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Plastic to crude plant to open in 15 days: Gadkari

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: ReportNon-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region. The study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR. Nagpur: Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that he will be inaugurating a plant that makes crude oil out of plastic in a fortnight’s time. The unit is coming up at Bela in Umred tehsil of Nagpur. He said the crude made out of plastic will be used to produce diesel and the fuel can be used in harvesters which are available through government schemes. Gadkari had made an announcement about the plastic to crude plant also earlier this year. At that time, Gadkari said he was experimenting on the technology. Speaking at the closing function of Agrovisin Expo, an annual farmers’ meet, Gadkari said he will also be opening a plant that makes compressed natural gas from rice straw in a month’s time. It is located at Tumsar in Bhandara district. As Toyota had developed an Innova that runs entirely on ethanol, Gadkari said the company is expected to launch the vehicle in the market in a few months. “This would follow with starting of ethanol pumps throughout the country too,” he said. Gadkari, who has been a champion of alternate fuel, said a machine that was put on display during the Agrovision expo can cut bamboo into pieces of up to 3mm, which later can be used as feedstock instead of coal in power plants. “Bamboo is proven to have same calorific value as coal and can be easily used as an alternative. There are plans to buy bamboo at the cost at which sugar cane is purchased for supplying it to the power plants in Vidarbha,” he said. The machine has been developed by Wardha-based Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialisation (MGRI). “As the technology works out, farmers will be soon able to grow bamboo like sugar cane. Bamboo is a a grass and grows on its own,” said Gadkari. We also published the following articles recently When Shah Rukh Khan said he cant be an actor for THIS reasonShah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla's film 'Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman' completed 31 years on November 13. The film's co-producer Viveck Vaswani revealed that SRK was initially reluctant to work in movies due to his wife's disapproval of him hugging girls. After SRK's father's passing, he and Vaswani stayed together and brainstormed on what film to make. They were clear that the film should be a Shah Rukh Khan vehicle. Shah Rukh Khan is now set to deliver a hat trick at the box office with his upcoming film 'Dunki' alongside Rajkumar Hirani.105419806 Power plants start purchasing pellets for blending purposesGovernment-run power plants in Punjab have started purchasing biomass pellets to manage paddy crop residue. Tenders have been issued to procure 18,000 MT of pellets, and the process to purchase 2.5 lakh MT more has been initiated. However, the use of stubble pellets for blending has led to an inflated cost of electricity production. Last year, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited received only 100 MT of pellets against the purchase order for 60,000 MT. The plants will purchase 5% of the total required coal in accordance with the plant load factor.105468509 Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: ReportNon-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region. The study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR. Many plants in the region are struggling to meet prescribed norms for emissions despite deadline extensions and revised categorizations by the Union Environment Ministry. The CSE report highlights the high levels of suspended particulate matter emissions and exceeding of nitrogen oxide norms by certain power plants. Controlling sulphur dioxide emissions is essential as they convert to sulphates, posing greater risks to health and the environment.105515484

Worst of stubble-burning days over for this winter

The stubble burning season appears to be receding, with the daily farm fire counts in Punjab and Haryana remaining below 100 now. While the two states recorded the lowest harvest stubble burning figures for the past four years, there was an increase in Uttar Pradesh. Satellites detected 36,614 paddy residue burning events in Punjab in 2023 between September 15 and November 27 in contrast with 49,888 in 2022, 71,286 in 2021 and 82,842 in 2020 in the same period. These figures show a 26% decline in farm fires this year. Haryana recorded 2,285 crop residue burning incidents from September 15 to November 27 against 3,629 in 2022, 6,946 in 2021 and 4,063 in 2020, according to Indian Agricultural Research Institute data, which follows the standard protocol notified by the Commission for Air Quality Management. This represents a 37% dip in stubble burning in 2023 from 2022. However, UP recorded 3,748 farm fires in the same period against 2,677 in 2022. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said that though the fire count had reduced over the years, “further reduction and near elimination are required to reduce stubble burning’s severe episodic impact on air in Delhi”. Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, similarly said, “A better matrix of biomass burning, i.e., areas under burn, should also be tracked to assess the effectiveness of measures to reduce contribution of biomass burning to overall air pollution in the region.” He added, “Efforts to reduce biomass burning in farms can only work efficiently if the engagement with farmers isn’t just during September-October but throughout the year. Their concerns must be understood and they must be provided with the best available solution with efficient subsidy and MSP mechanisms for crop diversification along with assistance for in-situ and ex-situ crop residue management.” Professor Vinay Sehgal, principal scientist and in-charge of the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space Laboratory at IARI, pointed out that the stubble burning season had ended in Punjab and Haryana and wheat sowing had already been done. “While farm fires are almost over in western UP, they will continue in eastern UP till December 20,” he said. We also published the following articles recently Stubble Burning: 66 Cases FiledThe district administration in Ludhiana has registered 66 cases against individuals found burning crop stubble. The chief secretary, deputy commissioner, and DGP have taken action on the issue. According to the report, Moga and Bathinda had the highest number of cases. Additionally, there were cases registered under the Air Act in Amritsar and Sangrur. The administration and police have adopted a zero tolerance policy on crop residue burning, with cases registered against offenders. The report also highlights the imposition of environmental compensation and red entries made in revenue records.105371277 Although fewer farm fire incidents, Agri dept takes steps to curb stubble burningThe district administration in Bhopal is addressing concerns about deteriorating air quality by educating farmers on alternative techniques for clearing their fields without burning crop residues. Stubble burning is not a major issue in Bhopal due to the predominant cultivation of wheat over paddy. Efforts are being made to promote the use of straw reaper machines, a capsule that decomposes crop residues into manure, happy seeder machines, and bale machines. However, the high cost of these machines remains a challenge for farmers. The Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board imposes fines for farmers who burn large areas.105522902 To check stubble burning, Punjab energy agency joins hands with GAILTo curb stubble burning, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (Peda) has signed an agreement with Gas Authority Of India Ltd (GAIL) to set up 10 compressed biogas projects. The pact aims to manage five lakh tonnes of paddy straw per annum and generate clean energy. Punjab's business-friendly policies will facilitate MNCs to set up industry in the state. Implementation of these projects will prevent three lakh tonnes of paddy straw from being burnt.105391676

