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Delhi air pollution: AQI dips, but data from just 19 station

NEW DELHI: The air quality on Saturday was recorded in the upper end of the 'very poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 389 as against 415 in the 'severe' range on Friday. However, Central Pollution Control Board calculated the 24-hour average AQI on Saturday with just 19 active stations out of a total of 40, according to its bulletin released at 4 pm. In contrast, Friday's AQI was based on an average of 38 stations out of 40. No reasons were cited for this. This comes after November 14 when AQI readings of just nine stations were available from 9 am to 3 pm as "server was down." However, on November 14, AQI was 341 at 3 pm based on the readings from only nine stations, but it rose to 397 at 4 pm when readings of 35 stations were made available. Track the pollution level in your city Similarly, on November 15, Delhi's AQI was 401 in severe category, according to CPCB's bulletin released at 4 pm. However, a day later, CPCB had issued a notice stating that there was some error in calculating the city's AQI at 4 pm on November 15 and the revised AQI for that day was 398, in the 'very poor' category. CPCB had then said that the AQI script did not capture data of four out of 35 operating stations on November 15 and hence the AQI was revised. AQI Dips, But Data From Just 19 Stns While this November is turning out to be the second-most polluted in the past six years, there have been repeated issues with AQI data this month. CPCB's data shows that this November has witnessed nine severe days so far when AQI was above 400. It has also recorded six 'near severe' days when AQI was in the range of 390 and 400. CPCB's Sameer app data shows that out of 40 stations in the city, 25 stations out of 40 became active at 7 pm with an AQI of 387. An analysis of CPCB's bulletin shows that the 24-hour average AQI is usually based on data received from 35 or above stations in Delhi. No response was received from officials. Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said, the average PM2.5 concentration of Delhi of the past 24 hours on November 25 from 4 pm on Friday to 4 pm on Saturday was 275 micrograms per cubic metre for 36-38 stations. "Using CPCB's AQI calculator, the average AQI of the past 24 hours based on PM2.5 concentration of 275 micrograms per cubic metre is coming above 400. It shows discrepancy in daily bulletin by CPCB, which has considered data of only 19 stations. CPCB should ensure that Delhi's average AQI should be based on data taken from maximum stations." He, however, added that the 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration on November 24 was 291 micrograms per cubic metre. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "The decisions on implementation of Graded Response Action Plan are based on daily AQI levels. It is necessary to provide consistent and reliable data from all monitoring stations for estimation of AQI throughout the winter season." Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana recorded 74, 37 and four paddy residue burning events, respectively, on Saturday. The share of stubble burning is insignificant while adverse meteorological conditions, including calm wind conditions, low temperatures and low mixing layer height, have hampered the dispersion of pollutants. According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the air quality is likely to improve and remain in 'very poor' category from November 26 to 28.

Substantial contribution of non-compliant thermal power plants aggravating air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Report

New Delhi: A new research by the environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted the substantial contribution of non-compliant thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi-NCR to air pollution in the region. The study focused on emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide from 11 thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR, based on their environmental status reports obtained from the Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) website. Struggle of thermal power plants to meet emission standards The findings revealed that approximately eight per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in Delhi-NCR is attributed to these TPPs, making it challenging for the region to achieve clean air standards and protect public health. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at CSE, emphasized the struggle of thermal power plants to meet emission standards, citing continually shifting compliance deadlines as a primary obstacle. Despite multiple deadline extensions and revised categorizations by the Union Environment Ministry, many plants in the region have faced difficulties in meeting prescribed norms for emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. Although stringent emission standards were established for coal-based power plants in December 2015, with a two-year compliance deadline, subsequent extensions and revisions followed. The ministry granted a five-year extension to all power plants except those in Delhi-NCR, with a deadline of 2019 due to the region’s high pollution levels. NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline However, most NCR plants failed to meet the revised deadline and continued to operate in violation until another extension in March 2021. The subsequent categorization of power plants into three groups (A, B, and C) by the ministry was based on criteria set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), with new deadlines set accordingly. Several years after the initial deadline, certain plants in the NCR are still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions. Additionally, despite relaxed nitrogen oxide norms and deadlines, specific plants have exceeded the prescribed limits for nitrogen oxide emissions multiple times during the reporting period. Concerns about sulphur dioxide emissions were also raised, as all coal power plants in NCR reported SO2 emissions beyond the prescribed limits, posing health and environmental risks. Researchers have highlighted the importance of controlling SO2 emissions, which can lead to the formation of fine particulate matter and present significant health and environmental hazards. The findings underscore the urgent need for stricter compliance and effective measures to reduce emissions from thermal power plants in the region.

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 . 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...

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

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) Non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region, according to a new analysis. 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. 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. PTI GVS GVS DV DV

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

Non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region, according to a new analysis. 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. 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.

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

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) Non-compliance of thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR with emission standards is contributing significantly to air pollution in the region, according to a new analysis. 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. 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.

