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चार दिन लगातार 'गंभीर', रिकॉर्ड की ओर बढ़ रहा दिल्ली का पलूशन, नहीं दिख रहा सलूशन

दिल्ली की हवा दिन-प्रतिदिन बिगड़नेसेदिल्ली अब एक गैस चैंबर जैसी बनती जा रही है। रविवार को दिल्ली का एक्यूआई 'बेहद गंभीर-प्लस' श्रेणी के उच्च अंत 454 तक गिर गया, जो देश मेंसबसेअधिक है। राजधानी दिल्ली की हवा दिन-प्रतिदिन बिगड़नेसेदिल्ली अब एक गैस चैंबर जैसी बनती जा रही है। रविवार को दिल्ली का वायु गुणव गु त्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) 'बेहद गंभीर-प्लस' श्रेणी के उच्च अंत 454 तक गिर गया, जो देश मेंसबसेअधिक है। दिल्ली को वायु-गुणव गु त्ता निगरानी वेबसाइट (आईक्यूएयर) मेंरविवार को दुनिया की सबसेखराब हवा वालेशहर के रूप मेंदर्शाया गया। पूर्वानुमान के अनुसार, खराब हवा के दिनों का सिलसिला अभी आगेभी जारी रहनेकी संभावना हैऔर यह 2016 और 2017 में लगातार सात दिनों की गंभीर वायुके नवंबर रिकॉर्ड के करीब पहुंच सकता है। हालात को देखतेहुए वायुगुणव गु त्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) नेग्रैप चरण-4 उपायों को लागू कर दिया है, जिसमेंगैर-आवश्यक वस्तुओं को लेजानेवालेट्रकों के प्रवेश पर प्रतिबंध भी शामिल है। द टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, ''दिल्ली मेंरविवार को लगातार चौथेदिन एक्यूआई 'गंभीर' श्रेणी मेंदर्जकिया गया और कम सेकम अगलेदो दिनों तक राहत की कोई उम्मीद नहीं है। यह राजधानी मेंइस तरह की सबसेलंबी अवधि मेंसेएक हो सकता है। पिछली ऐसी घटनाएं नवंबर 2017 और 2016 मेंसात-सात दिनों तक चली थीं। दिल्ली के लिए वायुगुणव गु त्ता प्रारंभिक चेतावनी प्रणाली के अनुसार, 8 नवंबर तक हवा की गुणव गु त्ता गंभीर श्रेणी मेंरहनेकी संभावना है। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के आंकड़ों सेपता चलता हैकि गुरुगुवार को शाम 4 बजेसमग्र वायुगुणव गु त्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) 392 था, लेकिन सुबह 5 बजेयह 402 की रीडिंग के साथ 'गंभीर' श्रेणी मेंऔर खराब हो गया। शुक्रवार, शनिवार और रविवार को एक्यूआई था क्रमशः 468, 415 और 454 था। पिछलेवर्षों मेंगंभीर दिनों के अध्ययन सेपता चलता हैकि नवंबर 2022 मेंतीन ऐसेदिन देखेगए जिनमें 3 और 4 नवंबर को लगातार दो गंभीर वायुगुणव गु त्ता वालेदिन थे,। जबकि पिछलेसाल दिसंबर मेंऐसेदो दिन थेजब AQI 400 अंक को पार कर गया था, जनवरी 2023 मेंऐसेतीन दिन देखेगए। हालांकि, नवंबर 2021 सबसेप्रदूषित था क्योंकि सीपीसीबी द्वारा अप्रैल 2015 से AQI को मापना शुरू करनेके बाद सेवर्षके अंतिम महीनेमें 11 सबसेअधिक गंभीर दिन दर्जकिए गए थे। इन 11 दिनों मेंसे, तीन गंभीर श्रेणी वालेदिनों के दो दौर दर्जकिए गए नवंबर 2020 मेंदेखेगए नौ गंभीर दिनों मेंसेAQI लगातार छह दिनों तक 400 सेऊपर रहा। नवंबर 2019 और 2018 मेंक्रमशः लगातार चार और तीन गंभीर दिनों का दौर दर्जकिया गया। लगातार सात गंभीर दिनों की सबसेलंबी अवधि नवंबर 2016 और 2017 मेंदर्जकी गई थी, लेकिन नवंबर 2015 मेंलगातार केवल तीन गंभीर दिन दर्जकिए गए। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंडएं एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक, अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी नेकहा, "इस तरह के लंबेसमय तक चलनेवालेस्मॉग के गंभीर सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य परिणाम हो सकतेहैं। हालांकि, हम मौसम विज्ञान के बारेमेंकुछ नहीं कर सकतेहैं, हम निश्चित रूप सेबहुत दृढ़ और आक्रामक कदम उठा सकतेहैं। ताकि धुंध को उड़ानेके लिए हवा न होनेपर प्रदूषण को और बढ़नेसेरोका जा सके।”

