Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

Ozone Pollution Across Urban India

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.

Ozone Pollution Across Urban India

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.

PM-KUSUM Scheme Needs Recalibration to Achieve Its Targets, Says New CSE Study

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.

CSE report finds high ground-level ozone in 10 Indian metros between 2020-2024, ‘green areas’ hotspots

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.

Ground-Level Ozone Increasing In Delhi Air, Experts Tell How Concerning It Is

The Centre for Science and Environment report mentioned a significant rise in ground-level ozone in Delhi's air. Among the ten other metropolitan cities witnessing an increase in ground-level ozone, Delhi is the most impacted. Ground-level ozone, is a highly reactive gas and has serious health consequences. Read more to know the details of the report. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report indicated a significant rise in groundlevel ozone in Delhi's air. Among the ten other metropolitan cities that are experiencing an increase in ground-level ozone, Delhi is the worst affected. According to the report, Delhi-NCR recorded 176 days of exceedance, followed by Mumbai and Pune with 138 days each. Anumita Roychowdhary, executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, informed that ground-level ozone, a highly reactive gas, has serious health consequences. She added that people with respiratory conditions, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, children with premature lungs, and older adults can face serious risks. "The gas can inflame and damage airways, make lungs susceptible to infection, aggravate asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis, and increase the frequency of asthma attacks," said Anumita. Moreover, the CSE report said that ground-level ozone usually exceeds the safety standard on all days of summer in some locations in Delhi-NCR every year. It stated that this year the number of stations exceeding the standard across the core areas in NCR has been 17.6, the highest in the last five years. However, in previous summers, only 9.4 stations It mentioned that ground-level ozone should ideally be negligible in the night air, but all 10 metropolitan areas witnessed a rare phenomenon of elevated ozone levels after sunset. The report considered ozone in excess when the hourly concentration exceeded 100 micrograms per cubic meter between 10 pm and 2 am at any station. Furthermore, Mumbai-MMR reported the most cases of nighttime ground-level ozone with 171 nights of exceedance, followed by Delhi-NCR (161) and Pune (131).

PM-KUSUM Needs Recalibration To Achieve Targets: CSE Study

A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which focuses on gathering data and information especially from the perspective of farmers on onground 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 report launch, 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 (https://www.cseindia.org/implementation-challenges-of-the-pmkusum-scheme-12284) 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

PM KUSUM Scheme Lags: Only 30% Targets Met, Report Finds

The PM KUSUM scheme, which aims to promote solar energy in agriculture in India, has achieved only 30 per cent of its targets, according to a new report. Launched in 2019, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme's goal is to help farmers switch to solar power, making farming more sustainable and reducing dependence on traditional energy sources. The report by the think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) outlines findings from surveys conducted in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh and says the scheme has achieved only 30 per cent of its targets after six years, with the 2026 deadline fast approaching. "As climate change continues to have increasingly widespread impacts, it is more critical than ever to invest in sustainable practices, especially in key sectors like agriculture," said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director for industrial pollution and renewable energy at CSE. "In this context, schemes like PM KUSUM can significantly advance India's climate action efforts, but only if implemented with care and precision," he said. The scheme is divided into three parts: Component A - installing mini-grids on unused lands, Component B - replacing diesel water pumps with off-grid solar pumps and Component C - replacing electric water pumps with on-grid solar pumps and installing mini-grids for agricultural solarization. The CSE said that progress has been slow, with most efforts focused on Component B. States like Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh are leading in implementation, while Components A and C have seen minimal progress. Farmers who have switched to solar water pumps are happy as these allow daytime irrigation and eliminate inconvenient night-time schedules and power cuts. For example, a farmer from Aterna village in Haryana praised the scheme for making farming activities easier and more efficient. Farmers who switched from diesel to solar pumps save significantly, with some farmers in Haryana saving up to Rs 55,000 annually. According to the CSE, one of the principal challenges the scheme faces is the availability of cheap electricity for farmers, which diminishes the incentive to shift from electric water pumps to solar water pumps. Also, farmers are often forced to opt for pump sizes larger than needed for their land. Debajit Palit, professor of energy at the NTPC School of Business in Noida, said the scheme needs to be tailored to meet farmers' specific requirements to be financially viable. “If pump sizes are based on the land size and water requirements of different areas, rather than being kept uniform throughout the country, farmers could avoid the extra expenditure,” he said. Another challenge is the centralisation of the implementation model in some states. In Punjab, the CSE report said, the scheme's implementation is overseen by the Punjab Renewable Energy Development Agency, in contrast to Rajasthan, where each component has a different implementing agency. Yadav said that a decentralised model is important to truly realise the potential of the PM KUSUM scheme. “State implementing agencies with the necessary knowledge about each component should be responsible for the components within their expertise,” he said. The CSE suggested that farmers should be allowed to pay for solar pumps in instalments, which will make it financially more viable for them. The central government should increase financial support to states, especially to cover the rising costs of solar modules post-Covid, it said.