Air Pollution: कोयला आधारित बिजली संयंत्र दिल्ली-एनसीआर में बढ़ा रहे प्रदूषण, रिपोर्ट में हुआ खुलासा

क नए विश्लेषण के अनुसार, दिल्ली-एनसीआर में थर्मल पावर प्लांटों द्वारा उत्सर्जन मानकों का अनुपालन न करने से वायु प्रदूषण बढ़ रहा है। पर्यावरण से जुड़े थिंक टैंक. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इंवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने दिल्ली-एनसीआर में 11 ताप ऊर्जा संयंत्रों (टीपीपी) से उत्सर्जित प्रदूषक तत्वों, नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड और सल्फर डाइऑक्साइड पर ध्यान केंद्रित करते हुए एक अध्ययन किया है। यह अध्ययन केंद्रीय विद्युत प्राधिकरण (सीईए) की वेबसाइट पर मौजूद अप्रैल 2022 से अगस्त 2023 तक की उनकी पर्यावरणीय स्थिति रिपोर्ट पर आधारित है। सीएसई में रिसर्च एंड एडवोकेसी की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने बताया कि ' दिल्ली-एनसीआर में पीएम 2.5 प्रदूषण में टीपीपी का योगदान लगभग आठ प्रतिशत है। यदि प्रदूषण के निरंतर स्रोत, जैसे कि थर्मल पावर प्लांट, उच्च स्तर पर प्रदूषकों का उत्सर्जन जारी रखते हैं तो दिल्ली-एनसीआर स्वच्छ वायु बेंचमार्क हासिल नहीं कर सकता है और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा नहीं कर सकता है। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय द्वारा कई समय सीमा विस्तार और संशोधित वर्गीकरण के बावजूद, क्षेत्र के कई संयंत्र नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड, सल्फर डाइऑक्साइड और पार्टिकुलेट मैटर के उत्सर्जन के लिए निर्धारित मानदंडों को पूरा करने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे हैं। मंत्रालय ने दिसंबर 2015 में कोयला आधारित बिजली संयंत्रों के लिए कड़े उत्सर्जन मानक स्थापित किए, जिनका दो साल के भीतर अनुपालन करना आवश्यक था। बाद में इसने दिल्ली-एनसीआर को छोड़कर सभी बिजली संयंत्रों को पांच साल का विस्तार दिया, जो क्षेत्र के उच्च प्रदूषण स्तर के कारण अनुपालन के लिए 2019 तक दिया गया था।

India’s stance on power sector has been changing since May 2023. Is it a lack of planning or just political messaging?

Plans to halt building new coal-fired power plants, apart from those already planned, were announced 6 months ago India’s stance on its power sector has considerably shifted in the last six months. The Union minister for power and new and renewable energy, RK Singh, held a review meeting on November 21, 2023 with independent and state-owned power producers. The minister said India needs to add 80 gigawatts (GW) of coal-based power capacity, compared to the 27 GW already under construction or planned, as mentioned in the National Electricity Plan 2022-32 (NEP). The addition is needed as the peak power demand in the country could go up to 335 GW by 2029-30 from the current level of 240 GW, Singh added. The Union minister in September 2023 stated that India may add 25-30 GW thermal electricity generation capacity in addition to the under-construction / planned capacity to meet the rising demand. Before that, in May 2023, it was announced that India will pause the commissioning of new coal power plants for the next five years, apart from the ones already in the pipeline, in order to boost the renewable capacity of the country. Between May 2023 and November 2023, India’s stance shifted from adding no new coal power capacity apart from planned ones to adding 80 GW of coal power capacity in the country. In August 2023, Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that the central government had not formulated any plan to phase out the old coal-based thermal power plants in the country. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), vide an advisory dated January 20, 2023, suggested that no retirement or re-purposing of coal power stations be done before 2030, considering the expected energy demand scenario, the minister added. But the NEP, which was notified in May 2023, mentioned that 2,121.5 MW (12 plants) were under consideration for likely retirement between 2022 and 2032. Within a span of six months, the minister has made statements indicating a shift in what has been laid out in the National Electricity Plan 2022-32. But what could be the reasons behind this change? The rising demand for power is the first and most obvious one. The country must add 80 GW capacity as the demand will reach 335 GW by 2030, the minister said in his most recent statement. But the projection of this demand was already in the NEP when it was notified. The NEP projected a peak electricity demand of 366.4 GW in 2031-32, which doesn’t seem different from what Singh said in his most recent statement. If the demand was projected correctly, the planned capacity addition should have been considered accordingly within the NEP. It does not explain why the capacity additions were announced later. The other reason stated is the limitations of energy storage technology and its costs, which limit dependence on renewable energy. However, these costs were not very different six months ago, so it does not explain why the NEP had not considered them. Notifying a comprehensive electricity plan for the country for the upcoming decade and then putting out statements within a few months that deviate from the plan sends out a message of lack of planning and clarity in India’s strategies with respect to the power sector. India is also inviting private investment for coal-fired plants, despite opposition from the Western world, news agency Reuters reported on November 22, 2023. Singh asked the private companies to invest in coal projects and “not miss the growth opportunity”, the report stated. “This announcement of coal power capacity expansion could also be a message for the private sector to continue investing in coal power in India,” said Anubha Agrawal, programme officer for industry unit at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. The developed world’s continued dependence on fossil fuels could also be driving forces behind these statements about why India should compromise at all on its energy security when the countries that should have taken the lead in climate mitigation are retreating. However, frequent changes in India’s stance could jeopardise the cause of climate change that India has been championing for years by setting ambitious targets and meeting them ahead of schedule (such as for renewable energy). Even if these shifting statements are a political message to the rest of the world highlighting the importance of energy security for India, one-time clear messaging and non-contradictory stances will save us from facing any difficulties in areas where we are already achievers. 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. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/energy/india-s-stance-on-power-sector-has-been-changing-since-may-2023-is-it-a-lack-of-planning-or-just-political-messaging--92983