पंजाब ने 8 दिन में ही कर दी दिल्ली की हवा जहरीली, पराली जलाने के आंकड़े होश उड़ा देंगे!

पंजाब में पराली जलाने (Punjab Stuble Burning) के हैरान कर देने वाले आंकड़ें सामने आए हैं. इस सीजन में वहां अब तक 17,403 पराली जलाने की घटनाओं का पता चला है. कुल मामलों का 78.25% पिछले आठ दिनों का है. यानी, करीब 13 हजार मामले पिछले आठ दिनों में सामने आए हैं. इसके अलावा 5 नवंबर को खेतों में आग लगने की 3,230 घटनाएं दर्ज की गईं, जो कि एक दिन के हिसाब से इस सीजन का सबसे बड़ा आकंड़ा है. ये आंकड़े पंजाब रिमोट सेंसिंग सेंटर के हवाले से न्यूज एजेंसी PTI ने जारी किए हैं. आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, इस साल 15 सितंबर से 5 नवंबर तक दर्ज की गई पराली जलाने की घटनाएं पिछले साल की तुलना में 41 फीसदी कम हैं. पिछले साल इस समय तक 29,400 मामले दर्ज हुए थे. 2021 में 5 नवंबर को 5,327 और 2022 में 5 नवंबर को 2,817 मामले सामने आए. इधर, दिल्ली NCR की एयर क्वालिटी दिन ब दिन बद्तर होती जा रही है. हर तरफ धुंध छाई हुई है. स्वास्थ्य संबंधी समस्याएं बढ़ने लगी हैं. अब तो लगभग सभी इलाकों में प्रदूषण का स्तर 'गंभीर' कैटेगरी में पहुंच गया है. 6 नवंबर को सुबह 8 बजे दिल्ली का एवरेज AQI 436 था. SAFAR की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, नोएडा का AQI 616 दर्ज किया गया. बाकी इलाकों का क्या हाल? दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय- 409 (गंभीर) लोधी रोड- 450 (गंभीर) दिल्ली हवाई अड्डा- 559 (गंभीर) आर्यनगर- 499 (गंभीर) गुरूग्राम- 516 (गंभीर) मथुरा रोड- 393 (बहुत खराब) सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट CSE ने अपनी रिपोर्ट में बताया कि इस साल शहर में स्मॉग और खराब AQI की समस्या पिछले साल की तुलना में जल्दी शुरू हो गई है. इसका कारण सितंबर और अक्टूबर में कम बारिश हो सकती है. इससे पहले CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management) ने बताया कि प्रतिकूल मौसम संबंधी परिस्थितियां, खेतों में आग लगाने की घटनाओं में बढ़ोतरी और दिल्ली में प्रदूषकों (Pollutants) को ले जाने वाली उत्तर-पश्चिमी हवाएं बढ़ते AQI बढ़ने का प्रमुख कारण हैं.

