• Water Programme

Move beyond toilets towards inclusive sanitation, says CSE on eve of World Toilet Day

As the world gets ready to mark World Toilet Day on November 19, New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is offering a pathway towards reimagining India’s sanitation future. Speaking at a workshop on safe sanitation organised here today, Depinder Singh Kapur, programme director, water, CSE said: “This year, the theme for the World Toilet Day is accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. CSE, in partnership with the Uttar Pradesh government, come together for urban sanitation agenda forward and move beyond toilets – towards ensuring scaling up of sustainable and inclusive septage management in the state.” CSE organised today’s workshop in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government’s Department of Urban Development. Besides Kapur, the other speakers included Dr Nitin Bansal, IAS, director, Urban Local Bodies, UP and Dr P K Srivastava, additional mission director, AMRUT, UP. Participants included officials from 17 municipal corporations and 56 nagar palika parishads; state-level functionaries from various missions such as Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT, State Mission for Clean Ganga etc; and representatives from various related government departments. Among other publications, a Septage Management Performance Assessment report of 56 towns of Uttar Pradesh, was released on the occasion. One of the issues that the workshop focused on was that of ‘aspirational toilets’. Envisaged under India’s flagship programme, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0, aspirational toilet is all about “raising the standards and aspirations regarding toilet facilities, aiming for higher levels of cleanliness, hygiene, and user-friendliness”, according to CSE researchers. The workshop discussed some key aspects of these toilets, ranging from quality, design and technology integration, to their accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability. Safety of sanitation workers was another discussion point at the workshop. The Uttar Pradesh government is keen to work on the safety and well-being of its sanitation workers and Safai Mitras to ensure improved livelihood options for them. In line with the Government of India’s vision of ‘manhole to machine hole’, all urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state have set up ‘Emergency Response Sanitation Units’ (ERSU) for ensuring safety of sanitation workers. ULBs are trying to ensure that all manholes/machine holes are cleaned only through mechanical machines and human entry in machine hole is not permitted. Kapur, however, pointed out that “households living in narrow lanes in small and medium towns are facing a challenge in emptying their septic tanks due to difficulties of access — there is, thus, a need to explore alternative options for mechanical emptying to ensure safety of sanitation workers.” The third key subject for deliberations at the workshop was reuse of bio-solids mined in treatment plants. Says Kapur: “India is in the midst of an urban sanitation revolution, where conventional systems of water-based centralised sewerage, designed to transport faecal material from homes through pipes to sewage treatment plants, are being augmented with non-sewered sanitation systems of faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTPs), that are designed to cater to towns and parts of cities where sewerage systems don’t exist.” The challenge is to ensure resource recovery from the faecal sludge or bio-solids in the treatment plants. CSE researchers point out that if this is not done, “the quantity of bio-solids will grow exponentially and will add to problems of contamination and management in the plants”. Working towards finding an answer to the challenge, CSE has collected and analysed sludge samples from 47 FSTPs and co-treatment STPs in seven states, including Uttar Pradesh. The results of the analysis were also discussed at the workshop. The CSE study results showed that FSTPs perform as effectively as conventional STPs, in terms of reducing BOD levels in treated wastewater, meeting the standards. CSE researchers say the challenge is in securing adequate sludge reaching the FSTPs, and effective operations and maintenance. Faecal coliform remains an issue of concern, despite UV treatment at the tertiary level. COD treatment standards are not being met by most FSTPs. However, this is an issue for most STPs in India. Speaking on the issue, Dr Srivastava said: “It is important to understand the technical aspects of bio-solids and reuse standards. This is especially critical for non-technical persons like executive officers and commissioners to enable them to advocate for and implement solutions for addressing second generation challenges of urban sanitation – the reuse of wastewater and bio-solids.” Addressing the gathering, Dr Nitin Bansal said: “From our target of making UP open defecation free, we have now moved towards higher goals – ranging from ensuring sustainability of sanitation infrastructure, addressing septage management, upgrading public toilets, and focusing on inclusion of women and marginalised communities on a priority basis. To do all this, the state government is working together with its partners, including CSE.” Throwing light on the collaboration between CSE and the state government, Kapur said: “Since 2015, CSE has been supporting the Department of Urban Development in Uttar Pradesh and the National Mission for Clean Ganga to address the used water and septage management challenges in UP. Together, we recognises World Toilet Day as an important occasion for initiating as well as culminating actions for accelerating safe sanitation initiatives — not limiting to only to only initiatives around toilets but addressing the whole sanitation value chain, from containments to emptying and transportation to treatment and reuse.” Dr Srivastava commended the efforts made by CSE to support the state government in operationalising the FSTPs and in preparation of the bye-laws for urban local bodies.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

NO2 levels nearly 3X higher than safe limit this mth so far, says CPCB data

Gurgaon: The concentration of nitrous dioxide (NO2) in the city’s air has seen an increase between November 1 and 16 with the rise in pollution, breaching the permissible limit at some spots in the city several times. With civic agencies focussing mitigation measures on cutting PM2.5 and PM10 (ultrafine particles) emissions, the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) such as NO2 in the city’s air has largely gone under the radar, despite their levels being nearly thrice the global safe standards, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) pollution monitoring stations across the city. The CPCB has set an annual average limit of 40 µg/m³ for NO2 in the country, while the WHO’s safe limit for NO2 is 25 µg/m³. But at the Sector 51 air monitoring station, the average NO2 concentration at ground-level or tropospheric ozone was 87 µg/m³ on November 1, 97µg/m³ on November 2, 115 µg/m³ on November 3, 162 µg/m³ on November 5 and 87 µg/m³ on November 15. At Gwalpahari station, it was recorded at 115 µg/m³ on November 8 and 114 µg/m³ on November 12. The NO2 levels at Vikas Sadan and Teri Gram were within the safe limit (see graphic). Long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause chronic lung disease. It may also affect the senses, for example, by reducing a person's ability to smell an odour. High levels of nitrogen dioxide are also harmful to vegetation. According to experts, vehicular emissions are the primary source of NO2 in the city. The Sector 51 station covers the most polluted localities in Gurgaon even in terms of the average AQI, PM2.5 and PM10 levels, apart from NO2, primarily due to the large number of housing societies, vehicular congestion, urban slums, broken roads and construction dust. NO2 and other NOx react with other chemicals in the air to form both particulate matter and ozone. The reactions can also lead to the formation of acid rain, which can harm sensitive ecosystems such as lakes and forests, experts said. The major sources of NO2 are on-road transportation, coal-based energy production and industrial processes. “The high NO2 levels in the city are mainly due to vehicular emissions. Old vehicles and traffic congestion are the key sources of NO2 here. It has been observed that during winter, the air quality oscillates between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ as the condensation of fine particulate matter in the lower layer of the atmosphere,” said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment. Asked if the authorities are taking any steps to reduce NO2 emissions, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said all agencies are actively taking steps to ensure traffic congestion doesn’t occur in the city. “We have also given NOC to a private firm in Manesar to scrap old vehicles. This aims to remove polluting vehicles from the city roads," said Vijay Chaudhary, HSPCB regional officer (Gurgaon). Experts warned that long-term exposure to high NO2 levels causes asthma and increases susceptibility to respiratory infections. People with asthma, as well as children and the elderly are generally at greater risk. “Nitrogen is present in the air in the forms of nitrous oxide, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. Chronic exposure to high concentrations of NO2 can cause alterations to lung metabolism, structure and function, inflammation and increased susceptibility to pulmonary infections and subsequent development of COPD,” said Dr Tushar Tayal, lead consultant (internal medicine) at CK Birla Hospital.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

WFH, odd-even: Highest pollution curbs in place in Delhi, no measures on ground

Letting public, municipal and private offices work on 50% strength and the rest to work from home; closure of colleges and “non-emergency commercial activities,”; allowing vehicles to run on odd-even basis — it has been 11 days since Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was imposed, but these measures are yet to be enforced. This, even as Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Thursday — the AQI was 440 (‘severe’) at 10 pm. This is also the longest stretch for which the most extreme restrictions under the plan have been suggested, at least from 2021 onwards. Last year, Stage IV — which comes into force when AQI levels are over 450 or the ‘severe plus’ category — was invoked by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on November 3 and revoked three days later. In 2021, it was invoked on November 3 and revoked on November 7. The Act that constituted the CAQM for the NCR was passed in 2021. While it takes decisions on imposing stages of GRAP in the NCR, the steps are to be implemented by state governments. While the odd-even scheme has not been implemented in the city after an attempt in 2019, work-from-home for 50% of Delhi government staff was announced in November last year. The Delhi government had earlier announced that the odd-even scheme would kick in from November 13 to 20, only to defer it after the Supreme Court had referred to it as “optics.” When contacted for a comment, the office of Environment Minister Gopal Rai said measures such as the odd-even scheme and 50% work from home in private and government offices are under consideration for implementation subject to the AQI reaching the ‘severe plus’ (more than 450) category. The transport sector, meanwhile, continues to remain a large contributor to PM 2.5 levels in the city, going by data from IIT-Kanpur’s real-time source apportionment study. At 38%, it was the single largest contributor to PM 2.5 levels in the city on Wednesday, followed by 30% from secondary aerosols, and 23% from biomass burning. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “Evidently, restrictions are applied keeping in mind public reaction. On some measures, there is hesitation to implement action more aggressively. Some restrictions are in place, but keep in mind that at this moment, vehicles are the major contributor to pollution, so when you do have a smog episode, reducing the sheer volume of vehicles on the road is critical. That needs to be addressed during a severe smog episode, and they would have to find ways of dealing with it and implement measures that have already been included.” Meanwhile, Rai Thursday said a six-member special task force, including officials of the environment department, Traffic Police, MCD and PWD, has been constituted to implement GRAP-related restrictions.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi, Greater Noida Top NCR's Pollution Chart So Far This Month