Indefinite protest at BTPS

Bokaro: Operation and coal supply were affected in the 500 MW Bokaro Thermal Power Station (BTPS) as hundreds of protesters led by Giridih MP (Ajsu-P) Chandra Prakash Chaudhary blocked the main gate of the plant since Sunday midnight. The demonstration is aimed to highlight the concerns of displaced individuals and address other demands. BTPS is a power unit of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in Bokaro Thermal area under Bermo Sub Division of the district. Protesters prevented workers from attending the morning shift, extending their agitation to those finishing night shifts. Despite management's preparations, with two shifts of workers and engineers entering the plant on Sunday, the situation remains tense at the DVC power plant. MP Chaudhary said, “We are fighting for the right of displaced people. Damodar Valley Corporation management is always being indifferent towards local residents who had given their land for establishment of the power unit.” We also published the following articles recently Thermal plants behind nearly 8% of pollution in Delhi-NCR: StudyA study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found that 11 coal-based thermal power plants in the Delhi-NCR region are responsible for at least 8% of the pollution. The CSE's analysis focused on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide emissions from these power plants. The study revealed that most of the plants were not complying with emission control norms, worsening the air pollution. The study also highlighted how extending timelines and relaxing emission standards have impacted air quality in the region. The report suggested that minor changes in operational parameters and regular maintenance can significantly improve compliance.105521522 Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: ReportNon-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution. These plants have struggled to meet compliance deadlines for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter. Despite deadline extensions and revised categorizations, many plants in the region are still violating norms. The government relaxed nitrogen oxide norms and deadlines, but some plants have exceeded the limits. All coal power plants in NCR have reported high sulphur dioxide emissions. Controlling SO2 emissions is essential to prevent greater risks to health and the environment.105515484 Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: ReportNon-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards significantly contributes to air pollution. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) analyzed the particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide emissions from 11 thermal power plants (TPPs). The plants have struggled to meet the standards due to shifting compliance deadlines. Despite deadline extensions and categorizations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region fail to meet prescribed norms. Some plants continue to operate in violation, reporting high emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide.

Dank Delhi Weathers Another Bad-Air Day, Finds A Silver Lining In Evening

NEW DELHI: Delhiites witnessed a gloomy Monday with overcast skies and toxic air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI), at 395, was a shade less than 'severe'. Low visibility marked the eighth such day this November when readings were in the range of 390-400. However, a spell of light rain accompanied by strong winds later in the evening is likely to improve the air quality on Tuesday. Many parts of Delhi witnessed thunder and lightning on Monday evening, while New Delhi recorded very loud thunder that was followed by a lightning bolt around 6.30 pm. Dank Delhi Weathers Another Bad-Air Day, Finds A Silver Lining In Evening TNN | Nov 28, 2023, 07.07 AM IST Dank Delhi Weathers Another Bad-Air Day, Finds A Silver Lining In Evening NEW DELHI: Delhiites witnessed a gloomy Monday with overcast skies and toxic air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI), at 395, was a shade less than 'severe'. Low visibility marked the eighth such day this November when readings were in the range of 390-400. However, a spell of light rain accompanied by strong winds later in the evening is likely to improve the air quality on Tuesday. Many parts of Delhi witnessed thunder and lightning on Monday evening, while New Delhi recorded very loud thunder that was followed by a lightning bolt around 6.30 pm. Dank Delhi Weathers Another Bad-Air Day, Finds A Silver Lining In Evening The bad weather in Delhi resulted in 16 flights being diverted to other cities. Ten were diverted to Jaipur, three to Lucknow, one to Ahmedabad and two to Amritsar between 6 pm and 8 pm. The visibility was 600 metres around 7.30 am at Safdarjung, which is the city's base station, which improved to around 1,300 metres by noon. Track the pollution level in your city Areas such as Hauz Khas, Vasant Kunj, parts of east Delhi and Lodhi Road got a drizzle in the afternoon. Palam and Ayanagar observatories recorded 1.8 mm and 0.6 mm of rainfall, respectively, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. Lodhi Road reported trace rainfall. However, Safdarjung logged 7.2 mm rainfall between 5.30 pm and 8.30 pm while Palam recorded 2.3 mm rainfall in the same time window. "Under the influence of a western disturbance, thunder clouds formed in the evening.... These cumulus clouds with a vertical extension height of 8-10 kilometres caused rain, thunder and lightning," said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist and head of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre of the India Meteorological Department. The minimum temperature was recorded at 13.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. The maximum temperature was 24.2 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees below normal. The light rain during the evening caused the temperature to dip to 16.8 degrees Celsius at 8.30 pm. According to Met officials, Safdarjung saw south-easterly winds with a speed of 12 kmph on Monday night. Wind speed picked up to 20 kmph at Palam. The air quality may see an improvement on Tuesday as rain could settle the pollutants down while strong winds are predicted to help in the dispersion of pollutants. However, rain is unlikely on Tuesday as the influence of a western disturbance will be over. The city may see cloudiness till Tuesday noon. The contribution of stubble burning is now insignificant in Delhi's PM2.5 levels. Local and regional emissions continue to be high. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: "It is a matter of great concern that even after the stubble burning season is nearly over and its contribution down to 2-5%, the air quality in Delhi and NCR is still very poor. This shows the impact of high local pollution. Massive scaling up of action is needed round the year to clean up emissions from vehicles, industry, waste and solid fuel burning in this region." The Decision Support System, which is the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences, estimated that transport was the biggest contributor of PM2.5 at 15.09% on Monday. Other prominent sources included emissions from Ghaziabad (12.55%), GB Nagar (6.82%), Baghpat (5.96%), industries in Delhi and around it (4.51%) and Meerut (4.04%), according to DSS. CPCB's data shows that November has witnessed nine 'severe' AQI days. It has also recorded eight 'near severe' days when AQI was in the range of 390 and 400.