Shivapura, Kasturi Nagar most affected by ground ozone

Shivapura in Peenya and Kasturi Nagar are the most chronically affected by ground ozone pollution in Bengaluru. While Kasturi Nagar exceeded the prescribed standards of this air pollutant on 49 days this year, ozone pollution was high in Shivapura Peenya on 13 days. Jayanagar, Bapuji Nagar, and Silk Board recorded the least instances of ground-level ozone These observations are made in an assessment conducted on air quality data from 14 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Systems (CAAQMS) in the city by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi. The report by CSE also highlights that in the summer of 2024 (between April 1 and July 18); the ground-level ozone exceeded the prescribed limit for 13 days across the city. The worst day of ground ozone pollution was on April 2 when 2 out of 14 stations recorded higher levels. As per the assessment, ground-level ozone has become a year-long problem in the city. The report underlines that even though the groundlevel ozone exceedance is the worst during summer, a few locations continue to record exceedance throughout the year. While the dangerous build-up of ground-level ozone can happen anytime during the year, it is usually in small pockets during non-summer months. For it to have a wider spatial spread, hot and sunny weather conditions are needed which are generally present in the city throughout the year outside monsoon. Researchers through the report have highlighted that ground ozone pollution in Bengaluru is at its worst during January-March. Exceedances go down from May onwards and then there is a considerable uptick in ozone pollution after monsoon – especially November-December. Last year higher levels of ozone were reported on 67 days, they were 12 days in 2022, 48 days in 2021, and 61 days in 2020. This year so far 59 days of exceedance have been recorded in Bengaluru. The analysis also shows that compared to April of 2020 ground-level ozone hourly peak on average has gone down by 20 percent The reemergence of morning and evening rush-hour traffic is helping in

PM KUSUM scheme faces implementation hurdles, only 30% targets met as deadline nears: Report

NEW DELHI: The PM KUSUM scheme, which aims agriculture in India, has achieved only 30 per cent report. Launched in 2019, the Pradhan Mantri Kisa Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme's goal is to help making farming more sustainable and reducing de sources. The report by the think tank Centre for Science and findings from surveys conducted in Haryana, Punja and says the scheme has achieved only 30 per cent with the 2026 deadline fast approaching. "As climate change continues to have increasingly widespread impacts, it is more critical sustainable practices, especially in key sectors like agriculture," said Nivit KumarYadav, industrial pollution and renewable energy at CSE. "In this context, schemes like PM KUSUM can significantly advance India's climate actio implemented with care and precision," he said. The scheme is divided into three parts: Component A - installing mini-grids on unused la diesel water pumps with off-grid solar pumps and Component C - replacing electric water pumps and installing mini-grids for agricultural solarization. The CSE said that progress has been slow, with most efforts focused on Component B. Sta Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh are leading in implementation, while Components A and Farmers who have switched to solar water pumps are happy as these allow daytime irriga inconvenient night-time schedules and power cuts. For example, a farmer from Aterna village in Haryana praised the scheme for making farm efficient. Farmers who switched from diesel to solar pumps save significantly, with some farmers in 55,000 annually. 8/8/24, 11:57 AM PM KUSUM scheme faces implementation hurdles, only 30% targets met as deadline nears: Report - The Economic Times https://economictimes.indiatime

PM-KUSUM scheme needs recalibration to achieve its targets on time, says new CSE study

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: 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. 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.