Comparing Delhi's average AQI for the period of November 1–16 against that of 17 other NCR towns and cities—including Noida, Gurgaon, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Jind, and Rohtak—we found that Delhi's average was the lowest at 378. New Delhi: According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi experienced its eighth "severe" air day of the month, making it the most polluted of the 18 major NCR towns and cities so far this month. The overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 404 as per the latest data from SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research)-India. Based on the CPCB's 4 pm bulletins, AQI averages for November thus far indicate that Greater Noida has an average AQI at 367 after Delhi's average AQI, followed by Faridabad at 366, Jind at 344, Noida at 343, Gurgaon at 328, Meerut at 325, and Rohtak and Sonipat at 323. “If you consider the landscape of NCR and Delhi, Delhi becomes the epicentre of the problem given the sheer size and demography, and concentration of activity. This is a combination of Delhi’s own very high local pollution and this being aggravated by regional influence. This means Delhi has to do more to be able to control pollution and its own action needs to get deeper, but action will also have to be tightened across NCR,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, as quoted by The Indian Express. Region-Wise AQI Level in parts of Delhi on Friday As of 8 am, the air quality in Delhi's Anand Vihar stood at 448; in Dwarka Sector-8, the AQI fell under the severe' category with an AQI of 491; meanwhile, in the IGI Airport (T3) area, the AQI stood at 465; while Mundka at 483. AQI in Gurugram In the Sector-51 area, the AQI was at 441. In the Teri Gram area, the AQI fell under the very poor' category, while in Vikas Sadan, the AQI was recorded at 393. AQI in Faridabad In Faridabad's New Industrial Town, the AQI stood at 411, while in Sector-11 region, the AQI fell under the 'severe' category. With respect to Sector-30, the AQI stood at 392. AQI in Ghaziabad In Indirapuram, the AQI stood at 401 while in the Loni region, the AQI fell under the 'very poor' category. In Sanjay Nagar, the AQI was recorded at 317 while Vasundhra region recorded an AQI of 384. Noida's AQI With respect to Sector-125, the AQI fell under the ' very poor' category, while Sector-62 recorded an AQI of 370. In Sector-1, the AQI fell under the 'very poor' category. Greater Noida's AQI The AQI level in the Knowledge Park-3 region was recorded at 311 which falls under the 'very poor' category.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Stark rise in farm fires in past few days, delayed harvesting to blame

NEW DELHI: Daily stubble burning instances in Punjab have shown no sign of decreasing yet, although, in previous years the count had dropped after November 15. On the contrary, Punjab recorded 1,776 incidents on Tuesday, 2,554 on Wednesday and 1,271 on Thursday. When compared with figures earlier in November — 639 instances on November 9, 6 on November 10, 104 on November 11 and 987 on November 12 — the rise this week is significant. delayed harvesting Experts said that due to delayed harvesting this year, the concentrated burning of crop residue was happening now. Fire counts are likely to be on the higher side for a week, they said. Satellite data compiled by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) shows that daily stubble burning in 2022 was less than 1,000 from November 17 onwards and dipped to below 100 on November 24. Similarly, in 2021, the per day counts stayed below 1,000 from November 17 and dropped to below 100 on November 22. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said: “This spike in stubble burning count in the last three days indicates late harvesting of crops in some areas and delayed burning due to rain and Diwali. This led to concentrated burning in a short time span afterwards.” Gufran Beig, chair professor in the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) and founder of the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said: “The area of cultivation remains the same and harvesting started late this year and hence stubble burning counts were low in October. However, peak burning has not yet started, and it is likely to happen next week. As the new crop will be sown by the first week of December, farmers will be in a hurry to empty the field. This is more dangerous as we are extending the burning period by around 10 to 15 days. This may result in more days with AQI in the upper end of ‘very poor’ or severe days in comparison to last year.” The cumulative count compared to the past four years is the lowest in Punjab so far this season. From September 15 to November 16, Punjab has witnessed 31,932 stubble burning counts, when it was 46,822 in 2022. In the same period, Haryana recorded 1,986 farm fires in 2023 and 3,233 in 2022. In contrast, UP has seen a rise in burning instances. UP recorded 2,113 crop residue burning incidents from September 15 to November 16 in 2023, against 1,505 in 2022, the IARI data shows. The IARI follows the notified standard of the Commission for Air Quality Management in national capital region and adjoining areas.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Can India sustainably manufacture and recycle EV batteries?

The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is witnessing a swift expansion around the globe, driven by the growing emphasis of governments and demand from consumers for low-emission transportation options. India, a rapidly emerging market for EVs, currently has over 2.3 million EV users. In the financial year 2022-23, India’s annual EV sales surpassed 1.2 million, marking a 174% increase from the previous year. More than 60% of these sales were electric two-wheelers, while passenger electric three-wheelers accounted for 29% of the total units sold, as reported in the Annual India EV Report Card published earlier this year by consulting firm, JMK Research. More than half of the three-wheelers registered in India in 2022 were electric, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report published in April. India is rapidly adopting electric vehicles (EVs) with annual sales exceeding 1.2 million in 2022-2023. However, this surge raises concerns about the life and demand of EV batteries. India currently relies heavily on imports for lithium-ion EV batteries. However, there is a growing push to support domestic EV industry development, thereby fostering economic growth and job opportunities. Materials from old EV batteries can be extracted through the recycling process, but battery recycling is highly capital-intensive and there is no existing market guide pricing and supply-demand dynamics. India must therefore, address these gaps to start recycling EV batteries at a large scale. As the use of EVs grows around the world, there is also a growing need for EV batteries. This demand has led to significant growth in battery production. By 2030, it’s expected that there will be over five terawatt hours (TWh) of gigafactory capacity globally each year. ‘Gigafactory’ is a term popularised by the automobile company Tesla, which essentially means a large-scale EV battery manufacturing facility. For context, the country Senegal consumed about five terawatt hours (5,300 gigawatt hours per year) of electricity in 2021. India’s electricity consumption was around 1400 terawatt hours (1,442,000 gigawatt hours per year) as of 2021. EVs are powered by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Therefore, with the increasing demand for EVs, the demand for Li-ion batteries is also set to increase. In 2021, the global lithium market was valued at $6.83 billion and it is projected to grow at an annual rate of 12 percent from 2022 to 2030. As of 2021, the global lithium production amounted to 100,000 tonnes (equivalent to 90.7 million kilograms), while the worldwide reserves are estimated to be around 22 million tonnes (equivalent to 20 billion kg), according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Priti Mahesh, the Chief Program Coordinator of the non-profit Toxics Link, told Mongabay-India, “With such rapid growth expected in the global lithium market, it’s important to understand the necessary materials for the production of EV batteries, its battery recycling market and how this will impact the future of EV batteries.” What are the components of a Li-ion battery? Electric vehicle batteries come in different configurations, encompassing various shapes and sizes. Manufacturers have a multitude of choices when it comes to battery design, spanning from the physical structure of the cells to their chemical composition. Batteries can be categorised into two main groups – primary batteries (also known as single-use batteries), which cannot be recharged and secondary batteries, which are rechargeable. Lithium-ion batteries belong to the latter category, as they can be charged and reused multiple times. Explaining the composition and structure of lithium-ion batteries, Mahesh states, “In addition to lithium, a lithium-ion battery contains various other components and the manufacturing process involves multiple layers. Like most batteries, lithium-ion batteries consist of a positively charged cathode, a negatively charged anode, and an electrolyte that separates them. Typically, the cathode is composed of a mixture of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, while graphite is the most common choice for the anode. To protect and hold the individual cells together, lithium-ion batteries are enclosed in either an aluminium or steel casing, safeguarding them against mechanical damage.” EV batteries typically consist of hundreds of cells, allowing each battery pack to maintain its charging and discharging capabilities for a range of 100,000 to 200,000 miles (1,60,934 to 3,21,868 kilometres), shares Mahesh. This confidence in battery durability is reflected in manufacturers’ common practice of offering extended warranties, often covering eight years or 100,000 miles for their electric vehicles (EVs). Typically, automobile Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as Ola Electric and Ather Energy provide a standard three-year warranty for the batteries in their EVs. However, these batteries can potentially exceed this warranty period and last up to five years or more, contingent on factors such as usage patterns, environmental conditions and the effectiveness of the battery charging process. Batteries used in two and three-wheelers are generally designed to withstand approximately 2,000 cycles of charging and discharging. In cases where EVs are employed for commercial purposes, the battery may wear out in as little as two years. Private vehicle batteries tend to have a longer lifespan, but for those engaging in extended journeys, battery replacement may become necessary within three years. Moreover, current EV batteries have a lifespan of approximately 15 to 20 years within the vehicle, and they may even have a second life after this initial period. This extended longevity is complemented by ongoing advancements in EV battery technology, which are expected to result in batteries that last even longer, while also becoming more cost-effective, smaller in size and easier to transport. Can India become self-reliant in EV battery manufacturing? India’s ambition to expand its EV programme and bolster domestic manufacturing faces a significant challenge in ensuring a stable supply of raw materials for battery cells. At present, India heavily relies on imports, primarily from China, for Li-ion batteries and cells due to limited local cell manufacturing. Rishabh Jain, Senior Programme Lead at The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), elaborates, “This dependence on imports makes India’s EV industry vulnerable to global supply chain uncertainties and risks. However, there is a growing push to reduce import reliance and promote self-reliance to keep more of the value chain within India, thereby fostering economic growth and job opportunities. Policy initiatives like the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME II) scheme and the Production-Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme are designed to support domestic industry development. FAME II encourages EV equipment manufacturers to source at least 50% of their components locally, while the PLI scheme targets Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) manufacturers.” To address material security, India is also focusing on expanding mining exploration both within the country and overseas. India has joined the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a global alliance led by the United States, to catalyse investment in critical mineral supply and value chains. These strategies aim to increase domestic battery availability, reduce imports and lower battery costs while ensuring access to key raw materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, which constitute a significant portion of cell costs. A CEEW study, titled How can India Indigenise Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing? authored by Rishabh Jain, highlights the critical importance of India gaining more control over the supply chain of lithium-ion batteries. Jain emphasises that considering the complexity of the global supply chain, it becomes imperative to develop an energy storage ecosystem, scale up battery cell manufacturing, and stabilise it to align with India’s decarbonisation objectives. “Additionally, the focus should be squarely on battery recycling as a means to reduce the demand for new minerals,” he adds. Can EV batteries be recycled to mine minerals? When we are producing so many batteries already, can the minerals locked inside the batteries be extracted to produce new batteries? Anumita Roy Chowdhury, Executive Director at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), believes this is possible. Studies on a global scale have shown that the material trapped inside batteries can have infinite utility if efficiently extracted, separated, and recycled. “So, when the batteries are no longer suitable for vehicles, the first thing to do is to reuse them in some other application. Then, when the batteries have reached the end of their life, take them back and extract all that material,” she elaborates. Global estimates, including those from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), suggest that approximately 50 percent of spent battery materials can potentially be mined, presenting an opportunity to significantly reduce the annual demand for these minerals by up to 28 percent over the next two decades (2050). In India, NITI Aayog forecasts that by 2030, there could be as much as 128 gigawatt-hours of recyclable batteries available, with EV batteries constituting 46 percent of this total. India’s current recycling capacity stands at a modest two gigawatt-hours approximately and it would have to increase about 60 times in the next eight years.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