Thermal plants in NCR ignoring pollution norms

Bathinda: Even as the focus was on crop residue burning for worsening air quality in Delhi NCR, a new report claims that the ongoing air pollution in the region was worsened by the intransigence of thermal power plants, most of which are not complying with emission control norms. Delhi-NCR has 11 thermal power plants. The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) had introduced strict emission norms for coal-based power plants in December 2015. Thermal plants needed to comply with these rules within two years. Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines have been repeatedly delayed, according to the report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The analysis in the report focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions by these coal-based thermal power plants. The analysis is based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from the website of Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union ministry of power, from April 2022 to August 2023. "Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters. These plants have not been able to meet the standards and are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance are shifting continually,” according to Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE executive director for research and advocacy. Nitrogen oxide norms have already been relaxed by the government: nearly all the plants should be able to meet these norms with proper operational intelligence and with the assistance of the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to carry out necessary modifications in the plant boilers. Despite the relaxation in norms and deadlines, four plants — Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP in Punjab have exceeded the NOx norms several times during the reporting period. In the case of sulphur dioxide, the Mahatma Gandhi TPP is the only power plant in NCR where the norms are within the prescribed limit. After the first deadline of December 2017 lapsed, a five-year extension was granted to all power plants, except the ones in Delhi-NCR. The plants in NCR were tasked to comply by 2019 because of high levels of pollution in the region. Except the Dadri TPP and the Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all the plants in NCR failed to meet the revised deadline and continued to operate in violation of norms till another extension of the deadline was given in March 2021. At this time, the ministry classified all power plants, including the ones in NCR, in three categories - A, B and C - based on the criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to new deadlines, Category A plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024, Category B by December 31, 2025 and Category C plants by December 31, 2026. Based on the new criteria, except for four plants — Dadri, Indira Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi and Panipat TPPs — the remaining seven plants were placed under Category C, giving them more time to comply with the norms. Because of these extensions in deadline, Panipat TPP remains the only plant that is unlikely to meet the emission norms by the compliance deadline. Nivit Yadav, CSE programme director, said, “This clearly does not imply that the emissions from other plants are anywhere within the prescribed limits, as we see in our current analysis.” He said that minor changes in operational parameters and regular maintenance of electrostatic precipitators can make substantial improvement in compliance of power plants where SPM norms are not being met continuously.

Non compliance by thermal power plants aiding to rise in Delhi-NCR pollution: CSE

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its study said non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region. The environment think tank focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR and is based on their environmental status reports sourced from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023. According to studies, the TPPs account for around eight percent of the PM2.5 pollution in Delhi-NCR. “Delhi-NCR cannot achieve the clean air benchmark and safeguard public health if continuous sources of pollution, such as thermal power plants, continue to emit pollutants at high levels. These plants have struggled to meet the standards, primarily due to continually shifting compliance deadlines,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. The CSE report said that despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorisations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region are struggling to meet prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. The ministry established stringent emission standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015, requiring compliance within two years. Later, it granted a five-year extension to all power plants except those in Delhi-NCR which were given until 2019 to comply due to the region’s high pollution levels. Despite this, except for Dadri TPP and Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued operating in violation until another extension in March 2021.The ministry then categorised all power plants, including those in Delhi-NCR, into three groups (A, B, and C) based on criteria set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). New deadlines were set accordingly: Category A plants must meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024. Category B plants have until December 31, 2025, to meet the SO2 emission norms and Category C plants are required to comply with SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2026. Except for Dadri, Indira Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, and Panipat TPPs, the remaining seven plants were classified under Category C, granting them additional time for compliance. Almost six years after the first deadline, three plants in the NCR -- Harduaganj TPP, Panipat TPP, and Guru Hargobind TPP — are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions, the CSE report said. The CSE researchers said that despite the government relaxing nitrogen oxide norms and deadlines, four plants­ – Panipat TPP, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP in Punjab -- have exceeded the NOx norms several times during the reporting period. All coal power plants in NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. While Mahatma Gandhi TPP remains within the limit for sulphur dioxide emissions, Dadri TPP, equipped with sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD), reported high SO2 readings 86 percent of the time during the reporting period. Researchers suggest that either the FGDs at Dadri TPP are malfunctioning or have insufficient capacity, or the coal used has very high sulphur content. DD Basu, former director of the CPCB, said controlling SO2 emissions is essential, as they convert to sulphates, posing greater risks to health and the environment by forming fine particulate matter.