Coal-Based Thermal Power Plants Ignoring Pollution Control Measures In Delhi-NCR: CSE Report

A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says that the ongoing air pollution in Delhi-NCR is being worsened by the intransigence of thermal power plants, most of which are not complying with emission control norms. "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,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Delhi-National capital region (NCR) has 11 thermal power plants. The CSE analysis 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, a technical arm of the Union Ministry of Power, from April 2022 to August 2023. A History Of Delays The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had introduced strict emission norms for coal-based power plants in December 2015 — to be complied within two years. Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines have been repeatedly delayed. On the lapse of the first deadline of December 2017, a five-year extension was granted to all thermal power plants (TPP) except the ones in Delhi-NCR. Because of high levels of pollution in the region, the plants in NCR were tasked to comply by 2019. 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 the 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, under three different categories — A, B and C — based on the criteria defined by the Central Pollution Control Board. According to the new deadlines: Category A plants can meet (sulphur-di-oxide) SO2 emission norms by 31 December 2024. Category B plants can meet SO2 emission norms by 31 December 2025. Category C plants can meet SO2 emission norms by 31 December 2026. Based on the new criteria, except for four plants — the 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. However, says Nivit Yadav, Programme Director, Industrial Pollution, CSE, “This clearly does not imply that the emissions from other plants are anywhere within the prescribed limits, as we see in our current analysis.” High Emissions Spiking Pollution In NCR Almost eight years after introduction of the notification on emission norms, and six years after the first deadline, 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 still reporting very high suspended particulate matter emissions, finds the CSE report. Says Yadav, “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.” 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 to carry out necessary modifications in the plant boilers, point out CSE researchers. 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. 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. Dadri TPP is another plant that has sulphur dioxide control equipment (FGD) in place, but the plant has reported high SO2 readings 86 per cent of the times during the reporting period — the reason could be either FGDs not in service or of inadequate capacity, or very high sulphur content of the coal being used. All the coal power plants in NCR have reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits. According to Dr D D Basu, former director, CPCB, “SO2 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 SO2 is crucial from the perspective of controlling particulate matter emissions.” Says Yadav, “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." Roychowdhury adds, “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.”

Delhi AQI in ‘severe’ category on Friday, unlikely to improve over weekend

Delhi has recorded eight ‘severe’ air days so far this month when the AQI has been over 400; it has been on the brink of severe on another six days New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality on Friday morning touched the ‘severe’ category after being in the ‘very poor’ category for six consecutive days until Thursday. This is a deviation from the forecasts on Thursday, which had indicated that Delhi’s AQI was expected to remain ‘very poor’ on Friday, and possibly touching severe only on Saturday. “Delhi’s air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Friday. The air quality is likely to be in the ‘severe’ category on Saturday and back in ‘very poor’ again on Sunday,” the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, a forecasting model used by the (CAQM) in NCR, had sCommission for Air Quality Management aid on Thursday. An AQI of 51 to 100 is classified as ‘satisfactory’, between 101 and 200 is classified as ‘moderate’, between 201 and 300 is classified as ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 is classified as ‘very poor’ and over 400 is ‘severe’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On Thursday, the AQI had marginally improved in comparison to Wednesday as dipping temperature and calm winds at night provided no respite to the capital. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 390 (very poor) as per Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin at 4 pm on Thursday, with it recorded at 395 (very poor) at the same time on Wednesday. Though Delhi has recorded eight ‘severe’ air days so far this month – when the AQI has been over 400, it has been on the brink of severe – 390 or higher on another six days, making it 14 such days with an AQI of 390 or higher. This is the highest tally of such days in November in the last eight years, with the previous high of 13 such days coming in November 2021. Last year, Delhi recorded three such days, nine in 2020, eight each in 2019 and 2018, seven in 2017, 11 in 2016 and seven in 2015. The wind direction on Friday morning was southeasterly. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said there is likely to be a change in wind direction on Friday, with it largely remaining easterly, until a western disturbance brings light rain over Delhi on November 27. Delhi’s minimum temperature is also expected to remain low, hovering around 10-11 degrees Celsus from Friday until the weekend, rising to 13 degrees by November 27. Delhi’s minimum on Thursday was 9.2 degrees Celsius – two degrees below normal and the lowest so far this season. Low temperatures make the atmosphere more stable, aiding calm wind conditions and making the dispersal of pollutants difficult. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said even though Delhi got some respite before Diwali due to rain, pollution levels have shot up once again post the festival, giving Delhiites a long spell of fairly high exposure. “On paper, the AQI may be very poor, but a difference of a few points between 390 and 400 will not make much difference and this exposure is still fairly high. It is worrying from a health point of view and highlights the need for requiring much stronger action not just in Delhi, but across NCR too,” she said.