印度德里為何在消除霧霾之戰中落後於北京

長期以來，生活在人口稠密的兩個亞洲國家首都的人們，都飽受籠罩其城市的有毒霧霾之苦。 德里和北京都是人口超過2000萬人的繁華都市。在某些日子裏，當它們被霧霾所籠罩，呈現出橙灰色的天際線並彌漫著煙味時，人們說感覺就像生活在一場反烏托邦的夢魘中。北京居民甚至將毒霧稱為「空氣末日」。 如今，德里又來到了一年中的霧霾季，而北京的空氣質量已經好得多。 PM2.5是一種小到可以深入肺部的顆粒物，它們和多種氣體的混合物在內陸城市德里遮天蔽日，使其成為世界上污染最嚴重的城市之一。低風速將污染物截留在低層大氣中，使空氣質量惡化。 當局暫時關閉學校、命令柴油車禁止上路、停止建築施工、要求人們在家工作，以及禁止燃放鞭炮。在印度混亂的民主制度下，這些措施很難執行。居民們咳嗽、喘息、憤怒，生活仍在繼續。 一系列指揮和控制措施幫助北京淨化了空氣。 周一，印度教節日排燈節過後的清晨，狂歡者不顧禁令燃放鞭炮，德里成為世界上污染最嚴重的城市之一。一款政府應用程序顯示，周一上午，一些地方的空氣質量指數（AQI）攀升至520以上（數字低於50為良好）。 同日上午，北京的天空更加湛藍，空氣質量指數不到德里的五分之一。自2013年以來，北京乃至整個中國都通過一系列指揮和控制措施，對空氣污染髮起了一場堅決的戰爭。 一項雄心勃勃的行動計劃限制了新增煤炭產能、關閉居民樓內以煤炭為燃料的供暖系統、提高柴油卡車的燃料和發動機標凖、淘汰污染嚴重的老舊汽車……當局還鼓勵人們在短途通勤時改用電動汽車或騎自行車。 總部位於赫爾辛基的能源與清潔空氣研究中心（CREA）首席分析師柳力（Lauri Myllyvirta）表示，北京曾努力提高市內的空氣質量，但過去十年的顯著改善來自於其將工作範圍擴大到了城市之外。 他表示，通過建立一個覆蓋城市以外的產業集群和主要排放源的「重點控制區」，當局取得了更具影響力的成果。北京治理空氣污染的預算從2013年的4.3億美元（3.5億英鎊）躍升至2017年的26億多美元。 結果令人印象深刻。根據芝加哥大學能源政策研究所編製的空氣質量生活指數（Air Quality Life Index），自2013年以來，北京的空氣污染下降了約50%，全國範圍下降了約40%。 「北京曾在（空氣污染指數）中位居前列，但現在已經有了顯著改善。人們大力推動從煤炭向天然氣和可再生能源轉變。購買電動汽車比購買汽油車更容易。」《經濟學人》智庫（EIU）中國分析師李子謙（Chim Lee）告訴我。 專家們承認，德里20年來改善空氣質量的努力也取得了一些成果。該市淘汰了污染嚴重的行業、關閉了燃煤電廠、推出了全球規模最大的天然氣公共交通項目、強制淘汰老舊商用車、制定了更嚴格的排放標凖，並建設了高效的地鐵。 這些措施是否影響了德里的空氣質量？空氣污染專家、德里科學與環境中心執行總監阿努米塔·羅伊喬杜里（Anumita Roychowdhury）給出了肯定的答覆。 「德里長期的空氣質量趨勢顯示其水平並沒有逐年上升。實際上它正在下降。這意味著德里已經穩定了問題，並扭轉了污染曲線。但這也意味著德里需要將PM2.5水平再降低60%，才能達到潔淨空氣標凖。」她告訴我。 然而，由於規劃不足、政策設計缺陷和黨派政治，德里與空氣污染的鬥爭步履蹣跚。 研究表明，德里一半以上的污染來自車輛排放，其次是燃煤工業產生的煙塵、垃圾焚燒和建築工地的灰塵。 冬季來臨，鄰近的旁遮普邦和哈里亞納邦在收獲季節焚燒秸稈是一種常見的做法。在某些日子裏，根據風速和風向的不同，焚燒秸稈造成的空氣污染可構成德里空氣污染的四分之一。 印度總理納倫德拉·莫迪（Narendra Modi）領導的印度人民黨（BJP）政府現在指責由反對黨執政的旁遮普邦未能解決該問題。 通過禁止老舊車輛上路，德里已將道路上的汽車數量減少了近800萬輛，比2015年減少了三分之一以上。 然而，汽車尾氣排放仍然是造成德里污染的主要原因，因為這座城市的設計更偏向於汽車，而不利於行人和騎自行車的人。 全長近400公里（248英里）的德里地鐵是印度最長、最繁忙的地鐵網絡，但通往家庭和工作場所的最後一公里路仍然不暢。雖然全市7000輛公交車中約有14%是電動車，但諷刺的是由於使用不便，公交車的乘坐率卻在下降。 儘管德里總體規劃的目標是80%的機動出行由公共交通承擔，但地鐵和公交系統之間缺乏整合阻礙了這一目標的實現。 「即使有了解決方案，你也無法使它發揮作用，因為設計不合理。」羅伊喬杜里說。 缺乏區域性的規劃也阻礙了空氣改善。當人們圍繞德里的污染問題展開討論時，廣袤的印度河-恆河平原（橫跨印度北部、巴基斯坦東部、尼泊爾和孟加拉國部分地區）上的鄰近城市也被煙霧籠罩。 研究表明，比哈爾邦的空氣污染水平經常高於德里，但有關這一問題的討論卻十分有限。「對話不能只是關於德里，必須擴大到整個地區。」羅伊喬杜里補充道。

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Opinion: India’s chain-smoking states - Pollution is not Delhi’s problem alone

Every winter, when air pollution spikes, Delhi typically hogs the limelight as the epicentre of the problem. But Delhi is not alone in this pollution battle. The entire Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), encompassing not just cities but also towns and rural settlements, finds itself enveloped in a blanket of smog. This occurs when cool and calm weather conditions trap dangerous levels of air pollution close to the ground level in the landlocked region of Northern India. In winter, several cities and towns in the Indo-Gangetic Plain experience average levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 micron in size (PM2.5) which is worse than Delhi. PM2.5 are tiny toxic particles that can penetrate deep into our lungs and enter the bloodstream, posing a significant health risk. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows that during the winter of 2022-23 (from October to February), at least 10 lesser-known towns of Bihar had average winter PM2.5 levels that were substantially worse than that of Delhi. These included Begusarai, Siwan, Darbhanga, Katihar, Purnia, Saharsa, Chapra, and Bhagalpur. While Delhi’s winter average hovered around 152 micrograms per cubic meter, these cities experienced a range from 163 to 283 micrograms per cubic meter. This highlights the rapid build-up and peaking of pollution across the Indo-Gangetic Plain within a short timeframe, engulfing both large and small cities, as well as rural settlements. The combination of winter inversion, slower wind patterns, intense local pollution from local and regional sources and the diverse impacts of episodic farm fires contribute to this complex scenario. When the entire region is covered in a blanket of smog, all human settlements get affected. Even smaller towns such as Sirsa, Jind, Karnal, Bathinda, Meerut, and stretching further to Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna, and Gaya, along with cities of West Bengal at the fringe of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, are vulnerable to regional pollution and smog episodes. Many of these cities and towns, despite having much lower annual average levels of PM2.5 compared to Delhi and several bigger cities, still experience significantly high daily pollution levels during winter. Not just a local problem Clearly, air pollution has no boundaries and is not a problem in any one city. Air and pollution move across administrative boundaries with strong local impacts. In Delhi, the hourly forecast of the contribution of different sources to Delhi’s air quality by the Decision Support System of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology reveals a high impact of pollution from NCR -- averaging close to half or more. This fact is further underscored by the 2018 pollution source assessment conducted by the Automotive Research Association of India and the Energy Resource Institute for Delhi. Throughout the year, the contribution of the NCR to Delhi’s PM2.5 level is about 23-24 per cent. Delhi’s own contribution to NCR towns such as Noida can also be high -- as much as 28 per cent during summer and 40 per cent during winter. This demands massive clean-up across all regions to meet clean air benchmarks and prevent deadly smog episodes.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