शहरी विकास की चुनौती

वास्तव में 21वीं सदी शहरी विकास की सदी होगी जिसे वैश्विक शहरी आबादी में भारी वृद्धि से पहचाना जाएगा। वैश्विक स्तर पर शहर स्थानीय क्षेत्र की योजनाओं के साथ-साथ रणनीतिक योजनाओं एवं परियोजनाओं को विकसित करने की ओर बढ़ रहे हैं। भारत भी तीव्र शहरीकरण की प्रक्रिया से गुजर रहा है। शहरी नियोजन के तहत स्थानीय स्तर पर शहर के विकास से संबंधित विभिन्न पहलुओं को नियंत्रित किया जाता है। भारत वर्ष 2047 में अपनी 100वीं वर्षगांठ मनाएगा, तब तक उसकी लगभग आधी आबादी शहरी क्षेत्रों में रह रही होगी। जलवायु परिवर्तन पर अंतर-सरकारी पैन (आईपीसीसी) की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि शहरी अवसंरचना और गतिविधियां वर्तमान वैश्विक उत्सर्जन के लगभग दो-तिहाई भाग के लिए जिम्मेदार हैं। वायु एवं जल प्रदूषण,जलवायु परिवर्तन, बाढ़ और चरम गर्मी जैसे नकारात्मक बाह्य कारक शहरी अवसंरचना के आर्थिक मूल्य को प्रभावित करते हैं। जलवायु संकट इनसे संबद्ध जोखिमों को और बढ़ा देगा। बात चाहे सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट द्वारा 14 शहरों के प्रदूषण संबंधित किए गए सर्वेक्षण की हो या फिर विभिन्न प्राकृतिक आपदाओं के कारण शहरों के बुरे तरीके से प्रभावित होने की, हर आपदा तेजी से हो रहे शहरीकरण की प्रक्रिया में हुई गलतियों को उजागर कर देती है। बड़े शहरों में विशाल शहरी ढांचा विकसित हुआ है। इसके साथ ही आवासीय और कार्यालयीन निर्माण में अचानक तेजी आने से पहले से ही भीड़भाड़ वाले शहरों में आबादी का दबाव और बढ़ेगा। इसकी कीमत वायु प्रदूषण के रूप में चुकानी पड़ रही है। पानी की आपूर्ति और गंदगी का निस्तारण और बड़े मुद्दे बन जाएंगे। दिल्ली से मेरठ जाने के लिए हाईस्पीड रेल लाइन हाल ही में शुरू हुई है। अलवर आदि अन्य शहरों के लिए ऐसी अन्य लाइन बिछाने की योजना है। कल्पना कीजिए कि और तेज परिवहन के साथ इस दूरी में भी विस्तार होगा। इसलिए आवश्यक है कि शहर एक सतत एवं जलवायु अनुकूल भविष्य के लिए तैयार हों। समझना होगा कि भारत को एक व्यापक एवं एकीकृत शहरी नियोजन की आवश्यकता क्यों है? ध्यान रहे शहरी नियोजन आज के इस बढ़ते शहरीकरण का एक महत्वपूर्ण पहलू हो गया है। समस्याओं को देखते हुए देश के शहरों के लिए एक ठोस शहरी नियोजन की आवश्यकता है जिसमें वैज्ञानिक और तार्किक दृष्टिकोण पर आधारित मास्टर प्लान की व्यवस्था की गई हो। अब वक्त आ गया है कि देश के शहरों के मामले में हम अब तक प्राप्त नतीजों की तुलना में बेहतर योजनाओं का निर्माण करें।