WORLD STILL FAR FROM MEETING THE CLIMATE GOALS

Five years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the world is still far from meeting the climate goals: Of capping the global average temperature increase at “well below 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” At the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, non-Annex 1 — developing — countries signed pledges; they agreed to shoulder the responsibility of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along with Annex 1 and 2, — developed and industrialised — countries. In simple terms, country-level GHG emissions equates to energy spent by burning fossil fuels. This, in turn, equates to economic growth. From the Kyoto Protocol, the predecessor of the Paris Agreement, developing and poor countries followed the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). It acknowledges the different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change. This is based on the historical context of emission pathways: Rich countries developed by burning fossil fuels, industrialising and therefore becoming economically stable. Following the CBDF-RC, non-Annex 1 countries are allowed their fair share of carbon budget and GHG emission. In the Paris Agreement, however, non-Annex 1 countries put aside this principle and pledged to reduce their emissions along with Annex 1 countries. This acknowledged that though we do not have a historical responsibility in reducing emissions, considering the impacts of climate change we will get on board. This took the form of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — climate action plan of countries — and, moving forward, Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategies (LTSs) in the form of Net Zero targets. India is within the “2°C compatible” rating — the country’s climate commitment (through 2030) is considered a fair share of global effort, but is not consistent with the Paris Agreement of 1.5°C. The United States, Russia, China and Japan are on a 4°C (or higher) pathway; Australia, Canada and others are a modicum better, on a 3°C warming pathway. However, outside the 2°C compatible pathway it all adds up to these major emitters being well outside the fair share range — not at all consistent to the what was agreed upon in Paris in 2015. In terms of the fair share of equity, countries should have similar emissions-reduction costs vis-à-vis their gross domestic product. But economies like the US and those in the European Union have been high emitters, still have high per capita emissions and have high capacities to act — approaches that focus on equality, equal cumulative emissions and historical responsibility. Yet, their NDCs are highly inequitable; much more stringent reductions are needed, which partially result in negative emission allowances in all years. Ironically, the sense of optimism from countries party to the convention on how they fare with their NDCs indicate the mismatch between expectations and reality. Even if every country fulfils every commitment, global warming would still be more than 3°C. Now, literally, is the time to act; By the next cycle to update NDCs in 2025, the scale of the task may be beyond reasonable reach. It would be folly for Parties to wait until then to correct the lack of ambition as NDCs are a stepping stone towards Net Zero emissions by mid-century. Prior to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there were some encouraging signs. Indonesia and the US lowered their projections for coal output. But Russia increased its projections; Australia, Canada, the US and Russia also forecast even larger increases in their oil and gas production. Russia, the US and Canada also expected to produce substantially more gas. Overall, the net change of developed countries towards 2030 is that there is going to be a substantial increase in gas. This indicates a reluctance to move away from ‘bridging fuel’ natural gas — a major methane (among GHG) emitter. This indicates that developed countries do not intend on a fair and equitable distribution of the carbon pie for developing countries. Global fossil fuel production needs to decline 6 per cent every year for the next decade for a 1.5°C rise in temperatures, according to the United Nations Environment Programme Production Gap Report. Even for a 2°C rise, it needs to keep decreasing 2 per cent year-on-year. For a 1.5°C pathway, coal output will have to decrease 11 per cent annually through 2030; oil and gas production should fall 4 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively. But countries aim to produce 120 per cent and 50 per cent more fossil fuel by 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, respectively. This translates to a 2 per cent annual average growth in global production over the next decade even as all signs point to a continued global fossil fuel production gap. .www.downtoearth.org.in/

Ghana faces hazardous chemical threats – EPA

Ghana faces a huge public health threat from hazardous chemicals in plastics if efforts are not strengthened to enforce waste management regulations. The National Focal Person on Chemical and Waste-related Multilateral Agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Sam Adu-Kumi, says the chemicals from the tonnes of plas­tics generated in the country do not only pose risks to the environment but to the human population. Speaking at the opening of a three-day conference on sustain­able waste management in Accra yesterday, he said “recent studies show that about 13,000 hazardous chemicals are found in plastics alone and 13 of these are of high concern because they are associated with endocrine disruptions which interfere with the body’s hormones, carcinogenicity, which increases the incidence of cancer, reproductive toxicity, among others, that increas­ingly affects the ecology.” “Most of these plastics are found in solid waste and these waste are coming from our homes, industries and other places and now plastics supersede all the waste generated in this country so we must take urgent steps to combat plastic pollution and reduce these threats,” he urged. Organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the 4th Global Forum of Cities for Circular Economy (GFCCE) was to rally African countries to adopt sustainable solid waste management practices to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 and 12 which seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable while re­ducing waste generation by 2030. The Executive Director of EPA, Henry Kwabena Kokofu, said strong policies and stringent enforcement of regulations while creating a level playing field for private players to turn their services into viable business models like recycling of waste materials, must underpin sustainable solid waste management. “EPA believes this must be driven based on the principle of circular economy. In addition, waste management must have an inclusive approach taking citizens at the epicenter and promoting shared responsibility with engineered be­haviour change strategies, policies and services,” he said. The Municipal Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assem­bly, Elizabeth Sackey, in outlining strategies to improve solid waste management in the metropolis indicated that a national review of existing sanitation and waste man­agement laws was ongoing. She said the AMA for instance was reviewing its solid waste collec­tion agreement with providers to include separation of organics and plastics. “Solid waste collection service providers are obliged in the new service agreement to increase col­lection coverage in their respective concessions to at least 95 per cent over a period of five year ending 2027.” “From the first quarter of 2024, AMA will award concessions to in­formal cooperatives to collect waste from low-income communities and selected markets, where collection with regular equipment will be difficult and more expensive,” she added. For her part, the Director-Gen­eral of the CSE, Dr Sunita Narain, noted that countries continue to develop, more waste would be gen­erated which is why government must adopt innovative measures to manage it. Data from the Ghana Plastic Association (GPA) indicate that about 87 per cent of industries in Ghana are heavily using plastic ma­terials for packaging. It says Ghana generates approximately 840,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year, and approximately 9.5 per cent of that, is collected for recycling.