Why India needs to get aggressive about passive cooling

In part 2 of its series on cooling in India, CarbonCopy explores how income disparity, inadequate data and lack of awareness about building codes are major obstacles to achieving India Action Cooling Plan’s passive cooling strategy In 2022, after two phases of the PM’s scheme to build affordable housing (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-PMAY) were over, the government released recommendations for passive and low-energy cooling in which it acknowledged: “current design and construction practices are not streamlined for affordable housing and, therefore, this report recommends passive strategies to reduce heat gain from the building envelope [shell of the building] and low-energy cooling technologies to enhance thermal comfort, considering affordable housing and cost-related aspects.” The study pointed out that in the absence of additional policy interventions, room air conditioner (RAC) penetration will reach 239 million units by 2030—although this study has calculated a more realistic figure of 18 million units by 2031, which is still considerable. The exponential growth in the RAC stock will also give rise to the heat island effect, which will impact the poor in the affordable housing sector. We read in Part I, that means of active cooling, which include ACs, coolers, fans and above all expensive fuel and electricity can leave millions out of the pale of “thermal comfort” that the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) promises. However, the plan also recommends means of passive cooling, which cannot be bought from the market, but requires a mass implementation of India’s many progressive building norms that can keep the built and unbuilt environment cool without using mechanical cooling. So can the national building norms be “deconstructed” for the local builders and state bodies to be adopted at scale? How soon? Passive cooling vs massive shortage of houses The government report on passive cooling strategies points out that in India’s affordable housing sector, as of the 2011 Census, 377 million people (31%) reside in urban areas, with an expected increase of over 200 million by 2031. The government said, of the total shortage of 18.78 million housing units in Indian cities, 96% is required by Economically Weaker Sections and Low Income Group households. The report warned that the affordable housing shortage is expected to reach 44-48 million dwelling units by 2022. As per the same report, a majority of the shortage (14.99 million households) are living in congested houses, requiring new houses to be built. The report found that Uttar Pradesh has the highest shortage (3.07 million units), followed by Maharashtra with 1.94 million and West Bengal with 1.33 million. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-PMAY: ‘No focus on housing livability’ Government told Parliament on August 1, 2024, that “based on the project proposals submitted by States/ UTs, as on July 22, 2024, 118.64 lakh houses have been sanctioned under PMAY-U, of which 114.33 lakh houses have been grounded for construction; of which 85.04 lakh have been completed/delivered to beneficiaries. The sanctioned houses involve Central assistance of ₹2 lakh crore (approx.) against which ₹1.64 lakh crore has been released so far. The scheme period, which was earlier up to March 2022, has been extended upto December 2024.” According to the passive cooling strategies report, to cater to housing needs, the Centre launched the Housing for All scheme in 2015. The report adds that the focus of PMAY-Urban is to build housing units quickly, with income, built space provisions and the cost of the dwelling unit as the determining criteria of affordable housing. But more importantly, the report points out that “there is limited or no focus on qualitative aspects that determine housing livability and occupant productivity.” The figure above offers enhancement on thermal performance of envelope, Sustainable building materials, Natural ventilation strategies, Passive cooling/heating techniques. The techniques PMAY does not focus on? Source: Guide for using National Building Code of India 2016. The passive cooling strategies report offers highest-impact measures such as orientation of the building, windows shading, glazing type, cross and night flush ventilation, wall materials/ techniques, envelope Insulation, roof materials etc. for different climate scenarios such as hot & dry climates, warm-humid climates and composite climatic conditions. The report recommended autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) and hollow blocks as suitable in all climates. Other materials like clay bricks, cellular concrete, and fly ash are ideal in most climates. According to Delhi-based architect Sanjay Sen Choudhury, the current building codes and strategies for affordable housing are energy efficient and progressive. But building a house by the book is expensive for the majority of the population. Sen said: “To integrate the code [including the passive cooling features] into the design of a home, we require architects who need to be paid for their services, obviously, but most people can’t afford them and there are no incentives to hire their services or follow the code either.” Sen says, “Realistically speaking, given the density of space, it is not even possible for architects to design naturally ventilated homes that are not dependent on ACs, anyway. For that, homes require open space around them on at least two sides for the right amount of airflow. It requires