Delhi-NCR pollution worsened by thermal power plants: CSE report

Out of the 11 plants in the National Capital Region (NCR) Only two have implemented sulphur dioxide (SO2) control measures, and just one meets SO2 emission standards. Three plants exceed particulate matter (PM) norms. Four plants exceed nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission norms, with three in Haryana and one in Punjab. Five plants lack proper data reporting in the public domain. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted that the ongoing air pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR is being exacerbated by the non-compliance of thermal power plants with emission control norms. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE, stated that the region cannot achieve clean air standards and safeguard public health if thermal power plants continue to be high emitters. The power plants have failed to meet the standards due to continually shifting compliance deadlines. 11 thermal power plants Delhi-NCR is home to 11 thermal power plants. The CSE’s analysis focused on the emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide from these coal-based thermal power plants. The analysis was based on the environmental status reports of these plants from April 2022 to August 2023, obtained from the Central Electricity Authority’s website. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change introduced stringent emission norms for coal-based power plants in December 2015, with a compliance deadline of two years. However, these norms have been diluted for several parameters, and deadlines have been repeatedly postponed. After the first deadline lapsed in December 2017, a five-year extension was granted to all power plants, except those in Delhi-NCR, due to the region’s high pollution levels. These plants were required to comply by 2019. However, except for the Dadri TPP and the Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all the plants in NCR failed to meet the revised deadline and continued to operate in violation of the norms until another extension was granted in March 2021. At this point, the ministry classified all power plants into three categories – A, B, and C – based on criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board. According to the new criteria, seven out of the eleven plants in Delhi-NCR were placed under category C, which allowed them more time to comply with the norms. As a result of these deadline extensions, Panipat TPP is likely to be the only plant that may not meet the emission norms by the compliance deadline. However, Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE, points out that this does not necessarily mean that the emissions from the other plants are within the prescribed limits, as indicated by their current analysis. High emissions spiking pollution in NCR Eight years after the emission norms were introduced, and six years past the initial deadline, three power plants in the National Capital Region (NCR) – Harduaganj, Panipat, and GuruHargobind – are still reporting high suspended particulate matter emissions, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Yadav, a representative from CSE, suggests that minor changes in operational parameters and regular maintenance of electrostatic precipitators could significantly improve compliance where SPM norms are continuously unmet. The government has already relaxed nitrogen oxide norms. With proper operational intelligence and modifications in plant boilers, nearly all plants should be able to meet these norms, say CSE researchers. Despite the relaxation in norms and deadlines, four plants – Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPP, Yamunanagar TPP, and GuruHargobind TPP – have exceeded the NOx norms multiple times during the reporting period. In terms of sulphur dioxide, only the Mahatma Gandhi TPP in the NCR is within the prescribed limit. Dadri TPP has sulphur dioxide control equipment in place, but it has reported high SO2 readings 86% of the time during the reporting period. The reason could be either inadequate capacity of the FGDs, FGDs not in service, or very high sulphur content of the coal being used. Coal plants exceed SO2 limits All the coal power plants in the NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. Dr D D Basu, Former Director, CPCB, highthat SO2 converts to sulphates in the form of fine particulate matter – PM2.5 – which poses even a greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, controlling SO2 is crucial from the perspective of controlling particulate matter emissions. Yadav said “CSE has been tracking and reporting on the status of implementation of the emission norms since its introduction in 2015. We have been advocating strict emission norms for coal power plants much before these were introduced by the MoEFCC”. He further added, “However, the extensions in deadlines and delays in meeting the norms have only resulted in bringing down the momentum and given coal TPPs a sense of security that they can continue to pollute and operate and not be held accountable. We cannot deny our growing energy needs and the operational issues with regard to shutting down plants, but this should not become the excuse for power generators to take environment and health of the people for granted.” He adds: “The plants may not be in violation of the 2015 notification due to the extended deadlines granted to them to comply with the norms, but such high emissions of PM, NOx and SO2 will only worsen the pollution in NCR.” Says Roychowdhury: “Instead of delaying the timeline, there should be more focus on the enablers in terms of strong compliance and deterrence mechanisms as well as incentives and a one-time support for fast tracking change and for time-bound implementation. This is a critical regional strategy for the cleaning up of the airshed.”

Loss and damage, climate action stocktake, fossil fuel phase out among key issues at COP28

Parties are likely to call for the tripling of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and a reduction in methane emissions at the climate conference COP28 that starts on November 30. Climate finance for countries to adapt to the effects of climate change fell by $4 billion at a time when developed countries have pledged to double their contributions. Parties will either accept recommendations made on the loss and damage fund or renegotiate them at the COP28. As the 28th annual Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change draws near, countries and Party blocks are evaluating their positions on topics that could signal the future course of climate action globally. The United States of America and China issued a joint statement agreeing to collaborate on a number of areas ahead of the meeting, scheduled between November 30 and December 12, in Dubai. The areas include advancing the development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies (CCUS), reductions in methane and other greenhouse gasses and a promise to reduce emissions economy-wide. This statement, by two of the world’s largest emitters, indicates they want to talk about these issues – particularly methane – in a big way at the COP28, says Avantika Goswami, programme manager, at the Centre for Science and Environment. Even though climate change is fast becoming a mainstream topic of interest, with individuals, corporations and governments pledging to take action in their own capacities, outcomes from the UNFCCC negotiations move the needle on climate action at a global scale. The annual climate COP is also an important platform for developing and vulnerable countries to collectively voice their needs in light of escalating climate impacts. COP28 will also be the first meeting to discuss the outcomes of the Global Stocktake (GST) – an exercise assessing the implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Other key issues that are expected to be discussed at COP28 include climate finance, increasing climate mitigation ambitions, and operationalising the loss and damage fund. The Global Stocktake Countries will have the opportunity to put forward their views on what political messages should come out of the technical assessment of the GST carried out earlier this year. The GST is meant to inform Parties of progress before they ratchet up their climate goals in 2025. In its submission to the UNFCCC, India, representing the Like Minded Developing Countries (LMDC), which comprises 24 countries, including host United Arab Emirates, said the GST should reflect the UNFCCC’s principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) based on historical emissions. As priority areas, the LMDC has listed including progress on goals made before the Paris Agreement was signed, and a “considerable focus on adaptation,” finance and support, and loss and damage. “Holding historical polluters accountable is something the Indian delegation will want to see through the global stocktake,” Goswami told Mongabay-India. These interests are likely to diverge from what developed country blocs want to see reflected in the GST. The U.S., in its submission, highlighted the need for greater effort on mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the U.S., “the scope of countries that are capable of such support has evolved considerably since 2015, and the stocktake should reflect their responsibility in the decade of the 2020s and beyond.” This could mean widening the climate fund donor base to include some developing countries – a proposition that developing countries have called unjust. The European Union emphasised the need to honour agreements like the Glasgow Pact made at the COP26, which called for the “phase down of unabated coal power” – considered contentious because it singles out coal, of which developing countries like India are a main consumer.

