं। धरातलीय ओजोन की सांद्रता आम तौर पर गर्मी की अवधि में कम आर्द्रता वाले दिनों में सर्वाधिक होती है जब हवा हल्की या स्थिर होती है।
भारत के बड़े शहरों के लिए वायु प्रदूषण का खतरा अब जानलेवा बनता जा रहा है. हर साल दिल्ली एनसीआर और दूसरे बड़े शहरों में रहने वाले लोग इस खतरे से होने वाली गंभीर बीमारियों से जूझते हैं. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने इस पर अब एक नई रिपोर्ट पब्लिश की है. इस रिपोर्ट में उसने खुलासा किया है कि कैसे ओजोन गैस इन शहरों की हवा को और जहरीली बना रही है. चलिए आपको इस आर्टिकल में इस रिपोर्ट के बारे में विस्तार से बताते हैं. खतरे में हैं ये शहर दिल्ली एनसीआर, बेंगलुरु, चेन्नई, कोलकाता, मुंबई और पुणे के साथ-साथ ग्रेटर अहमदाबाद, ग्रेटर हैदराबाद, ग्रेटर जयपुर और ग्रेटर लखनऊ की स्थिति चिंताजनक है. दरअसल, दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (CSE) की नई रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, इन भारतीय शहरों में ओजोन प्रदूषण के स्तर में चिंताजनक वृद्धि हुई है. खासतौर से इस साल के गर्मियों के दौरान भारत के 20 प्रमुख शहरी क्षेत्रों में जमीनी स्तर पर ओजोन गैस का स्तर काफी ज्यादा बढ़ गया है. इससे इन क्षेत्रों में हवा पहले के मुकाबले कहीं ज्यादा जहरीली हो गई है. इन सभी शहरों में दिल्ली सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हुई है.
Each year during winter, Delhi-NCR hits the headlines due to severe air pollution that surpasses all permissible limits. However, there is now another major concern. According to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), ground-level ozone increased in 10 metropolitan areas of India this summer, with Delhi being the most affected, as reported by TOI. The report further highlighted that Delhi-NCR recorded 176 days of exceedance during the study period, followed by Mumbai and Pune with 138 days.
The summer of this year saw a spike in ground-level ozone in the air in ten Indian metropolitan centres, with Delhi being the most affected, according to an report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Delhi-NCR has so far exceeded the study period by 176 days, with Mumbai and Pune following closely behind with 138 days.
CSE (Centre for Science and Environment) report finds dangerous increase in ozone pollution across urban India. More about news: A new study by Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed a disturbing trend: Ground-level ozone pollution is on the rise across India’s major cities. This invisible gas, unlike the more familiar fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, poses a serious health threat, particularly to those with respiratory problems. The report, Air Quality Tracker: An invisible threat, was released August 6, 2024. The researchers analyzed metropolitan areas of Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata (West Bengal), Mumbai and Pune (Maharashtra). They also looked at data for Delhi-National Capital Region, Greater Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Greater Hyderabad (Telangana), Greater Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Greater Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). Finding of the study: All 10 areas studied witnessed exceedances of the national ozone standard, with Delhi being the most affected. Smaller cities like Ahmedabad and Pune are experiencing a particularly rapid increase in ozone pollution, the report further found. Between April and July this year, Delhi-NCR recorded 176 days of ground-level ozone exceedances, the highest among the ten metropolitan areas studied. Mumbai and Pune both had 138 days, followed by Jaipur with 126 days and Hyderabad with 86 days. Kolkata had 63 exceedance days, Bengaluru 59, Lucknow 49 and Ahmedabad 41. Chennai had the fewest exceedances, with just nine days. Contrary to expectations, ozone levels were elevated even at night, with Mumbai recording the most instances of night-time exceedances. The duration of ozone exposure is concerning, lasting an average of 12-15 hours across most cities, the researchers found. The researchers tracked trends from April 1 to July 18, covering the years 2020 to 2024. The analysis is based on granular, real-time data (15-minute averages) from the Central Pollution Control Board. Global experience indicates a common trade-off: as particulate pollution is reduced, issues with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ground-level ozone increase, the report pointed out. Currently, insufficient monitoring, limited data, and ineffective trend analysis methods have hampered understanding of this growing public health risk, the report added. The complex chemistry of ground-level ozone makes it a difficult pollutant to track and mitigate.
Why the Question: Recent findings from the CSE highlight a dangerous increase in ground-level ozone pollution across major Indian cities, posing significant health risks, particularly to those with respiratory conditions. This has raised concerns about the current air quality management strategies and the need for stricter regulations. Key Demand of the Question: To analyze the growing issue of ground-level ozone pollution in India, its health implications, and the necessary regulatory and policy interventions to control this pollutant. Structure of the Answer: Introduction: Define ground-level ozone pollution and its sources, emphasizing its increasing prevalence in Indian cities. Body: Current Scenario: Overview of the CSE report findings on ozone pollution exceedances in various cities. Health risks associated with prolonged exposure to ground-level ozone.