दिल्ली में नहीं थम रहा वायु प्रदूषण, अब भी जहरीली है हवा, वजह क्या है

डीएनए हिंदी: दिल्ली के एयर क्वालिटी इंडेक्स (AQI) में सुधार होता नजर नहीं आ रहा है. लगातार वायु गुणवत्ता 'बहुत खराब' श्रेणी में बनी हुई है. शुक्रवार सुबह दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता गंभीर श्रेणी में पहुंच गई है. शुक्रवार सुबह 7.5 बजे तक दिल्ली का AQI 401 पर था, जिसे गंभीर श्रेणी में रखा गया है. शनिवार को दिल्ली के कई इलाकों की वायु गुणवत्ता बेहद खराब रहेगी. शनिवार को वायु प्रदूषण गंभीर स्तर पर पहुंच जाएगा. शनिवार को हवा की गुणवत्ता 'गंभीर' श्रेणी में और रविवार को फिर से 'बहुत खराब' श्रेणी में आने की संभावना है. आने वाले दिनों में भी खराब रहेगा मौसम दिल्ली के लिए EWS ने अनुमान जताया है कि आने वाले दिनों में भी वायु की गुणवत्ता खराब रहेगी. केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) के मुताबिक 51 से 100 के बीच AQI को 'संतोषजनक', 101 और 200 के बीच को 'मध्यम', 201 और 300 के बीच को 'खराब', 301 और 400 के बीच को 'बहुत खराब' और 400 से अधिक के बीच AQI को गंभीर माना जाता है. दिल्ली में टूट रहे मौसम के कई रिकॉर्ड दिल्ली में इस महीने अब तक 8 दिन ऐसे गए हैं, जब AQI 400 से अधिक रहा है. यह गंभीर स्तर पर है. अगले 6 दिनों में 390 या इससे ज्यादा AQI रह सकता है. बीते 8 वर्षों में यह आंकड़ा सबसे ज्यादा है. कब साफ होगी दिल्ली की हवा? IMD ने कहा है कि शुक्रवार को हवा की दिशा में बदलाव होने की संभावना है. 27 नवंबर को पश्चिमी विक्षोभ की वजह से दिल्ली में जब तक हल्की बारिश नहीं हो जाती, तब तक हवा में सुधार देखने को नहीं मिल सकता है. कम तापमान वातावरण को अधिक स्थिर बनाता है, जिससे हवा की स्थिति शांत होती है और प्रदूषकों का फैलाव मुश्किल हो जाता है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) में कार्यकारी निदेशक, अनुसंधान और वकालत, अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा कि भले ही दिल्ली को बारिश की वजह से दिवाली से पहले कुछ राहत मिली थी, लेकिन त्योहार के बाद प्रदूषण का स्तर एक बार फिर बढ़ गया है.

Children born after Oct 2011 won't be considered endosulfan victims, says new govt order