बारिश के बाद दिल्ली में ठंड और प्रदूषण का डबल खतरा, आज तो कोहरा भी... मौसम पर 5 बड़े अपडेट

नई दिल्ली: दिल्ली-NCR के कुछ इलाकों में सोमवार को बूंदाबांदी हुई। ठंड ने कंपकंपी छुड़ा दी मगर लोगों को प्रदूषण से कोई राहत नहीं मिली। स्मॉग का असर भी दिखाई दिया। बादलों और बूंदाबांदी की वजह से स्मॉग की जो परत पहले ऊपर की तरफ थी वह शाम होते होते नीचे की तरफ आ गई। चार बजे के बाद इसकी वजह से लोगों की परेशानियां और अधिक बढ़ गई। अगले तीन दिनों तक हवाएं अब कमजोर रहेंगी। ऐसे में प्रदूषण से बड़ी राहत मिलने की कोई उम्मीद भी नहीं दिख रही है। मौसम विभाग के पूर्वानुमान के अनुसार, 28 से 30 नवंबर तक प्रदूषण का स्तर बेहद खराब स्थिति में ही बना रहेगा। इसके बाद अगले छह दिनों तक प्रदूषण का स्तर बेहद खराब रह सकता है। मंगलवार को उत्तर पूर्व दिशा से सिर्फ चार किमी./घंटे की रफ्तार से हवाएं आएंगी। शाम और रात के समय इनकी रफ्तार और कम हो जाएगी। इसके बाद 29 नवंबर को भी हवाएं पूर्व की तरफ से चार किलोमीटर प्रति घंटे की रफ्तार से बहेंगी। 30 नवंबर को अलग-अलग दिशाओं से हवाएं आएंगी। इनकी रफ्तार करीब 4 से 6 किलोमीटर तक रह सकती है। मंगलवार को आंशिक बादल छाए रहेंगे। सुबह के समय मध्यम कोहरा रह सकता है। मौसम साफ हो जाएगा। अधिकतम तापमान 25 और न्यूनतम तापमान 12 डिग्री तक रहेगा। शाम साढ़े पांच बजे तक पालम में 1.8 एमएम, लोदी रोड में बूंदाबांदी और आया नगर में 0.6 एमएम बारिश हुई। 29 और 30 नवंबर को अधिकतम तापमान 25 डिग्री और न्यूनतम तापमान 11 से 12 डिग्री तक रह सकता है। बुधवार सुबह मध्यम स्तर का कोहरा छा सकता है। अधिक नमी की वजह से विजिबिलिटी कमजोर रहेगी। ऐसे में लोगों को सावधानी बरतने की सलाह भी दी जा रही है। 1 से 3 दिसंबर के बीच अधिकतम तापमान 24 से 25 डिग्री और न्यूनतम तापमान 11 से 12 डिग्री तक रह सकता है। दिल्ली के AQI में सुधार स्‍थायी नहीं ​ कल हल्की बारिश और आज हवा चलने से प्रदूषण के स्तर में सुधार आया है। परन्तु ये स्थायी नहीं है। आने वाले दिनों में हवा की गति कम होने का अनुमान है जिससे प्रदूषण का स्तर बढ़ सकता है...शादियों का समय चल रहा है जिसके कारण रात के समय गाड़ियों की आवाजाही बहुत बढ़ गई है। हमें सतर्कता बरतने की जरूरत है...प्रशासनिक स्तर पर भी GRAP-3 का निरीक्षण कड़ाई से जारी रहेगा। गोपाल राय, दिल्ली के पर्यावरण मंत्री दिल्ली एनसीआर में रह रहे सभी परिवारों में इस समय एक या एक से अधिक सदस्य प्रदूषण से जुड़ी स्वास्थ्य की परेशानियां झेल रहे हैं। पिछले करीब 30 दिनों से यह स्थिति बनी हुई है। लोकल सर्कल्स के एक सर्वे में यह दावा किया गया है। अक्टूबर के अंतिम दिनों में एक्यूआई 450 पर पहुंच गया। वहीं पिछले हफ्ते भी यह 300 से 600 की रेंज में बना हुआ है। पिछले एक महीने के दौरान दिल्ली एनसीआर के लोगों पर प्रदूषण के असर को जानने के लिए लोकल सर्कल्स ने यह सर्वे किया। इस सर्वे में दिल्ली, नोएडा, गाजियाबाद, गुरुग्राम और फरीदाबाद के 9 हजार से अधिक लोगों ने हिस्सा लिया। 9 हजार लोगों पर सर्वे किया गया दिल्ली-एनसीआर के शहरों से 67 प्रतिशत लोगों ने कहा कि उनकी नाक बह रही है 67 प्रतिशत लोगों ने कहा कि उन्हें आंखों में जलन है 56 प्रतिशत लोगों ने कहा कि उन्हें तनाव है 44 प्रतिशत लोगों ने कहा कि उन्हें सिरदर्द रहता है 22 प्रतिशत लोगों ने कहा कि उन्हें सोने में समस्या हो रही है कोयला थर्मल प्लांट बढ़ा रहे प्रदूषण: CSE सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (CSE) की एक रिपोर्ट में दावा किया गया है कि दिल्ली-NCR में प्रदूषण की बड़ी वजह NCR में चल रहे कोयला थर्मल प्लांट भी है। इनमें से ज्यादातर प्रदूषण को कम करने के नियमों को पूरा नहीं कर रहे हैं। दिल्ली-NCR के 11 थर्मल पावर प्लांट पर यह रिपोर्ट तैयार की गई है। CSE की एग्जीक्यूटिव डायरेक्टर अनुमिता रायचौधरी ने बताया कि जब तक थर्मल प्लांट चलते रहेंगे, दिल्ली-NCR के लोगों को साफ हवा नहीं मिल सकती।