AQI @616: दिल्ली में फिर से ऑड ईवन लागू, 13 से 20 नवंबर तक पाबंदी

24 घंटे में 68 प्रतिशत बढ़ गया पीएम 2.5: CSE दो नवंबर को महज 24 घंटे के अंतराल में पीएम 2.5 का स्तर 68 प्रतिशत बढ़ गया। राजधानी में इसका स्तर बढ़कर 313 एमजीसीएम पहुंच गया। यह भारतीय मानकों के अनुसार प्रदूषण की हेल्थ इमरजेंसी थी। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने यह आंकलन जारी किया है। सीएसई की एग्जीक्यूटिव डायरेक्टर अनुमिता रायचौधरी ने बताया कि पिछले साल नवंबर की तुलना में इस बार प्रदूषण बहुत अधिक तेजी से साथ शुरू हुआ है। मौसम की खराब स्थिति, पराली का जलना और लोकल स्तर के प्रदूषण का भी अधिक होना इसकी वजह है। सीएसई के अविकल सोमवंशी के अनुसार नवंबर में इस तरह से प्रदूषण का बढ़ना सामान्य नहीं है। इसकी मुख्य वजह मौसम के साथ दिल्ली-एनसीआर में दूर दूर से आ रहे पराली के धुएं का भी है। लेकिन इस बात का भी ध्यान रखना जरूरी है कि इस तरह के प्रदूषण की घटनाएं थोड़े समय तक रहती हैं। लोकल सोर्स के बढ़ते ही प्रदूषण तेजी से ट्रिगर होता है।

No respite for Delhi, AQI ‘severe’ for third day in a row

For the third consecutive day on Saturday, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category, shrouded in a haze of pollutants. A forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System on Saturday said the AQI is likely to remain ‘severe’ till November 7. The outlook for six days thereafter is that it is likely to be in the ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’ category. Data shows that this ‘severe’ air spell in the first week of November has persisted at least from 2019 onwards. The 24-hour average AQI at 7 pm on Saturday was 433, having deteriorated from a figure of 407 at 9 am. This was only slightly lower than the peak of 475 recorded on Friday, the highest so far this season. Meteorological factors that have been preventing the dispersion of pollutants and keeping visibility poor from Thursday onwards, remained unchanged on Saturday. According to a scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), calm conditions prevailed at the Safdarjung weather station, where the visibility was only 500 m at 7 am and improved only marginally to 600 m around 4 pm. Low wind speed of 4 kmph from the Northwest direction prevailed at Palam, where the visibility was 400 m at 7 am and 1,000 m at around 4 pm. ‘Severe’ AQI is likely to continue since low wind speed, along with winds from the northwest or north of Delhi that could bring stubble-burning smoke into the national capital, is set to prevail at least till November 7, the forecast indicates. The wind direction is likely to be from the northwest or north directions of Delhi with a low speed of 6 to 8 kmph on Sunday. The wind speed could remain the same on Monday, with wind direction from the northwest or northeast. Meanwhile, instances of stubble burning in Punjab remained above 1,000 for the seventh consecutive day on Saturday, with a fire count of 1,360, according to data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). The count in Haryana is down to 33, having peaked at 127 on October 15. Last year, in the first week of November, the AQI remained ‘severe’ on November 1, 3 and 4, going by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletins. In 2021, there was a three-day spell of ‘severe’ air days in the first week of November, from the 5th to 7th. In 2020, there was a similar three-day spell from November 5 to 7 in the first week, and this extended into the second week, till November 10. In 2019, there were three ‘severe’ air days in the first week of the month – November 1, 3 and 4. In 2018, there was just one such day on November 5. The average AQI in November 2022 (320) was lower than it was in 2020 (328) and 2021 (377). While pollution levels spike in winter, the sharpest rise is usually seen in November. Data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the daily average PM 10 and PM 2.5 levels for the winter (October to January) from 2018-19 onwards shows that the daily average particulate matter level hits the highest daily figure in November, except for 2018 when December recorded a higher PM10 level. From 2019 onwards, Diwali — when firecracker emissions also contribute to rise in pollution levels — has fallen in the first week of November only in 2021, while it was on November 7 in 2018.