दुनिया के सबसे खराब वायु गुणवत्ता संकट से निपटने के लिए दिल्ली बारिश के समाधान पर विचार कर रही है।

Delhi: प्रदूषण के बढ़ते स्तर के खिलाफ लगातार लड़ाई में, दिल्ली सरकार एक अनूठी रणनीति तलाश रही है: क्लाउड-सीडिंग के माध्यम से बारिश कराना। इस पहल का उद्देश्य न केवल दिल्ली बल्कि व्यापक राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र (NCR) और उत्तरी भारत के व्यापक क्षेत्रों में फैले जहरीले धुएं को धोना है। दिल्ली के पर्यावरण मंत्री गोपाल राय ने सतर्क आशावाद व्यक्त करते हुए कहा कि अगले दो से तीन दिनों में स्थिति की निगरानी के बाद कृत्रिम बारिश पर निर्णय लिया जाएगा। भारत में इस अप्रयुक्त दृष्टिकोण ने विशेषज्ञों से संदेह पैदा किया है, जिसमें एक सलाहकार मोहन पी. जॉर्ज भी शामिल हैं विज्ञान और पर्यावरण केंद्र के लिए। जॉर्ज ने दिल्ली के आसमान में क्लाउड-सीडिंग के लिए उपयुक्त क्लाउड फॉर्मेशन की कमी के बारे में चिंताओं पर प्रकाश डाला और इसकी प्रभावशीलता पर संदेह जताया। संभावित सीमाओं के बावजूद, सरकार वायु प्रदूषण के गंभीर मुद्दे के समाधान के लिए विभिन्न रास्ते तलाश रही है। स्विस वायु निगरानी कंपनी IQI Air के अनुसार, दिल्ली में वर्तमान परिदृश्य गंभीर है, शहर ने हाल ही में दुनिया की सबसे प्रदूषित राजधानी होने का संदिग्ध गौरव अर्जित किया है। घनी आबादी वाला क्षेत्र, जिसमें दिल्ली और उसके विशाल उपनगर शामिल हैं, जिसे एनसीआर के रूप में जाना जाता है, लंबे समय से खतरनाक वायु गुणवत्ता स्तर से जूझ रहा है। जबकि दिल्ली अक्सर अपनी राजधानी की स्थिति और राष्ट्रीय प्रेस कार्यालयों की सघनता के कारण सुर्खियों में रहती है, प्रदूषण संकट शहर की सीमाओं से कहीं आगे तक फैला हुआ है। एनसीआर एक विस्तृत क्षेत्र में फैला है, जिसमें गुरुग्राम, फ़रीदाबाद, नोएडा, ग़ाज़ियाबाद और यहां तक ​​कि मेरठ भी शामिल है। प्रदूषण के बादल राजनीतिक सीमाओं तक नहीं रुकते, उत्तर भारत के अधिकांश हिस्से को अपनी चपेट में ले चुके हैं, पाकिस्तान के लाहौर तक पहुँच चुके हैं और पटना तथा कोलकाता जैसे क्षेत्रों के लिए खतरा बढ़ रहा है। पृथ्वी विज्ञान मंत्रालय की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण के स्रोत बहुआयामी हैं, जिसमें वाहन उत्सर्जन का योगदान 41%, सड़कों, निर्माण और विध्वंस से निकलने वाली धूल का योगदान 21.5% और उद्योगों का योगदान 18% है। थर्मल प्लांटों को बंद करने, ट्रकों पर प्रतिबंध और स्वच्छ ऊर्जा स्रोतों में बदलाव सहित ठोस प्रयासों के बावजूद, प्रदूषण का स्तर बना हुआ है और दिवाली जैसे विशिष्ट आयोजनों के दौरान यह और भी खराब हो गया है। एक महत्वपूर्ण चुनौती दिल्ली का भौगोलिक और जनसांख्यिकीय विस्तार है, जो इसे प्रदूषण के जाल के प्रति संवेदनशील बनाता है और प्रभावी समाधान लागू करने की कठिनाई को बढ़ाता है। पर्यावरणविद इस बात पर जोर देते हैं कि प्रदूषण नियंत्रण उपायों का विस्तार दिल्ली से आगे बढ़कर पूरे उत्तरी क्षेत्र तक होना चाहिए। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में अनुसंधान और वकालत की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता चौधरी का कहना है कि लाहौर से ढाका तक फैले भारत-गंगा के मैदान में प्रदूषण का लगातार प्रसार देखा जा रहा है, जो पटना जैसे शहरों को प्रभावित कर रहा है और संभावित रूप से आगे बढ़ रहा है। हवा की गुणवत्ता में सुधार के लिए दिल्ली के प्रयासों में कोयला बिजली संयंत्रों को बंद करना, स्वच्छ परिवहन विकल्प अपनाना और प्रदूषण फैलाने वाले उद्योगों को प्रतिबंधित करना शामिल है। हालाँकि, उप-शहरों में शहर के विस्तार के कारण प्रदूषण फैलाने वाले उद्योग और थर्मल पावर स्टेशन फिर से उभर आए हैं, जिससे स्थिरता के लिए नई चुनौतियाँ पैदा हो गई हैं। वाहन प्रदूषण एक प्राथमिक चिंता बना हुआ है, जो दिल्ली के प्रदूषण संकट का एक महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा है। हालांकि कई उपाय लागू किए गए हैं, जैसे सार्वजनिक और वाणिज्यिक परिवहन में संपीड़ित प्राकृतिक गैस (सीएनजी) और तरलीकृत प्राकृतिक गैस (एलएनजी) की ओर बदलाव, सड़कों पर वाहनों की भारी संख्या एक चुनौती बनी हुई है। राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र और आसपास के क्षेत्रों में वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग के प्रमुख के रूप में दिल्ली के पूर्व मुख्य सचिव एम. एम. कुट्टी की नियुक्ति विभिन्न राज्य सरकारों के बीच समन्वित प्रयासों की आवश्यकता को रेखांकित करती है। हालाँकि, इन क्षेत्रों के बीच राजनीतिक विविधता प्रभावी सहयोग के लिए एक कठिन चुनौती प्रस्तुत करती है। जबकि दिल्ली और एनसीआर में 44 निरंतर निगरानी स्टेशनों के साथ प्रदूषण की समस्या की बड़े पैमाने पर निगरानी की गई है, प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए एक क्षेत्रीय दृष्टिकोण की आवश्यकता तेजी से स्पष्ट होती जा रही है। प्रयासों की एकाग्रता ने दीर्घकालिक प्रदूषण वक्र को स्थिर कर दिया है, लेकिन प्रदूषण के स्तर में 60% की कमी हासिल करना एक कठिन कार्य बना हुआ है। निष्कर्षतः, दिल्ली और उत्तरी क्षेत्र में प्रदूषण के खिलाफ लड़ाई एक व्यापक, बहुआयामी दृष्टिकोण की मांग करती है, जो राजनीतिक सीमाओं को पार करती है और सार्वजनिक चेतना में एक आदर्श बदलाव लाती है। जबकि बारिश पैदा करने जैसे अपरंपरागत समाधान विचाराधीन हैं, स्वच्छ हवा की राह के लिए सामूहिक कार्रवाई, सख्त प्रवर्तन और सभी क्षेत्रों में स्थायी प्रथाओं के प्रति प्रतिबद्धता की आवश्यकता है।