architectural features to minimise solar radiation through windows, right building materials to minimise heating, these materials are too expensive for even the middle class let alone the poor who bear the brunt of heat-related fatalities.” Homes stacked like cartons in the warehouse Drawing crucial distinctions between the way the rich and the poor use resources, Sen says, “It’s for everyone to see. The density of homes in urban areas is such that in many cases, it is hard to differentiate between a slum and urban housing. For which, ACs and coolers are the best options for survival. The middle class and the poor are blamed for guzzling energy through mechanical cooling. But architecturally, that’s not true. There is very little surface left for solar radiation to fall upon the walls on most of the urban homes in cities with common walls between the homes on three sides, stacked like cardboard cartons in warehouses, in most urban areas where the poor or the middle class live. Compare it to the leafy avenues of bungalows with open lawns on all four sides. It is them who use the maximum number of ACs on all exposed sides in a room one could use depending upon their (much larger) sizes.” This lack of space for cooling for the poor is an important differentiating factor that has been missed by policymakers. Lack of vulnerability mapping ​​The cooling action plan also lacks vulnerability mapping data based on the thermal needs of those residing in vulnerable regions. More than 100 cities have a heat action plan, but 97% of the plans do not undertake risk and vulnerability assessment. The Delhi heat action plan talks about heat deaths and how the poor “struggle to maintain thermal comfort due to the high costs of cooling.” The ICAP acknowledges that cooling should be made “accessible for all” but does not address the high costs of cooling. Many people are still living without electricity because they cannot afford high costs of electricity connection, let alone buy a fan or AC. Consider the anomalies between states. According to India Residential Energy Survey (IRES) 2020, 2.4% of Indian households still remain unelectrified. Most of them were concentrated in rural Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Bihar. The IRES survey found that a majority of them could not afford grid-connection. The Saubhagya scheme offers a free connection, but some households are not able to access it, or were deterred by the recurring monthly expenditure of paying electricity charges, the IRES report said. The report stated that some households do not have electricity because they lack grid supply in the neighbourhood, or they are refused connection due to inadequate documents. According to a CEEW study, government data GARV2 dashboard shows that 37% of households in Odisha are unelectrified, even as over 98% of villages in the state have been electrified. Building codes waiting to be noticed The ICAP recommends implementation of building codes to achieve cooling targets. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) (Residential) itself acknowledges that “although the temperatures are high during a major part of the year requiring mechanical space cooling, consideration of heat gain is often not given sufficient importance during residential building design.” Just as ECBC rues lack of implementation, a study by WRI found that a majority of the key state agencies are not even aware of ICAP, without which plan implementation is not impossible. The ICAP recommends green buildings based on Energy Conservation Building Code 2017, but the code that was launched in 2007 and revised in 2017 “to incorporate advanced technologies” is applicable only to commercial buildings. Speaking to Carboncopy, Anumita Roychowdhury of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said even as energy efficiency building codes have evolved, there are gaps between the policy and policy enabling mechanism for scalable implementation, which will require local interventions such as modifying local building bylaws. “We require a huge outrage which is directly linked with the mandate of various laws pushing for thermal comfort. These laws need to be demystified for urban planners, local bodies, architects, and the builders’ community so that the design required for thermal comfort gets absorbed while designing massive housing projects that are not supposed to have air conditioners. But at the ground level what we see is this cookie cutter approach to building and designing mass projects with no evaluation of how good they are prepared for day and night temperature gain, no attention paid to orientation of the building or how the wind flows through the rooms all these parameters get ignored.” Roy pointed out that even as scientists are classifying building material according to a heat gain index, the market is not responsive. The new material to build has moved away from brick and mortar to prefabricated walls, which are heat trappers. “On the one hand, the policy has been progressive and aims to reduce mechanical cooling; earlier the focus was on energy efficiency but now also includes thermal comfort. There is a strategic shift with respect to cooling as ICAP acknowledges thermal comfort, but to operationalise it one has to join a lot of dots which is not happening, it’s happening only in specific projects, but it’s not adopted in mass construction.” The absence of clear benchmarks and clear definitions of concepts such as “thermal comfort” can upset the country’s energy budget. The time to get to the grain of the issues is now, she said.