Ahead of COP28, disagreements on Global Stocktake remain — highlights from CSE’s briefing paper

It was the most vulnerable countries that clearly called for GST to reference a phaseout of all fossil fuels, analysis shows This year the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will conclude the first Global Stocktake (GST) — an assessment of the progress of countries towards their climate targets — after a two-year process. Including key themes of mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage and finance, the GST is expected to provide directions for greater climate ambition. In a new briefing paper released ahead of COP28, Delhi-based think tank the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessed more than 35 submissions made by countries to UNFCCC, outlining their expectations from the final GST outcome. CSE also spoke to negotiators from seven blocs and countries to better understand their perspectives on the key elements. When summarised, it is clear that there are varying opinions on certain themes, with an almost clear divide between the developed and developing blocs. The paper was released at a webinar convening climate experts and negotiators, who laid out their visions for what an ambitious and equitable GST outcome can look like. Established under Article 14 of the Paris Agreement, GST aims to serve as an evaluation of countries’ progress towards global climate action. In 2015, countries agreed on concluding the first GST in 2023, with the process repeating every five years. It was mandated that the Conference of Parties agree to conduct the GST “in a comprehensive and facilitative manner, considering mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation and support, and in the light of equity and the best available science”. Reports of growing mistrust between developed and developing countries and worsening climate change impacts make the GST not just a mirror to countries’ progress but a defining moment for equitable climate action over the next decade. A strong focus on equity, albeit with different perspectives, was observed. For developing blocs, equity remains associated with the equitable right of the Global South to the remaining global carbon budget to aid their development. A principle enshrined in UNFCCC, this would mean the developed countries have used up their share of the carbon budget through their historical emissions and are now expected to rapidly decarbonise. On the other hand, developed countries are pushing for equity to be redefined in this decade to include “emerging emissions” that would also bring countries like India, South Africa and recently developed China into focus. Evidently, the divide showed up in the assessment of the mitigation elements. On adaptation, most countries reiterated the goal to double adaptation finance, either as a demand or as a commitment. However, this target may no longer be enough. While loss and damage has been agreed as a separate section in the current proposed GST outcome draft, it was not negotiated as a standalone theme and was clubbed with adaptation during GST. So, some submissions clearly highlighted it as a separate component to be assessed with the development of its own loss and damage fund, the analysis showed. For developing countries, it is important that the GST stresses the need for more public, grant-based climate finance to come in from developed nations. In contrast, Global North blocs had a clear focus on the need for more private finance to be mobilised. The phase out of fossil fuels is critical to meeting the 1.5°C target and CSE expected it to be a key discussion point this year. Most countries did not mention fossil fuels at all in their submissions. It was the most vulnerable countries, including the Least Developed Countries and the Alliance of Small Island States, that clearly called for GST to reference a phaseout of all fossil fuels. Most developed countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, supported the phaseout of “unabated” fossil fuels, which refers to the use of carbon dioxide removal and carbon capture technologies. Russia mentioned that a complete phaseout of fossil fuels could negatively impact the social wellbeing of their population. The African Group of Negotiators stated that developing countries must retain the right to use fossil fuels in order to develop before they transition and developed countries must be directed to take the lead and begin decarbonisation immediately. With less than seven years remaining to 2030, the target year for the climate commitments of many countries, GST comes at a critical juncture with a sobering message that there is much more ambition needed to curb emissions, adapt to impacts and mobilise finance. GST was expected to look back at the ambition of developed countries and assess their climate action efforts versus what they should ideally be based on historical emissions burden. Global South countries have made specific demands, and while the hope is that no demand stalls discussions and thereby progress, it is also important that poor and vulnerable countries stand their ground and do not accept watered down compromises that will define the rest of this decade in terms of climate action Alongside this, GST must provide direction for stronger implementation and targets for 2030. The GST is expected to feed into parallel processes of the Mitigation Work Programme, Global Goal on Adaptation, Loss and Damage Fund and New Collective Quantified Goal to make them stronger and in alignment with equity and the needs of the Global South. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.