• Water Programme

Ensure Adequate Hygiene, Safe Toilets By 2030, FG Tasks Stakeholders

In a collaborative effort between the Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation (FMWR&S), stakeholders and the public have been tasked with accelerating efforts to ensure that every Nigerian has access to adequate hygiene and safe toilets by 2030. During the press briefing for the 2023 World Toilet Day (WTD) in Abuja, titled ‘Accelerating Change,’ the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas highlighted that the issues of open defecation in Nigeria are no longer acceptable. He emphasised that sanitation is a human right, and access to these services is crucial for people’s health, business, and the environment. The theme for this year’s World Toilet Day, “Accelerating Change,” aims to inspire individuals to take personal action in improving toilets and sanitation systems. Abbas stressed that every sector and every Nigerian has a role to play in addressing the sanitation crisis. Toilets, according to Abbas, are fundamental to public health, playing a crucial role in protecting the environment by removing human waste away from homes hygienically. However, he lamented that toilets and the supporting sanitation systems are neglected in many parts of the world, including Nigeria, with dire consequences for health, economics and the environment, especially in marginalised communities. Abbas disclosed alarming statistics, noting that about 4.2 billion people worldwide live without safe toilets, and approximately 48 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, using the bush and water bodies for waste disposal. This practice extends to many public and private institutions that lack functional sanitary facilities. The consequences of poor excreta and sewage disposal include a high rate of diarrhoea diseases, the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under the age of five. Cholera outbreaks, according to Abbas, are also a manifestation of inadequate toilet facilities. He emphasised that these issues could be mitigated through safe excreta disposal by individuals. The Federal Government of Nigeria, Abbas assured, remained committed to addressing sanitation challenges and ensuring proper excreta management. The FME will continue interventions to control open defecation and promote the provision of safe and adequate toilets across the country, particularly in public places. To strengthen the capacity of environmental health officers, the Ministry has renewed a memorandum of understanding with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India, focusing on technology transfer, technical assistance, capacity building and research development in water, sanitation and environmental management. The CSE has conducted specialised training on affordable toilet designs and feacal sludge management for Environmental Health Officers and Sanitation Desk Officers. Abbas urged stakeholders and commercial entities, including shopping malls, to take measures to ensure everyone has access to toilets in their domains. He solicited support from development partners, NGOs, CSOs, the organised private sector and the public for the sanitation programmes of the Federal Ministry of Environment. In his address, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev highlighted the global significance of the World Toilet Day theme, “Accelerating Change.” He pointed out the poor progress made globally towards meeting the goals of the water, sanitation and hygiene sector under the targets set by SDG6.1 and 6.2. According to the 2023 update report of the WHO/UNICEF joint monitoring programme, an estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe toilets, and over 40% of wastewater is discharged into the environment without treatment. In Nigeria, over 100 million people lack access to basic sanitation, and an estimated 48 million practice open defecation. Utsev stressed that access to adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is crucial for the socio-economic development of any nation, impacting human capital outcomes such as early childhood survival, health and educational attainment. He encouraged everyone to do more to attain the 2025 target date of ending open defecation in Nigeria. Representing the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the director overseeing the permanent secretary of the ministry, Omotayo Olusanya emphasised the contagious impact of poor sanitation on the environment. He reiterated the importance of World Toilet Day in raising awareness and fostering collective responsibility for improved sanitation practices.

• Urban Lab

沦为全球空气污染最严重的城市，印度首都怎么了？

11月12日-11月16日，印度迎来了本年度最盛大的节日——排灯节。节日期间，家家户户都会点亮蜡烛或油灯，还会燃放烟花爆竹，人们期望光明驱逐黑暗、善良战胜邪恶、智慧击败无知。 然而，在节庆的狂欢之下，印度本就严峻的空气质量问题，雪上加霜。 12日当天晚上，浓浓的烟雾笼罩着首都新德里，午夜过后，仍不时传来烟花爆竹响声，空气中弥漫着厚重的硝烟味。 印度排灯节放烟花的人。（图源：社交媒体） 追踪空气质量的瑞士组织IQAir的数据显示，印度首都新德里的空气质量指数在11月13日一度达惊人的420点，位列全球十大空气污染最严重的城市之首。 除了新德里，还有两座印度城市在排灯节期间跻身这个榜单。分别是印度金融中心孟买（排名第六，AQI为157），东部的加尔各答（排名第七，AQI为154）。 用印度媒体的话形容，这里的空气质量“已经上升到威胁人类健康的程度”。 美国芝加哥大学能源政策研究所（EPIC）的研究也表明，自2013年以来，全球空气污染中的增量，近6成来源于印度。 当地的医疗工作者们表示，每天在这样的空气中生活，相当于吸25-30支香烟。人长时间暴露在高浓度污染物中会刺激皮肤和眼睛，可能导致严重的神经、心血管和呼吸系统疾病，增加死亡风险。 印度政府有何解决办法呢？ “空气末日” 雾霾给印度首都镀上了一层灰蒙蒙的褐色滤镜。 玛卡一家在新德里已经居住了十几年，她见证了这座城市的空气状况是如何越来越糟的。 “每到这个季节，整座城市都被黑暗的雾气笼罩，”玛卡说，“那场景仿佛时刻提醒我们，正生活在空气末日之中。” 一名孕妇干脆用胶带封住了家中所有窗缝，并全天开启空气净化器；一位父亲想为孩子寻找空气净化器，但整座城市都在缺货。 印度新德里，孩子们捂着脸以防空气污染。（图源：社交媒体） 据路透社报道，一位花店的店主说，这段时间室内绿植的销量翻了一番。 拥有3300万多万人口的新德里，近年来连续4次被评为全球污染最严重的首都。根据IQAir提供的数据，全球100个污染最严重的城市有63个在印度。 由于当地风速小、降水少，车辆尾气、工业生产、建筑粉尘、焚烧农作物残渣所带来的污染物难以散去，新德里常年处于严重污染水平，PM2.5浓度也一度为安全上限的7倍。 印度中央污染控制委员会称，新德里今年10月份的污染水平，是2020年以来最严重的。芝加哥大学能源政策研究所发布的报告还指出，新德里居民由于空气质量问题，寿命可能会缩短11.9年。 尽管印度政府早早就劝导民众在排灯节期间不要燃放演化爆竹，同时也下令取缔贩卖爆竹的摊贩，但不少民众仍然无视这一禁令。 排灯节傍晚，新德里街头就传出爆竹声响，入夜后更加密集，夜空也不时被烟火照亮，还有民众自制的小型天灯，空气弥漫硝烟味。 据新德里当地的消防局通报，排灯节以来，一晚上就接获208通火警报案电话，其中至少有22件与民众燃放爆竹与烟火有关。 许多民众表示失望，他们认为当地执法部门未严格执行烟花禁令。 玛卡的邻居计划明年举家搬迁，因为孩子不能适应这里的空气环境，已经出现呼吸苦难的症状。“这里的空气污染不只危险和可怕，我认为留在这里，对我们孩子的未来而言，并不公平。”邻居说。 政府出手 为了解决空气问题，印度政府出台了一系列政策，但到目前为止，这些措施效果有限。 在这一次排灯节来临之前，新德里市政府从11月3日开始就要求全市所有小学停课，同时还要求建筑工地停工，私家车实施单双号限行，并多次呼吁民众不要燃放烟花爆竹。 新德里的街头（图源：社交媒体） 印度最高法院也于11月7日宣布，禁止新德里周边各邦农民焚烧农作物秸秆。 然而，这些举措似乎没有什么用，仍有不少民众无视政府的禁令，在空气污染严重的情况下，继续燃点烟火及蜡烛等庆祝。 据当地媒体报道，一些印度教徒对排灯节禁令感到不满，认为这是试图干扰他们庆祝宗教节日。 医护人员也在抱怨，他们表示，大批市民患上哮喘等呼吸道疾病，更有甚者有生命危险。 新德里一间医院的高级顾问迪帕克表示：“医院内的病人正在遭受痛苦。作为一个社会，我们还不了解清洁空气的价值。”在他看来，排灯节期间空气质量只会比平时更糟糕，燃烧烟花所产生的烟雾，可能会导致眼睛发痒和喉咙发炎。 为了治理空气，新德里有两座“烟雾塔”，每座耗资200多万美元。所谓“烟雾塔”即带有巨型风扇的空气净化系统，每秒可过滤1000立方米的空气，但研究表明，它们只能净化周围几百米内的空气，对整座城市来说基本没有什么效果。 印度政府甚至想用人工降雨来解决空气问题。 据《印度斯坦时报》报道，新德里政府已经考虑引入人工降雨技术，带走笼罩在首都上空的颗粒物。他们计划在多云的情况下撒播碘化银，借此催化云层中的冷水滴，凝固成冰晶，最后滴落成雨。 目前，这个人工降雨方案已经提交给印度最高法院，如若通过且天气条件允许，将在11月20日或21日实施。 但科学家们对于该方案的有效性仍存在疑问。在不少专家看来，如果不切断污染源，人工降雨的方案治标不治本。 被浓雾笼罩的印度首都街头。（图源：社交媒体） “这根本不是一种解决方案，而只是一种暂时的缓解措施。”新德里科学与环境中心研究员阿维卡尔说。 很多观点认为，新德里的空气污染与周边农民燃烧农作物有关系，但专家们认为，还有不少其它污染源一直得不到足够的重视。 阿维卡尔表示，即使在空气最糟糕的日子里，农作物燃烧产生的烟雾也只占首都污染的三分之一左右。停止农田焚烧并不能使烟雾消失，因为周边地区还有其它污染活动，包括燃煤发电、砖窑、垃圾焚烧、家庭使用木材和木炭做饭等等。 印度能源和清洁空气研究中心的分析师达希亚也表示，其实在过去五年里，新德里周边地区燃烧麦秆的情况已大幅减少，但由于人口增长，包括建筑施工和低效炉灶在内的其他污染源正变得更加严重。 达希亚举例称，新德里周边运营的发电厂本应安装污染控制装置，但由于执行不力，大多数发电厂根本没有安装。 早在2019年，印度政府就启动国家清洁空气计划，提出到2024年，将102个空气质量不达标城市的空气污染水平，在2017年基础上降低20%至30%。 但从目前的情况来看，由于缺乏更好的监管和规划，印度首都及其周边的空气状况看不到任何明显改善。 “我最担心的是，有生之年再也看不到一个没有雾霾的首都了。”阿维卡尔说。