Kasaragod: Irrespective of conditions and symptoms, children born after October 2011 will no longer be considered victims of endosulfan, said the government of Kerala. In a government order that has left activists and affected families fuming, the LDF government said the persistence of endosulfan in the environment cannot be more than six years. Since the aerial spraying of the pesticide was stopped on October 25, 2005, through a gazette notification, the maximum possible environmental persistence will be up to October 25, 2011, said the order. Persistence refers to the length of time a contaminant remains in the environment. "So anyone who lived in these places or had intrauterine exposure from January 1980 till October 2011 is defined as 'exposed'," said the order dated November 18. The government arrived at the conclusion based on the recommendations submitted by an expert committee constituted on August 5. The committee -- constituted to formulate guidelines to identify endosulfan victims based on available scientific evidence -- had nine members. The members were: Dr Vishnu V Y, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, AIIMS, New Delhi; Dr Deepak Menon, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, NIMHANS, Bangalore; Dr Sylaja P N, Professor and Head, Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram; Dr Rajasekharan Nair V, Former Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram; Dr Thomas Iype, Emeritus Professor, Department of Neurology, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram; Dr Harish E R, Senior Scientist, ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram; Dr George Tharion, Former Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, CMC, Vellore; Dr Chandini R, Professor and Head, Department of Emergency Medicine, Government Medical College, Kozhikode; and Dr Asuma A, Professor and head, Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Kozhikode. The government's order would rule out any new endosulfan patients born after October 2011."We condemn the government's order and there will be strong protests against it," said Munisa Ambalathara, president of the Endosulfan Peedhitha Janakeeya Munnani, an NGO fighting for the rights of endosulfan-affected families. She said the state government conducted the first special medical camp to identify endosulfan victims in 2010, then in 2011, 2013, and 2017. "The first Pinarayi Vijayan government conducted the last special medical camp. If endosulfan did not have any effect on the environment after 2011, why did he conduct a camp in 2017?" she said. In the 2017 camp, several children aged three, four, and five years old were identified as endosulfan victims and included in the government's list and provided benefits and treatment free of cost, she said."Offhand, I can name two. Sreenand, who is nine years old, and Alvish, who is seven were identified as endosulfan victims in the 2017 camp. The government which is saying there will be no endosulfan victims born after October 2011 conducted the camp in 2017," said Munisa. If the government implements the order, will it take back the compensation given to those born after October 2011, will it stop the free-of-cost treatment given to the victims, she asked. Special camps to identify endosulfan victims should be conducted every year. This order was brought out to stop conducting special medical camps to identify endosulfan victims and end their benefits, said Ambikasuthan Mangad, activist and author of Enmakaje, a novel set against the backdrop of endosulfan tragedy in Kasaragod. He said the Supreme Court in January 2017 ordered the state government to compensate Rs 5 lakh each to all endosulfan victims based on a field study conducted in 2011. The study was conducted by Dr Jayakrishnan T, a faculty member of the Department of Community Medicine at Kozhikode Government Medical College."Aerial spraying of endosulfan was stopped around 2000 though the gazette notification banning its use was issued in October 2005. So how did Dr Jayakrishnan's team find residue of endosulfan in blood, breastmilk, soil, and water 10 years later!" he said. The government's order is an absurd drama to deny benefits to the poor victims of the government's brutality, he said. Dr Jayakrishnan's study was conducted at the request of the state government's expert committee. The endosulfan Saga In 1978, the state government-run Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) started testing endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide, to kill tea mosquito bugs on its cashewnut plantations in Kasaragod district. From 1981, PCK started legally but unscientifically spraying endosulfan from helicopters on its plantation spread across 11 grama panchayats in the district. It was aerially spraying the pesticide twice or thrice a year for 20 years till 2001. Its use was officially banned in October 2005. By the late 1990s, the residents of Padre village in Enmakaje grama panchayat started reporting health issues, physical deformities, and mental illnesses in large numbers, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). With every passing year, similar health concerns were reported from areas around PCK's cashew plantations in Kasaragod, Cheemeni, and Rajapuram in Kasaragod district. By 200, civil society groups from Kerala approached CSE to conduct a study in Padre village to assess the impact on health caused by the aerial spraying of endosulfan In February 2001, CSE released its damning report that found a high amount of endosulfan residues in most of the 25 samples collected a few days after the aerial spraying. In February 2001, a government-appointed team of the Kerala Agriculture University (KAU) recommended an immediate stop on aerial spraying and recommended need-based application of the pesticide. In January 2002, the National Institute of Occupational Health released its report that found endosulfan residues in water samples and blood samples collected from Padre village. The report said that there was a high prevalence of congenital malformations in exposed groups, low IQ, slow learning, learning disability, early menarche in girls, and delayed puberty in boys. The civil society members, activists, and families affected by the aerial spraying of the pesticide protested for years before the government conducted the first special camp to identify victims in 2010. As of now, there are around 6,600 victims on the government's list of endosulfan.