Delhi air pollution: Why November became the worst in last 10 years

The air in and around the national capital is heavy and burns the eyes. But Delhi wasn't always like this in November. It wasn’t so about a decade back. Punjab existed, and so did its farms. What has changed all of a sudden that Delhi’s air has started becoming so toxic around November? Sports commentator Sanjay Banerjee, who has been living in Delhi-NCR for the last 23 years, has seen better winter air quality. He attests to the fact that high pollution has become a major problem only in the last decade. People who have been living in Delhi for decades would agree with Banerjee. The onset of winter was with blue skies. It was only around Diwali that Delhi’s air quality would dip and that too for a fortnight at best. Now, things have become much grimmer. DELHI AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH CRISIS “Earlier, we used to see patients with breathing problems just before and after Diwali. This year we are witnessing such patients from the beginning of October, and November is particularly bad,” Dr GC Khilnani, a pulmonologist who has been practising in Delhi since 1991, tells IndiaToday.In. “I am seeing people reporting breathing issues since the beginning of October and there is a 30-40 per cent increase in such patients,” says Dr Khilnani, who is chairman of PSRI Institute of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine and member of the WHO technical advisory group on global air pollution and health. CLICK HERE TO CHECK DELHI'S AIR QUALITY Vehicular emissions, construction dust and smoke from farm fires are three major contributory factors to the air pollution in Delhi. Emissions from vehicles and industry and biomass burning contribute to the tinier PM2.5 pollutants while construction dust is behind the coarser PM10 pollutants. This year, the percentage share of PM2.5 in PM10 has crossed 50 per cent, indicating higher impact of combustion sources of pollution, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). This brings us to the most interesting question -- why does Delhi become a gas chamber in November? And why has it started affecting air quality only since the last decade? PUNJAB FARM FIRES AND POLLUTION IN DELHI Though Delhi’s air remains poor almost throughout the year, it is only in November that people sit up and take note of it as it reaches hazardous levels. Vehicular emissions and construction dust are present throughout the year, but what makes November worse are the smoke from farm fires and the wind conditions.

Why so much resistance to the idea of natural farming?

I am standing on a sun-baked landscape, barren and desolate as far as the eye can see. This is Ananthapuramu district of Andhra Pradesh, where the rain this year was less than normal, and farmers missed the sowing season. But as I look down, I can see signs of crop life bursting. T Vijay Kumar, who heads the state government’s community-managed natural farming programme called Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, explains that the crops are growing from pelletised seeds — in this method, farmers coat the seeds with materials like cow dung and ash, and then plant them in circles with minimal disturbance to the soil. These seeds can lay in the soil for 30 to 45 days, waiting for as little as 5-10 mm of rain to sprout. Another risk-mitigation measure is planting a variety of crops, from red gram to castor oil plant to beans. The women farmers tell me that this technique has allowed them to cultivate during a season that would have gone to waste. In our climate-risked times, when rainfall will become even more variable, this is the reworking of farm practices we desperately need. We then go on to visit more farmers practising what is called natural farming. I wanted to understand how different this practice is from what we know as organic or non-chemical farming. Field after field, we see a combination of trees and food crops. I can see arecanut, moringa tree (drumstick) and papaya on the farm boundaries and vegetables like beetroot, spinach and beans, all growing with millets, corn and even lentils. Everything is growing in profusion, but without any order, or at least that is how it seems to me. But then Lakshma Naik, chief technology and innovation officer of Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, tells me that there is an order to this cultivation. The objective is to build a web of plants so that this biodiversity can regenerate the soil structure with different fungi and bacteria. The objective is also to provide farmers income from diverse crops with different durations. Naik calls this particular model ATM or Anytime Money. It’s a bonanza of crops, all grown using only natural fertilisers or bio-stimulants.

Seema Mundoli and Harini Nagendra’s ‘Shades of Blue’: Water and the city, flow and flaws

Water, its woes and wonders have for long loomed large in the ecology, cultures and histories of India. Nearly a quarter century ago, the book ‘Dying Wisdom’ by Anil Agarwal and Sunita Narain struck a chord by documenting the traditional system of water harvesting for potable and local irrigation water. It is also no surprise that slogans like ‘more crop per drop’ and discussions on ground water conservation figure prominently in a country where aquifers provide over 60 per cent of irrigation. Cities seem to alternate between scarcity and over-abundance. This is that rare book that wears learning lightly on the sleeve. It is lucid and deeply insightful at the same time. Seema Mundoli, a polymath, and leading ecological scientist Harini Nagendra are more than established scholars of repute. From their base at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru, they authored ‘Cities and Canopies’ some four years ago, bringing to fore the wonders or/and threats to green cover in the cities. The vexed issue of water and the city is the subject of this work. India is a monsoon-reliant country but one with 7,500 km of coastline. While the national anthem sings of rivers, it is as much a land of seasonal as well as perennial water bodies, some natural, others human-made and most a mix of both. How humans manage water has much to do with how we relate to one another. No story of water, its use or abuse can leave humans out. Yet, it also needs to pay attention to myriad life forms that are vital to these living waters. This is what the authors have set out to do in 21 chapters. A mix of science, culture and community in specific settings works well — light in style, but provoking curiosity as well as concern. Water may cover 70 per cent of the earth’s surface but less than half of 1 per cent is fresh water. India may have 18 per cent of the world’s people but has only 4 per cent of the fresh water. Further, only water in the narrow range of pH scale is fit for human use. More importantly, the level of human waste and chemical contamination now imperils the life cycles of marine creatures big and small. By taking us on a journey of specific cities, the authors shed light on a range of situations. The work traces a history of interventions, such as the work of Arthur Cotton in the Krishna-Godavari delta in the 19th century and the historic Bhakra and Nangal dams in newly Independent India. While steering clear of early labeling, it warns of how long-term consequences need careful thought. This is all the more so at a time of global warming. Much more study of natural flows of water, both above and below ground, should precede projects, not follow in their wake. The issues of equity are easy to comprehend once spelt out. After any flood in a town big or small, underpaid sanitation workers with little protective gear have to do the work of disposal of carcasses. There are other deeper exclusions marked in the past, like the displacement of Chandrawal village to create the water works as long ago as 1869. A cleaner environment should include all and pay special attention to human well-being of the worse-off sections. Less well-known but equally important is the near extinguishment of livelihoods. The Pallikaranai marshes near Chennai have now been protected but 9/10ths have been drained, with fishers and gatherers losing income and material dignity as well. There are myriad instances of citizen groups taking up issues in places as diverse as Kolkata, Pune and Vadodara. Most intriguing is the exploration of solastalgia, a yearning by individuals or groups in distress for a neighbourhood that is vanishing. Applied to India — and this will not surprise anyone who has lived or lives near a well, a pond, a lake or a river or the seashore — the protection of these has been one common citizen response to recent pressures. Mundoli and Nagendra argue that this is as much about human well-being in a broader sense. There were and are a range of cultural and religious customs in different settings that honour, say, a river. This links the present-day controversies and initiatives to traditions of regard for nature in the larger sense. This is a work that resonates beyond the Indian city or its water woes. It is a must-read for anyone concerned about our future in India, Asia or anywhere on the planet.