• Urban Lab

沦为全球空气污染最严重的城市，印度首都怎么了？

11月12日-11月16日，印度迎来了本年度最盛大的节日——排灯节。节日期间，家家户户都会点亮蜡烛或油灯，还会燃放烟花爆竹，人们期望光明驱逐黑暗、善良战胜邪恶、智慧击败无知。 然而，在节庆的狂欢之下，印度本就严峻的空气质量问题，雪上加霜。 12日当天晚上，浓浓的烟雾笼罩着首都新德里，午夜过后，仍不时传来烟花爆竹响声，空气中弥漫着厚重的硝烟味。 印度排灯节放烟花的人。（图源：社交媒体） 追踪空气质量的瑞士组织IQAir的数据显示，印度首都新德里的空气质量指数在11月13日一度达惊人的420点，位列全球十大空气污染最严重的城市之首。 除了新德里，还有两座印度城市在排灯节期间跻身这个榜单。分别是印度金融中心孟买（排名第六，AQI为157），东部的加尔各答（排名第七，AQI为154）。 用印度媒体的话形容，这里的空气质量“已经上升到威胁人类健康的程度”。 美国芝加哥大学能源政策研究所（EPIC）的研究也表明，自2013年以来，全球空气污染中的增量，近6成来源于印度。 当地的医疗工作者们表示，每天在这样的空气中生活，相当于吸25-30支香烟。人长时间暴露在高浓度污染物中会刺激皮肤和眼睛，可能导致严重的神经、心血管和呼吸系统疾病，增加死亡风险。 印度政府有何解决办法呢？ “空气末日” 雾霾给印度首都镀上了一层灰蒙蒙的褐色滤镜。 玛卡一家在新德里已经居住了十几年，她见证了这座城市的空气状况是如何越来越糟的。 “每到这个季节，整座城市都被黑暗的雾气笼罩，”玛卡说，“那场景仿佛时刻提醒我们，正生活在空气末日之中。” 一名孕妇干脆用胶带封住了家中所有窗缝，并全天开启空气净化器；一位父亲想为孩子寻找空气净化器，但整座城市都在缺货。 印度新德里，孩子们捂着脸以防空气污染。（图源：社交媒体） 据路透社报道，一位花店的店主说，这段时间室内绿植的销量翻了一番。 拥有3300万多万人口的新德里，近年来连续4次被评为全球污染最严重的首都。根据IQAir提供的数据，全球100个污染最严重的城市有63个在印度。 由于当地风速小、降水少，车辆尾气、工业生产、建筑粉尘、焚烧农作物残渣所带来的污染物难以散去，新德里常年处于严重污染水平，PM2.5浓度也一度为安全上限的7倍。 印度中央污染控制委员会称，新德里今年10月份的污染水平，是2020年以来最严重的。芝加哥大学能源政策研究所发布的报告还指出，新德里居民由于空气质量问题，寿命可能会缩短11.9年。 尽管印度政府早早就劝导民众在排灯节期间不要燃放演化爆竹，同时也下令取缔贩卖爆竹的摊贩，但不少民众仍然无视这一禁令。 排灯节傍晚，新德里街头就传出爆竹声响，入夜后更加密集，夜空也不时被烟火照亮，还有民众自制的小型天灯，空气弥漫硝烟味。 据新德里当地的消防局通报，排灯节以来，一晚上就接获208通火警报案电话，其中至少有22件与民众燃放爆竹与烟火有关。 许多民众表示失望，他们认为当地执法部门未严格执行烟花禁令。 玛卡的邻居计划明年举家搬迁，因为孩子不能适应这里的空气环境，已经出现呼吸苦难的症状。“这里的空气污染不只危险和可怕，我认为留在这里，对我们孩子的未来而言，并不公平。”邻居说。 政府出手 为了解决空气问题，印度政府出台了一系列政策，但到目前为止，这些措施效果有限。 在这一次排灯节来临之前，新德里市政府从11月3日开始就要求全市所有小学停课，同时还要求建筑工地停工，私家车实施单双号限行，并多次呼吁民众不要燃放烟花爆竹。 新德里的街头（图源：社交媒体） 印度最高法院也于11月7日宣布，禁止新德里周边各邦农民焚烧农作物秸秆。 然而，这些举措似乎没有什么用，仍有不少民众无视政府的禁令，在空气污染严重的情况下，继续燃点烟火及蜡烛等庆祝。 据当地媒体报道，一些印度教徒对排灯节禁令感到不满，认为这是试图干扰他们庆祝宗教节日。 医护人员也在抱怨，他们表示，大批市民患上哮喘等呼吸道疾病，更有甚者有生命危险。 新德里一间医院的高级顾问迪帕克表示：“医院内的病人正在遭受痛苦。作为一个社会，我们还不了解清洁空气的价值。”在他看来，排灯节期间空气质量只会比平时更糟糕，燃烧烟花所产生的烟雾，可能会导致眼睛发痒和喉咙发炎。 为了治理空气，新德里有两座“烟雾塔”，每座耗资200多万美元。所谓“烟雾塔”即带有巨型风扇的空气净化系统，每秒可过滤1000立方米的空气，但研究表明，它们只能净化周围几百米内的空气，对整座城市来说基本没有什么效果。 印度政府甚至想用人工降雨来解决空气问题。 据《印度斯坦时报》报道，新德里政府已经考虑引入人工降雨技术，带走笼罩在首都上空的颗粒物。他们计划在多云的情况下撒播碘化银，借此催化云层中的冷水滴，凝固成冰晶，最后滴落成雨。 目前，这个人工降雨方案已经提交给印度最高法院，如若通过且天气条件允许，将在11月20日或21日实施。 但科学家们对于该方案的有效性仍存在疑问。在不少专家看来，如果不切断污染源，人工降雨的方案治标不治本。 被浓雾笼罩的印度首都街头。（图源：社交媒体） “这根本不是一种解决方案，而只是一种暂时的缓解措施。”新德里科学与环境中心研究员阿维卡尔说。 很多观点认为，新德里的空气污染与周边农民燃烧农作物有关系，但专家们认为，还有不少其它污染源一直得不到足够的重视。 阿维卡尔表示，即使在空气最糟糕的日子里，农作物燃烧产生的烟雾也只占首都污染的三分之一左右。停止农田焚烧并不能使烟雾消失，因为周边地区还有其它污染活动，包括燃煤发电、砖窑、垃圾焚烧、家庭使用木材和木炭做饭等等。 印度能源和清洁空气研究中心的分析师达希亚也表示，其实在过去五年里，新德里周边地区燃烧麦秆的情况已大幅减少，但由于人口增长，包括建筑施工和低效炉灶在内的其他污染源正变得更加严重。 达希亚举例称，新德里周边运营的发电厂本应安装污染控制装置，但由于执行不力，大多数发电厂根本没有安装。 早在2019年，印度政府就启动国家清洁空气计划，提出到2024年，将102个空气质量不达标城市的空气污染水平，在2017年基础上降低20%至30%。 但从目前的情况来看，由于缺乏更好的监管和规划，印度首都及其周边的空气状况看不到任何明显改善。 “我最担心的是，有生之年再也看不到一个没有雾霾的首都了。”阿维卡尔说