Lessons for Mumbai and Delhi’s campaign for clear air

From Beijing: interim targets, certain timelines Acquire Beijing, previously infamous for smog, which reached considerable development by way of investments in electric powered community transportation, stringent car or truck emission criteria, and relocating polluting industries absent from the city centre. “In Beijing, market has been the most important supply of air pollution. So, a systematic strategy was taken. Transition to cleaner fuel (away from coal) became a precedence. This is crucial. Beijing has upgraded its industrial boilers, strengthened industrial emission standards, notably electric power plants and polluting industrial sectors, and phased out out-of-date industrial capacities, thereby endorsing clear fuels in the residential sector,” explained Zongbo Shi, professor of atmospheric biogeochemistry, College of Birmingham. Shi mentioned the transport sector wanted successful checking. Addressing air pollution in India includes taking into consideration the complexities of emission benchmarks, where direct comparisons may perhaps not be clear-cut, he explained. In 2020, India executed BS VI standards, akin to Euro 6, for new vehicles. Likewise, Beijing adopted China 6 standards (similar to Euro 6) in the similar calendar year. However, the affect of these benchmarks on overall emissions from traffic is limited, as a significant number of hugely polluting automobiles stay on the streets. “Beijing’s most impactful measure was the phased elimination of outdated and remarkably polluting motor vehicles. For instance, rigid restrictions prohibited the operation of unique vehicle courses by 2016, all diesel motor vehicles adhering to China 3 standards (very similar to Euro 3) have been banned from the streets, illustrating the relevance of qualified actions to effectively cut down air air pollution,” Shi claimed. From London: clear air zones London has also long gone a extended way in handling its air pollution trouble. The city’s impactful measures contain the Congestion Charge, imposing fees on vehicles in Central London, therefore substantially decreasing traffic and pollution. London has an extensive checking community that incorporates equally visitors web sites and urban qualifications web-sites underneath the Breathe London programme. These destinations are often monitored for main air pollutants. “The data is produced available to the public through numerous indicates these kinds of as cell apps, widgets, and browser extensions. This openness in sharing air high-quality information and facts has drastically lifted recognition about the air air pollution concern in London,” explained Nandikesh Sivalingam, director, the Centre for Analysis on Electrical power and Thoroughly clean Air, an independent investigation organisation primarily based out of Finland. London citizens test actual-time air high quality in their regional areas, which can help them make knowledgeable decisions about outside actions and vacation designs. The availability of air excellent knowledge has inspired policymakers to choose additional proactive actions in addressing air pollution. “When air excellent deteriorates or exceeds legal limits, it can lead to general public concern and needs for more powerful regulations and initiatives to beat air pollution,” said Sivalingam. London also applied Reduced Emission Zones (LEZ) and an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which restrict entry for automobiles that do not meet certain emissions criteria. The selection to make and broaden these zones was influenced by air excellent info, which emphasised the have to have for stricter actions to boost air top quality. From New York: deal with various hazards concurrently In New York, as soon as synonymous with smog, transformative alterations ensued as a result of stringent controls on industrial emissions, the marketing of electric autos, and the development of green spaces. In the backdrop of harmful events from 1953 to the mid-1960s, New York produced air high-quality regulations and initiated monitoring initiatives. Collaborating with New Jersey and regional officials, New York concentrated on reducing emissions from maritime shipping in the location. The United States Environmental Defense Company (EPA) performed a job in brokering agreements that integrated air pollution reduction designs submitted by “upwind” states, these types of as New Jersey, to defend “downwind” areas like New York Metropolis. Notably, in 2007, then mayor Mike Bloomberg handed regulations to period out residual heating oil in large buildings. By 2015, about 5,300 buildings transitioned from heating oil to cleaner fuels, resulting in important reductions in sulphur dioxide and fantastic particulate matter emissions, significantly during wintertime when sulphur dioxide decreased by 95%. The city has also implemented phased restrictions for char broilers, fireplaces, foods trucks, and refrigeration vehicles to additional fight air pollution. “Before the huge Canadian wildfire smoke descended on several northeast states previously this year, only half of the communities in the state of New York experienced fine particulate monitors. Currently, all 62 counties in New York have PM2.5 screens in put to notify the people,” reported Jeffery K Smith, Senior Advisor for Worldwide Thoroughly clean Air at the Ella Roberta Basis. NYC witnessed its most important reduction in air air pollution via EPA and point out manage around industries, adopted carefully by the nationwide retrofitting of diesel particulate filters onto older, more polluting diesel vehicles. “Concurrently, the metropolis proactively replaced its car fleet with cleaner alternate options. As part of a pilot software in collaboration with an MIT lab, some of these newer fleet vehicles now gather hyperlocal air high-quality knowledge, detecting hotspots and improvements across the city,” Smith additional. Both of those New York Town and London have set up low-cost monitoring networks amassing community-amount knowledge in the vicinity of properties, commercial facilities, roadways, and neighbourhoods. These screens, reasonably priced and widespread, discover seasonal or short-term hotspots, offering steady information for regulators to validate. General public overall health officials and metropolis professionals leverage this facts to apply targeted, neighborhood options, maximizing the health and fitness and very well-being of inhabitants. Mumbai’s 27-position guideline BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal’s the latest reviews on the will need for an annual air pollution mitigation tactic, mark a turning issue in Mumbai’s battle against air air pollution, recognising it as a persistent difficulty joined to weather adjust. In response to Main Minister Eknath Shinde’s call for a community motion towards pollution, Chahal pressured the will need for local community involvement, and steps like road cleansing and marshals at squander disposal web sites to tackle community pollution resources. His resolute stance on implementing compliance displays a no-tolerance plan versus violations, emphasising an equitable strategy to legislation enforcement. The dilemma is, how successful are these tips? The BMC’s pointers largely focus on development-connected actions, a important resource of dust and particulate make any difference in urban areas. Speedy measures, like necessary tin or steel sheet installation around development internet sites, covering structures throughout design, and water fogging, aim for aswift reduction of noticeable dust and containment of particulate issue spread. Having said that, these are temporary methods that really don’t tackle the root leads to of air pollution, experts agree. “The BMC’s emphasis on brief-phrase construction-linked steps, whilst necessary, raises issues about their scientific underpinning and very long-time period influence. How they arrived at specifications like the barrier height of tin sheets is unclear, and there is certainly a noteworthy absence of a mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of these guidelines. Devoid of a apparent analysis strategy, we’re left uncertain about the quick and potential positive aspects of these steps,” said Abhishek