PM Kusum Scheme Only Met 30% Of Target: Think Tank Report

A new report reveals that the PM Kusum scheme, designed to promote solar energy in agriculture across India, has only met 30% of its targets. Launched in 2019, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM Kusum) scheme's goal is to help farmers switch to solar power, making farming more sustainable and reducing dependence on traditional energy sources. The report by the Centre for Science and Environment reveals that the PM Kusum scheme, designed to promote solar energy in agriculture, has achieved only 30% of its target after six years. The report, based on surveys conducted in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, underscores the scheme's slow progress as the 2026 deadline approaches. 'As climate change continues to have increasingly widespread impacts, it is more critical than ever to invest in sustainable practices, especially in key sectors like agriculture,' said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director for industrial pollution and renewable energy at CSE. 'In this context, schemes like PM Kusum can significantly advance India’s climate action efforts, but only if implemented with care and precision,' he said. The scheme is divided into three parts: Component A - installing mini-grids on unused lands, Component B - replacing diesel water pumps with off-grid solar pumps and Component C - replacing electric water pumps with on-grid solar pumps and installing mini-grids for agricultural solarization. The CSE noted that progress under the PM Kusum scheme has been slow, with the majority of efforts concentrated on Component B. States such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh are leading in implementation, while Components A and C have seen minimal progress. Farmers who have switched to solar water pumps are happy as these allow daytime irrigation and eliminate inconvenient night-time schedules and power cuts. For example, a farmer from Aterna village in Haryana praised the scheme for making farming activities easier and more efficient. Farmers who switched from diesel to solar pumps save significantly, with some farmers in Haryana saving up to Rs 55,000 annually. According to the CSE, one of the principal challenges the scheme faces is the availability of cheap electricity for farmers, which diminishes the incentive to shift from electric water pumps to solar water pumps. Also, farmers are often forced to opt for pump sizes larger than needed for their land. Debajit Palit, professor of energy at the NTPC School of Business in Noida, said the scheme needs to be tailored to meet farmers’ specific requirements to be financially viable. “If pump sizes are based on the land size and water requirements of different areas, rather than being kept uniform throughout the country, farmers could avoid the extra expenditure,” he said. Another challenge is the centralisation of the implementation model in some states. In Punjab, the CSE report said, the scheme's implementation is overseen by the Punjab Renewable Energy Development Agency, in contrast to Rajasthan, where each component has a different implementing agency. Yadav said that a decentralised model is important to truly realise the potential of the PM Kusum scheme. “State implementing agencies with the necessary knowledge about each component should be responsible for the components within their expertise,” he said. The CSE suggested that farmers should be allowed to pay for solar pumps in instalments, which will make it financially more viable for them. The central government should increase financial support to states, especially to cover the rising costs of solar modules post-Covid, it said.