• Urban Lab

沦为全球空气污染最严重的城市，印度首都怎么了？

11月12日-11月16日，印度迎来了本年度最盛大的节日——排灯节。节日期间，家家户户都会点亮蜡烛或油灯，还会燃放烟花爆竹，人们期望光明驱逐黑暗、善良战胜邪恶、智慧击败无知。 　　 然而，在节庆的狂欢之下，印度本就严峻的空气质量问题，雪上加霜。 　　 12日当天晚上，浓浓的烟雾笼罩着首都新德里，午夜过后，仍不时传来烟花爆竹响声，空气中弥漫着厚重的硝烟味。 　　 　　 追踪空气质量的瑞士组织IQAir的数据显示，印度首都新德里的空气质量指数在11月13日一度达惊人的420点，位列全球十大空气污染最严重的城市之首。 　　 除了新德里，还有两座印度城市在排灯节期间跻身这个榜单。分别是印度金融中心孟买(排名第六，AQI为157)，东部的加尔各答(排名第七，AQI为154)。 　　 用印度媒体的话形容，这里的空气质量“已经上升到威胁人类健康的程度”。 　　 美国芝加哥大学能源政策研究所(EPIC)的研究也表明，自2013年以来，全球空气污染中的增量，近6成来源于印度。 　　 当地的医疗工作者们表示，每天在这样的空气中生活，相当于吸25-30支香烟。人长时间暴露在高浓度污染物中会刺激皮肤和眼睛，可能导致严重的神经、心血管和呼吸系统疾病，增加死亡风险。 　　 印度政府有何解决办法呢？ 　　 “空气末日” 　　 雾霾给印度首都镀上了一层灰蒙蒙的褐色滤镜。 　　 玛卡一家在新德里已经居住了十几年，她见证了这座城市的空气状况是如何越来越糟的。 　　 “每到这个季节，整座城市都被黑暗的雾气笼罩，”玛卡说，“那场景仿佛时刻提醒我们，正生活在空气末日之中。” 　　 一名孕妇干脆用胶带封住了家中所有窗缝，并全天开启空气净化器；一位父亲想为孩子寻找空气净化器，但整座城市都在缺货。 　　 　　 据路透社报道，一位花店的店主说，这段时间室内绿植的销量翻了一番。 　　 拥有3300万多万人口的新德里，近年来连续4次被评为全球污染最严重的首都。根据IQAir提供的数据，全球100个污染最严重的城市有63个在印度。 　　 由于当地风速小、降水少，车辆尾气、工业生产、建筑粉尘、焚烧农作物残渣所带来的污染物难以散去，新德里常年处于严重污染水平，PM2.5浓度也一度为安全上限的7倍。 　　 印度中央污染控制委员会称，新德里今年10月份的污染水平，是2020年以来最严重的。芝加哥大学能源政策研究所发布的报告还指出，新德里居民由于空气质量问题，寿命可能会缩短11.9年。 　　 尽管印度政府早早就劝导民众在排灯节期间不要燃放演化爆竹，同时也下令取缔贩卖爆竹的摊贩，但不少民众仍然无视这一禁令。 　　 排灯节傍晚，新德里街头就传出爆竹声响，入夜后更加密集，夜空也不时被烟火照亮，还有民众自制的小型天灯，空气弥漫硝烟味。 　　 据新德里当地的消防局通报，排灯节以来，一晚上就接获208通火警报案电话，其中至少有22件与民众燃放爆竹与烟火有关。 　　 许多民众表示失望，他们认为当地执法部门未严格执行烟花禁令。 　　 玛卡的邻居计划明年举家搬迁，因为孩子不能适应这里的空气环境，已经出现呼吸苦难的症状。“这里的空气污染不只危险和可怕，我认为留在这里，对我们孩子的未来而言，并不公平。”邻居说。 　　 政府出手 　　 为了解决空气问题，印度政府出台了一系列政策，但到目前为止，这些措施效果有限。 　　 在这一次排灯节来临之前，新德里市政府从11月3日开始就要求全市所有小学停课，同时还要求建筑工地停工，私家车实施单双号限行，并多次呼吁民众不要燃放烟花爆竹。 　　 　　 印度最高法院也于11月7日宣布，禁止新德里周边各邦农民焚烧农作物秸秆。 　　 然而，这些举措似乎没有什么用，仍有不少民众无视政府的禁令，在空气污染严重的情况下，继续燃点烟火及蜡烛等庆祝。 　　 据当地媒体报道，一些印度教徒对排灯节禁令感到不满，认为这是试图干扰他们庆祝宗教节日。 　　 医护人员也在抱怨，他们表示，大批市民患上哮喘等呼吸道疾病，更有甚者有生命危险。 　　 新德里一间医院的高级顾问迪帕克表示：“医院内的病人正在遭受痛苦。作为一个社会，我们还不了解清洁空气的价值。”在他看来，排灯节期间空气质量只会比平时更糟糕，燃烧烟花所产生的烟雾，可能会导致眼睛发痒和喉咙发炎。 　　 为了治理空气，新德里有两座“烟雾塔”，每座耗资200多万美元。所谓“烟雾塔”即带有巨型风扇的空气净化系统，每秒可过滤1000立方米的空气，但研究表明，它们只能净化周围几百米内的空气，对整座城市来说基本没有什么效果。 　　 印度政府甚至想用人工降雨来解决空气问题。 　　 据《印度斯坦时报》报道，新德里政府已经考虑引入人工降雨技术，带走笼罩在首都上空的颗粒物。他们计划在多云的情况下撒播碘化银，借此催化云层中的冷水滴，凝固成冰晶，最后滴落成雨。 　　 目前，这个人工降雨方案已经提交给印度最高法院，如若通过且天气条件允许，将在11月20日或21日实施。 　　 但科学家们对于该方案的有效性仍存在疑问。在不少专家看来，如果不切断污染源，人工降雨的方案治标不治本。 　　 　　 “这根本不是一种解决方案，而只是一种暂时的缓解措施。”新德里科学与环境中心研究员阿维卡尔说。 　　 很多观点认为，新德里的空气污染与周边农民燃烧农作物有关系，但专家们认为，还有不少其它污染源一直得不到足够的重视。 　　 阿维卡尔表示，即使在空气最糟糕的日子里，农作物燃烧产生的烟雾也只占首都污染的三分之一左右。停止农田焚烧并不能使烟雾消失，因为周边地区还有其它污染活动，包括燃煤发电、砖窑、垃圾焚烧、家庭使用木材和木炭做饭等等。 　　 印度能源和清洁空气研究中心的分析师达希亚也表示，其实在过去五年里，新德里周边地区燃烧麦秆的情况已大幅减少，但由于人口增长，包括建筑施工和低效炉灶在内的其他污染源正变得更加严重。 　　 达希亚举例称，新德里周边运营的发电厂本应安装污染控制装置，但由于执行不力，大多数发电厂根本没有安装。 　　 早在2019年，印度政府就启动国家清洁空气计划，提出到2024年，将102个空气质量不达标城市的空气污染水平，在2017年基础上降低20%至30%。 　　 但从目前的情况来看，由于缺乏更好的监管和规划，印度首都及其周边的空气状况看不到任何明显改善。 　　 “我最担心的是，有生之年再也看不到一个没有雾霾的首都了。”阿维卡尔说。 责任编辑：cnfol001标签烟雾污染源禁令 热门搜索 郑州抓获涉传销人员130余人 江西挖出巨型阴沉木 76集团军在高原进行演习 大熊猫国家公园正式获批 NHK自揭731细菌战暴行 全国建2442公里红色旅游公路 为您推荐 李东生出席首届《财富》创新论坛：以全球产业布局破解贸易保护主义 复星“深挖矿”筑牢高质量发展基底 2023收入利润双增长 先健科技公布2023年度业绩：国际业务增长强劲，创新驱动稳健发展 聆听亚洲声音 恒昌九度绽放博鳌亚洲论坛共促新质生产力 连连数字港股上市首日破发跌7.63% 净募资5.48亿港元 港股异动 | 零跑汽车(09863)尾盘涨超7% 全年毛利率首次转正 ... 佩蒂股份(300673.SZ)：具备了中国、东南亚和新西兰多国制造，零... SIGEP China携手冰淇淋烘焙咖啡品牌与您相聚4月24日深圳福田 3月28日老凤祥黄金673元/克 铂金365元/克 P2P钱包余额互换，助力国际友人畅享移动支付 九方财富港股跌4.39% 2023年上市首年净利降58.6% 瑞玛精密(002976.SZ)：通过直接或间接方式向客户供应精密结构件... 云汉芯城与全球手工焊接技术品牌Weller达成合作 VESYNC(02148)发布年度业绩 股东应占溢利7748.1万美元... 助推品质生活新升级，小天鹅全新推出硬核智炫S11挂机空调 净利润增长近5成 招金矿业“猛吸金” 今年多项目重点推进

• Urban Lab

沦为全球空气污染最严重的城市，印度首都怎么了？

本文来源：时代周报 作者：马欢 11月12日-11月16日，印度迎来了本年度最盛大的节日——排灯节。节日期间，家家户户都会点亮蜡烛或油灯，还会燃放烟花爆竹，人们期望光明驱逐黑暗、善良战胜邪恶、智慧击败无知。 然而，在节庆的狂欢之下，印度本就严峻的空气质量问题，雪上加霜。 12日当天晚上，浓浓的烟雾笼罩着首都新德里，午夜过后，仍不时传来烟花爆竹响声，空气中弥漫着厚重的硝烟味。 印度排灯节放烟花的人。（图源：社交媒体） 追踪空气质量的瑞士组织IQAir的数据显示，印度首都新德里的空气质量指数在11月13日一度达惊人的420点，位列全球十大空气污染最严重的城市之首。 除了新德里，还有两座印度城市在排灯节期间跻身这个榜单。分别是印度金融中心孟买（排名第六，AQI为157），东部的加尔各答（排名第七，AQI为154）。 用印度媒体的话形容，这里的空气质量“已经上升到威胁人类健康的程度”。 美国芝加哥大学能源政策研究所（EPIC）的研究也表明，自2013年以来，全球空气污染中的增量，近6成来源于印度。 当地的医疗工作者们表示，每天在这样的空气中生活，相当于吸25-30支香烟。人长时间暴露在高浓度污染物中会刺激皮肤和眼睛，可能导致严重的神经、心血管和呼吸系统疾病，增加死亡风险。 印度政府有何解决办法呢？ “空气末日” 雾霾给印度首都镀上了一层灰蒙蒙的褐色滤镜。 玛卡一家在新德里已经居住了十几年，她见证了这座城市的空气状况是如何越来越糟的。 “每到这个季节，整座城市都被黑暗的雾气笼罩，”玛卡说，“那场景仿佛时刻提醒我们，正生活在空气末日之中。” 一名孕妇干脆用胶带封住了家中所有窗缝，并全天开启空气净化器；一位父亲想为孩子寻找空气净化器，但整座城市都在缺货。 印度新德里，孩子们捂着脸以防空气污染。（图源：社交媒体） 据路透社报道，一位花店的店主说，这段时间室内绿植的销量翻了一番。 拥有3300万多万人口的新德里，近年来连续4次被评为全球污染最严重的首都。根据IQAir提供的数据，全球100个污染最严重的城市有63个在印度。 由于当地风速小、降水少，车辆尾气、工业生产、建筑粉尘、焚烧农作物残渣所带来的污染物难以散去，新德里常年处于严重污染水平，PM2.5浓度也一度为安全上限的7倍。 印度中央污染控制委员会称，新德里今年10月份的污染水平，是2020年以来最严重的。芝加哥大学能源政策研究所发布的报告还指出，新德里居民由于空气质量问题，寿命可能会缩短11.9年。 尽管印度政府早早就劝导民众在排灯节期间不要燃放演化爆竹，同时也下令取缔贩卖爆竹的摊贩，但不少民众仍然无视这一禁令。 排灯节傍晚，新德里街头就传出爆竹声响，入夜后更加密集，夜空也不时被烟火照亮，还有民众自制的小型天灯，空气弥漫硝烟味。 据新德里当地的消防局通报，排灯节以来，一晚上就接获208通火警报案电话，其中至少有22件与民众燃放爆竹与烟火有关。 许多民众表示失望，他们认为当地执法部门未严格执行烟花禁令。 玛卡的邻居计划明年举家搬迁，因为孩子不能适应这里的空气环境，已经出现呼吸苦难的症状。“这里的空气污染不只危险和可怕，我认为留在这里，对我们孩子的未来而言，并不公平。”邻居说。 政府出手 为了解决空气问题，印度政府出台了一系列政策，但到目前为止，这些措施效果有限。 在这一次排灯节来临之前，新德里市政府从11月3日开始就要求全市所有小学停课，同时还要求建筑工地停工，私家车实施单双号限行，并多次呼吁民众不要燃放烟花爆竹。 新德里的街头（图源：社交媒体） 印度最高法院也于11月7日宣布，禁止新德里周边各邦农民焚烧农作物秸秆。 然而，这些举措似乎没有什么用，仍有不少民众无视政府的禁令，在空气污染严重的情况下，继续燃点烟火及蜡烛等庆祝。 据当地媒体报道，一些印度教徒对排灯节禁令感到不满，认为这是试图干扰他们庆祝宗教节日。 医护人员也在抱怨，他们表示，大批市民患上哮喘等呼吸道疾病，更有甚者有生命危险。 新德里一间医院的高级顾问迪帕克表示：“医院内的病人正在遭受痛苦。作为一个社会，我们还不了解清洁空气的价值。”在他看来，排灯节期间空气质量只会比平时更糟糕，燃烧烟花所产生的烟雾，可能会导致眼睛发痒和喉咙发炎。 为了治理空气，新德里有两座“烟雾塔”，每座耗资200多万美元。所谓“烟雾塔”即带有巨型风扇的空气净化系统，每秒可过滤1000立方米的空气，但研究表明，它们只能净化周围几百米内的空气，对整座城市来说基本没有什么效果。 印度政府甚至想用人工降雨来解决空气问题。 据《印度斯坦时报》报道，新德里政府已经考虑引入人工降雨技术，带走笼罩在首都上空的颗粒物。他们计划在多云的情况下撒播碘化银，借此催化云层中的冷水滴，凝固成冰晶，最后滴落成雨。 目前，这个人工降雨方案已经提交给印度最高法院，如若通过且天气条件允许，将在11月20日或21日实施。 但科学家们对于该方案的有效性仍存在疑问。在不少专家看来，如果不切断污染源，人工降雨的方案治标不治本。 被浓雾笼罩的印度首都街头。（图源：社交媒体） “这根本不是一种解决方案，而只是一种暂时的缓解措施。”新德里科学与环境中心研究员阿维卡尔说。 很多观点认为，新德里的空气污染与周边农民燃烧农作物有关系，但专家们认为，还有不少其它污染源一直得不到足够的重视。 阿维卡尔表示，即使在空气最糟糕的日子里，农作物燃烧产生的烟雾也只占首都污染的三分之一左右。停止农田焚烧并不能使烟雾消失，因为周边地区还有其它污染活动，包括燃煤发电、砖窑、垃圾焚烧、家庭使用木材和木炭做饭等等。 印度能源和清洁空气研究中心的分析师达希亚也表示，其实在过去五年里，新德里周边地区燃烧麦秆的情况已大幅减少，但由于人口增长，包括建筑施工和低效炉灶在内的其他污染源正变得更加严重。 达希亚举例称，新德里周边运营的发电厂本应安装污染控制装置，但由于执行不力，大多数发电厂根本没有安装。 早在2019年，印度政府就启动国家清洁空气计划，提出到2024年，将102个空气质量不达标城市的空气污染水平，在2017年基础上降低20%至30%。 但从目前的情况来看，由于缺乏更好的监管和规划，印度首都及其周边的空气状况看不到任何明显改善。 “我最担心的是，有生之年再也看不到一个没有雾霾的首都了。”阿维卡尔说。