A new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed that Ground-level ozone pollution is on the rise across India’s major cities. Ozone Ozone About: Ozone is a variant of oxygen composed of three oxygen atoms. Location: It occurs both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and at ground level. Good or Bad Ozone: Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is found. Stratospheric Ozone: In the stratosphere, it forms a layer that protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Context: A recently released report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted a troubling increase in ground-level ozone pollution across urban India. More on the News: The report titled Air Quality Tracker: An Invisible Threat reveals that cities like Delhi-NCR are experiencing alarming levels of ozone exceedances, posing significant health risks to residents. The researchers analyzed trends from April 1 to July 18 for the years 2020 to 2024, using granular, real-time data (15-minute averages) from the Central Pollution Control Board. Key Highlights: Ozone Pollution Trends in Major Cities: The researchers analysed metropolitan areas of Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. They also looked at the data for Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Lucknow. The study indicate that all cities monitored exceeded national ozone standards, with Delhi-NCR recording the highest number of exceedance days—176. Other cities like Mumbai and Pune followed closely with 138 days, while Chennai had the fewest at just nine days. Notably, ozone levels were elevated even during nighttime, particularly in Mumbai, raising concerns about prolonged exposure to this harmful pollutant.
A recently released report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted a troubling increase in ground-level ozone pollution across urban India. More on the News: The report titled Air Quality Tracker: An Invisible Threat reveals that cities like Delhi-NCR are experiencing alarming levels of ozone exceedances, posing significant health risks to residents. The researchers analyzed trends from April 1 to July 18 for the years 2020 to 2024, using granular, real-time data (15-minute averages) from the Central Pollution Control Board.
The Pradhan Mantri Kissan Urja Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM KUSUM scheme), introduced in 2019, has a commendable objective: that of solarising agriculture in India. But in the six years since its inception, the scheme has achieved only about 30 per cent of its targets. With its deadline year – 2026 – approaching fast, will it be able to cover the remaining ground? A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which focuses on gathering data and information especially from the perspective of farmers on on-ground implementation of the scheme, has offered a roadmap to help PM-KUSUM strike its targets. The report, titled Implementation Challenges of the PM KUSUM Scheme: Case Studies from Selected Indian States, was released here today at a webinar organised by CSE. Speaking in the webinar, Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution and renewable energy, CSE, said: “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, focusing on (A) 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 solarization. Most of the implementation has taken place under component B, with Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are among the top performing states. Components A and C have seen minimal implementation. The CSE report finds 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 they have installed are of the correct size — farmers in Haryana, says the report, are saving up to Rs 55,000 per year after shifting from diesel water pumps to solar variants. One of the principal challenges that the scheme has faced in its implementation 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. Farmers are often forced to opt for pump sizes that are bigger than needed for their land. According to Dr Debajit Palit, professor of energy at the 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. Said Dr Palit: “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.” Another challenge is the 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 says 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.” The report has recommended the following measures to accelerate the implementation of the PM KUSUM scheme in the coming years: Increase in Central financial assistance: This assistance could be hiked, subject to different states’ needs or prices of solar modules. Prices of modules after Covid-19 increased, leading to a rise in upfront costs to be paid by farmers as well. Decentralisation: A decentralised implementation model is needed. Implementing agencies with on-ground knowledge of farmer demographics and needs are able to cater to farmers’ needs more effectively. Financial viability: Farmers should get the option to pay upfront costs in installments in order to make the scheme financially more viable for them.
Delhi saw 176 days in summer 2024, between 1 April and 18 July, where ground ozone levels exceeded national air quality standards, according to a new report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think tank. Released Tuesday, the CSE report on ground-level ozone is based on a nationwide analysis which found that 10 metropolitan cities saw an increase in daily maximum levels of ozone between 2020 and 2024. The report found that ozone levels also increased in non-metropolitan areas compared to last year, and persisted beyond summer months which, it said, was a concerning trend. Ozone pollution is a very specific phenomenon — the presence of the gas in the stratosphere is considered healthy, but ground-level ozone causes health issues for humans. The CSE report explained how ground-level ozone is not released by a particular source, but forms through the “complex interaction between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)”, thereby making it difficult to both track and mitigate ground-level ozone. VOCs like benzene, formaldehyde and ethanol are produced by various sources including industries, vehicles, air fresheners and even some plants and trees. “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 hospitalizations,” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, said in a press release. The report also found that between April and July this year, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Jaipur recorded more than 100 days of ground-level ozone exceeding the national ambient air quality standards set by India.