Coal-based power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

The study by environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) focuses on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR and is based on their environmental status reports sourced from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023.

Coal-based thermal power plants worsening Delhi air pollution, says new study

A new suggests that coal-based thermal power plants are responsible for aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR, as most of them are not complying with emission control norms. Delhi-NCR has 11 thermal power plants. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed that the thermal power plants contribute around 8 per cent of particulate matter (PM) to the air in Delhi-NCR. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, of Research and Advocacy, CSE, said in a press release, "Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters." Roychowdhury said that these plants have not been able to meet the standards and "are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance (with emission control norms) are shifting continually". The recent study by the environmental think tank focused on particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the 11 thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR. The analysis was based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from the website of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023. The study revealed that "only two of 11 plants in NCR have sulphur dioxide (SO2) control measures in place" and "only one meets the SO2 emission standards". Meeting the norms for emissions The CSE report said that despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorisations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region are struggling to meet prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. The ministry established stringent emission standards for coal-based power plants in December 2015, requiring compliance within two years. "Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines have been repeatedly delayed," the report said. Later, it granted a five-year extension to all power plants, except those in Delhi-NCR which were given until 2019 to comply due to the region's high pollution levels. Despite this, except for Dadri TPP and Mahatma Gandhi TPP, all NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued operating in violation until another extension in March 2021, the CSE report added. Now, it was at this time that the ministry classified all power plants, including the ones in NCR, under three different categories: A, B and C. The categorisation was based on the criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the new deadlines: > Category A plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2024. > Category B plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2025. > Category C plants can meet SO2 emission norms by December 31, 2026. Roychowdhury said that instead of delaying the timeline, more focus should be laid on the enablers in terms of strong compliance and deterrence mechanisms as well as incentives and one-time support for fast-tracking change and for time-bound implementation. Key findings of the CSE report 1. Three plants in the NCR — Harduaganj thermal power station of UPRVUNL, Panipat Thermal Power Plant of HPGCL, and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) of PSPCL — are reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions. 2. Despite the relaxation in norms and deadlines, four plants — Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPP and Yamunanagar TPP in Haryana and Guru Hargobind TPP (Lehra Mohabbat) in Punjab — have exceeded the Nitrogen oxide norms several times during the reporting period. (Three in Haryana, one in Punjab) 3. In the case of sulphur dioxide, the Mahatma Gandhi TPP is the only power plant in NCR where the norms are within the prescribed limit. 4. Dadri TPP is another plant that has sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD) in place, but the plant has reported high sulphur dioxide readings 86 per cent of the time during the reporting period. 5. All the coal power plants in NCR have reported sulphur dioxide emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. Why is sulphur dioxide a concern? According to DD Basu, Former Director, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), said, “Sulphur dioxide is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine particulate matter -- PM2.5 -- which poses even a greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of sulphur dioxide is crucial from the perspective of controlling particulate matter emissions." Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE, said, "The plants may not be in violation of the 2015 notification due to the extended deadlines granted to them to comply with the norms, but such high emissions of PM, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide will only worsen the pollution in NCR." Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' on Sunday though a change in meteorological conditions due to a western disturbance may bring some relief, according to monitoring agencies. Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday expressed hope that the air quality would continue to improve for the next two days owing to an increase in wind speed and probability of rain.

Transport sector the biggest contributor to Delhi’s bad-air November, study reveals

What are the sources that have been keeping Delhi’s air bad all through this month? Vehicles, biomass burning even when farm fires are few, and secondary aerosols or particles that are formed in the atmosphere from gases released by fossil fuel combustion in power plants, industries, and vehicles, going by data from a real-time source apportionment study that is underway for the city. From November 9 to 25, the highest average percentage contributors to PM2.5 levels that are being monitored at a supersite near Rouse Avenue, are the transport sector (contribution of around 30% to PM2.5 levels) and secondary aerosols (contribution of around 30.88% to PM2.5 levels). This was followed by an average percentage contribution of 27% from biomass burning, according to daily contributions at 12am provided by the study. IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi and TERI are involved with the real-time source apportionment study. Despite farm fires being low (37 in Punjab and four in Haryana on Saturday), the contribution of biomass burning to pollution levels in Delhi remained high, at around 39% at 12am on Saturday, and 40% on Friday. On secondary aerosols, Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “Gases contribute to the formation of secondary aerosols – oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide—which are released by vehicles or industries, go through further atmospheric changes and form particles, and then add to a load of particulate pollution. What this says in terms of mitigation is that too much concentration on dust control is not going to help, and we will have to focus on combustion sources since these gases come from vehicles, industries, and power plants.” Data from the study shows that soil and road dust contributed significantly to PM2.5 levels in the first week of September, when this contribution stood at over 30% from September 1 to 4. This contribution has, however, fallen in November. While it was around 15% on November 13, the contribution of soil and road dust was 0% on November 19, 20, 23, 24 and 25, and 1% on November 21 and 22, at the Rouse Avenue supersite.