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Particulate matter in city air 8 times above norms

Kanpur: At 203, air quality index in Kalyanpur area is unhealthy, while in Ashok Nagar, FTI Kidwai Nagar, Gurdev Palace, IIT Kanpur, Keshavpuram, Nehrur Nagar and Panki, the status is poor. The current particulate matter 2.5 concentration in Kanpur is 7.9 times above the recommended limit given by the WHO 24 hours air quality guidelines value. According to details of the report, FTI Kidwai Nagar has highest density PM-10 value at 68. IIT Kanpur and Keshavpuram recorded PM-25 as 119 and PM-10 value as 65 at both places. The current guidelines state annual average concentrations of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 µg/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 µg/m3 more than 3 - 4 days per year. The level of air pollution had increased on Monday, the day next to Diwali but clear sky and airflow improved the situation. According to regional pollution control board officer Amit Mishra, level of pollution increased a little but situation was under control . The measures adopted earlier had controlled it. He said due to burning of firecrackers over the last three days, level of sulphur, carbon and nitrogen in the air increased . But in comparison to previous years, it was low, said Mishra. Meanwhile, state government released a sum of Rs 82 crore to Kanpur Munipal Corporation to control pollution. The state government had earlier released a sum of Rs 148 crore in two installments and it was spent on purchase of water cannons and equipment, installation of tiles on clay pathways and on developing hanging gardens and green belts at several places in the city. KMC upgraded electric crematorium machines and increased their number so that people could perform the last rites in an environment-friendly manner. Municipal commissioner Shiv Sharanappa said the sum KMC received would be spent on controlling and minimising pollution in the city. We also published the following articles recently Air & sound pollution levels soar during Deepavali daysAir and sound pollution in Bengaluru spiked during the last two days of Deepavali due to widespread bursting of crackers. Quantification of the drop in air quality is underway, with almost all areas of the city experiencing increased pollution levels. The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) tracker recorded high levels of particulate matter in the air, particularly PM 2.5 and PM 10. Meteorological factors, such as sunny days and clear skies, contributed to the pollution spike this year. Efforts to raise awareness and control pollution will continue.105245899 Mumbai Air Pollution: Local factors pollute the air, experts counter BMC chiefEnvironment experts in Mumbai have rejected the claim by municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal that air pollution in the city is due to global factors. They argue that local sources such as vehicular and industrial pollution are more consistent and responsible for the toxic smog-filled environment. While global phenomena like El Nino may intensify the adverse weather conditions, the experts emphasize the need to focus on reducing local pollution sources through a comprehensive approach by the local administration, state, and central government.105159118 'Need strictness with our control measures': Centre for Science and Environment on increasing pollution in Delhi Post-DiwaliAir pollution levels in Delhi have escalated following Diwali celebrations, with the Air Quality Index falling into the 'Poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. Despite a ban on firecrackers, visuals from various parts of the city showed fireworks lighting up the sky. The air has become still, causing an accumulation of pollution. The government has imposed strict control measures, including a ban on firecrackers and closure of primary classes, to tackle the worsening pollution situation. The concentration of PM 2.5 in the city is 20 times higher than the limit prescribed by the WHO.105183329

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

State pollution control board to initiate legal action against erring govt bodies

Patna: In a bid to combat air pollution, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has decided to initiate legal action against government bodies failing to comply with environment protection laws. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin of 244 cities issued on November 14, Saran (Chhapra) was the most polluted city in the state, with AQI of 386, followed by Bettiah (345) and Patna (324). The AQI of these cities plunged to 'very poor', which causes respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. BSPCB chairman Devendra Kumar Shukla told PTI on Wednesday, "The air quality has deteriorated in several districts of the state. We are taking all possible measures to combat it. Strict action is being taken against those, including government bodies, failing to comply with the environment protection laws under the existing provisions." "Legal action against government bodies is being initiated under the provisions of Section 48 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Section 41 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Section 17 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. All these existing laws deal with the offences (non-compliance of environment protection laws) by government departments," he said. The BSPCB on Tuesday served notice to the Bihta Municipal Council for non-compliance with environment protection laws, he said. The pollution control board has already issued instructions to district administrations concerned to strictly enforce laws to check air pollution in their respective areas, Shukla said. He said the sections of the three above-mentioned Acts state that the head of the department shall be deemed guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be prosecuted against and punished accordingly. "All district magistrates concerned have been asked to identify (pollution) hotspots in their respective districts. All departments concerned have been instructed to depute a nodal officer who will communicate daily with the BSPCB control room on the action taken on the hotspots," the official said. To prohibit uncovered constructions, waste burning, open stockpiles of construction materials along roads, provisions of Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code can be initiated against the violators, he added. PTI We also published the following articles recently Many Bihar cities record AQI over 300, BSPCB tells DMs to enforce laws to check air pollutionThe state pollution control board in Bihar has instructed district administrations to enforce laws to combat air pollution as the air quality in several cities across the state has deteriorated. The Central Pollution Control Board's daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin revealed that several districts in Bihar, including Begusarai, Saran, and Patna, had very poor air quality. The AQI assesses air quality based on eight pollutants and an AQI exceeding 300 indicates very poor air quality. The pollution control board has instructed district administrations to address issues such as construction activities, waste management, and agricultural stubble burning.105167198 'Need strictness with our control measures': Centre for Science and Environment on increasing pollution in Delhi Post-DiwaliThe air quality in Delhi has deteriorated to the 'Poor' category following the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is in the 'Very Poor' category in several areas, indicating an increase in pollution levels. The air has become still, causing an accumulation of pollution. The government has imposed a complete ban on firecrackers and is considering artificial rain as a solution to tackle the pollution. The concentration of PM 2.5 in the city is 20 times the limit prescribed by the World Health Organisation.105183329 Air pollution leads to surge in respiratory issuesThe poor air quality in Ludhiana is causing an increase in respiratory issues among residents. Health experts have reported a significant rise in patients seeking treatment for breathing problems. The surge in respiratory problems is attributed to air pollution and changing weather conditions. Patients with pre-existing respiratory ailments such as asthma and TB, as well as new cases, are seeking medical assistance. Additionally, there has been an increase in viral infections and pneumonia cases. Experts advise caution, including avoiding crowded places and wearing masks, when air quality is low.105160197