Chakraborty, assistant professor, centre for environmental science and engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering, Bombay. Lengthy-phrase strategies like setting up CCTV and sensor-based air pollution screens at building sites and demanding enforcement of auto standards, which include legitimate Air pollution Less than Regulate (PUC) certificates intend to instil a tradition of compliance and checking. When once again, their usefulness will depend on rigorous enforcement. The civic body’s recognition of development web pages as major air pollution contributors with actions like web-site enclosure (to limit dust) potentially can aid in the quick term. “These are brief-time period dust manage steps for making and infrastructure construction that need to be enforced promptly with zero tolerance. But a prepare focused at the development sector also demands far more systemic measures including recycling crops for development and demolition waste and a mandate for the construction market to use recycled product in new development,” explained Anumita Roychowdhury, government director, Investigate and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment. “The BMC can also perform a powerful supportive position to accelerate fleet electrification programmes for zero emissions transition. These are essential not only to manage dust – which looks to be the sole focus of the present program – but also the combustion resources to reduce toxic emissions. Furthermore, any clean air motion system demands a lot more broad-primarily based protection to involve automobiles and industrial pollution management for clean fuel and technologies transition and total mobility administration,” she added. Where by Mumbai’s guidelines slide quick On Oct 25, the BMC developed these tips above two successive meetings when the metropolis witnessed a week-lengthy bout of inadequate air high quality with a layer of haze/smog masking the metropolis. The BMC’s designs for transparency and public engagement integrated a committed cellular application and integrating air pollution regulate into developing permissions — a blend of technological and regulatory methods. The pointers drop limited in addressing other air pollution resources. For occasion, though the BMC addresses critical difficulties like garbage burning and industrial emissions, there is no complete strategy for the total Mumbai Metropolitan Location, Chakraborty pointed out. “Existing Constant Emission Checking Programs (CEMS) in industries are not currently being monitored, and the info is just not publicly readily available for scrutiny. The difficulty of rubbish burning, notably in substantial dumping grounds, demands a more robust action approach than what is currently outlined. The absence of extended-phrase options and measurable objectives in these recommendations displays a reactive relatively than a proactive tactic to tackling air pollution,” he explained. The BMC’s Clean up Air Initiative unveiled during the 2023-24 spending plan in February integrated clear and sustainable transportation actions, as well as options to area air purifiers and smog towers in greatly congested places this sort of as Dahisar and Mulund tolls, Mankhurd, Kala Nagar, and Haji Ali Junction. Even so, the tips ignore the requirement for better general public transportation, stringent gas high quality expectations, and incentives for adopting cleaner systems in industries. “The current recommendations absence a scientific foundation, specially in addressing vehicular pollution, which is a significant concern for a metropolis plagued by targeted traffic congestion,” said Chakraborty. Roychowdury said that the BMC could have broadened the scope of the air air pollution handle strategy to include “waste administration to stop squander burning, parking restraints to decrease parking desire and car utilization, and focused pedestrianisation with avenue improvement to advertise lower emission zones.” One noteworthy gap in Mumbai’s rules is the limited interest to general public awareness and engagement. In contrast, other towns have shown the affect of community campaigns on air good quality problems such as community health and fitness alerts, fostering higher community involvement and support for pollution-mitigating procedures. Mumbai stands to obtain from identical initiatives that teach citizens about pollution resources and really encourage their lively participation in attaining cleaner air. Using a leaf out of the global playbook India can attract valuable insights from China’s profitable technique. Initial, it should really go beyond a single air excellent conventional and embrace interim targets with unique timelines, fostering a methodical tactic that makes sure accountability. These interim aims should be regionally tailor-made, addressing airsheds alternatively than condition or district degrees. This demands the development of complete airshed-stage action strategies (for case in point at the scale of MMR) that encompass all major sectors and pollutants, recognizing that air pollution is familiar with no boundaries. “Currently, India has implemented continuous checking in its industrial sector and has recognized deadlines for the implementation of handle systems in electric power plants. Even so, concerns persist regarding the success of this monitoring approach. Additionally, it is disconcerting that India’s development toward conference the 2017 deadline for employing Flue Gasoline Desulfurization (FGD) know-how in coal vegetation remains a work in progress,” Sivalingam mentioned. “China later on embraced citizens’ groups. These groups have been no more time observed as activists. They were witnessed as more ability for the regulators. The citizens would see smoke coming from a manufacturing facility chimney and they would pin the spot and report aspects and images on a map. It labored. Some factories were being becoming mismanaged and the regulators could validate that simple fact with mobile air high quality vans what the citizens had detected with a ₹10,000 rupee monitor or with their have eyes and pictures,” reported Smith. In India Maharashtra and Odisha, governments have supplied a very similar map. But, the reporting is in reverse purchase, stated Smith. “The condition pollution handle boards price and pin factories on a map created offered on a website to the citizens. Both of those compliant and intensely polluting industries (creating the early death of the susceptible both equally youthful and outdated) are determined for any person to see. Throughout the pandemic, the MPCB Star Ranking system went offline. It must be back soon. The individuals and the courts can easily see who is ignoring the emissions regulate tips and legislation,” he included. London’s LEZ and ULEZ procedures build cleaner air zones that limit entry or call for day by day service fees for cars that do not meet up with certain emissions specifications. The selection to produce and increase these zones was affected by air excellent data, which emphasised the require for stricter measures to improve air top quality. LEZ and ULEZ guidelines have drastically enhanced air high quality in urban parts by placing and implementing emissions expectations. This results in elevated ‘on-the-road’ cleaner vehicles and decreased targeted traffic quantity. The latest reviews highlighted the wellbeing positive aspects and reduced environmental affect due to these guidelines. On the other hand, the thriving introduction of these types of policies requires a phased solution, starting with pilot programmes in towns grappling with critical air excellent worries, this kind of as Delhi. “To make a substantial variance, stringent emission benchmarks should be founded for all kinds of cars moving into these zones. On top of that, it is crucial to generate a sturdy checking method to routinely evaluate the emissions standing of all motor vehicles. Rigorous enforcement and the imposition of penalties for violations are similarly critical elements in ensuring the success of these kinds of procedures,” mentioned Sivalingam. Badri Chatterjee is head, Communications (Local weather & Electricity) at Asar Social Impact Advisors, a investigation and communications organisation that works on social and environmental challenges