How can CAQM manage pollution better? Experts offer some tips — go beyond regulation, better coordination

As the NCR sees its annual spike in pollution levels, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai flagged what he said was non-compliance by neighbouring states with directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Rai wrote to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav asking that compliance with a ban on entry of BS III and BS IV diesel buses into Delhi be ensured. “I went to Anand Vihar yesterday and all UP buses are polluting ones… the BJP governments are not listening to CAQM’s directions,” Rai said Saturday. When asked about the implementation of its directions, an official at the CAQM said, “Ensuring compliance to the desired levels is difficult, but it is not an issue… For enforcement, we have been engaged with CPCB and PCBs. There are flying squads… Besides restrictions, temporary closures of units are ensured till they comply with norms. We just implemented GRAP and are yet to get figures on compliance. State governments must ensure compliance. For other directions, there is a procedure for review. There are sub-committees, subject-specific meetings are held, and periodic reports are sought on level of compliance.” Experts, meanwhile, have a to-do list for the Commission. Mukesh Khare, professor emeritus at IIT-Delhi, who was part of the CAQM in 2020, said, “Measures being taken now are ad-hoc ones, which will never help. The immediate task should be to delineate an airshed, which involves research, and create an airshed administration cell — which can even be a unit within the CAQM — with qualified, technical experts. An airshed is an area where the sources of pollution work together — it will help us understand from where pollutants are being transported to Delhi, and to where they are traveling. The CAQM could look into such measures. The CAQM works like a regulator now and implements the Graded Response Action Plan. It has a more important role to play in managing pollution.” He added: “Emission inventory (which quantifies pollutants from different sources) is very important. The forecast model (of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology’s Air Quality Early Warning System) failed — it said air quality would remain ‘very poor’ when it turned ‘severe’ a few days ago. The reason for this is emission inventory data being used for the model is from 2018. Every year, sources and their emission potential will change. A protocol would have to be created for a uniform emission inventory.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, said, “Even though you may have stabilised the situation and several things have been done, we need a much deeper cut in pollution levels. The question is what more the Commission, the State governments, and the Centre need to do, and how quickly they need to do that to speed up action across sectors — transport, waste management. The Commission came up with a policy for the entire region in 2022. It had given an action plan for the NCR. Based on this, it has also been issuing directives from time to time, like the ban on coal use. Detailed coordination on each action point would now be critical – a policy has been made, directions are being issued, but whether the state governments have the infrastructure and finances to implement them, that will determine what impact this has.”

प्रदूषण से दिल्ली-NCR की हालत खस्ता, खतरनाक स्तर पर पहुंचा AQI, ग्रैप का चौथा चरण लागू, रहेंगी ये पाबंदियां

दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का स्तर खतरनाक स्तर पर पहुंच गया है, हालत ये चल रही है कि अब ग्रैप का चौथा चरण भी लागू कर दिया गया है। दिल्ली के कई इलाकों में हवा काफी ज्यादा जहरीली हो चुकी है, लोगों को सांस लेने में तकलीफ हो रही है। एक्सपर्ट भी अब लोगों को घर से बाहर निकलने से मना कर रहे हैं। बताया जा रहा है कि आने वाले कई दिनों तक इस धुंध से राहत नहीं मिलने वाली है। ग्रैप के चौथे चरण में क्या होगा? वैसे ग्रैप का जो चौथा चरण लागू किया गया है, इसमें कई तरह के प्रतिबंध लगा दिए गए हैं। अब दिल्ली में सीएनजी-इलेक्ट्रिक ट्रकों को छोड़कर बाकी सभी दूसरे ट्रकों की एंट्री पर बैन लग जाएगा। इसके अलावा रजिस्टर्ड डीजल गाड़ियों और भारी वाहनों की एंट्री पर कुछ दिनों के लिए रोक रहने वाली है। प्रदूषण की स्थिति को देखते हुए प्राइमरी स्कूल के अला वा क्लास 6 के ऊपर भी स्कूलों को अब बंद रखा जाएगा। बड़ी बात ये है कि स्थिति को देखते हुए राज्य सरकार अब निजी दफ्तरों में 50 फीसदी उपस्थिति का ऐलान भी कर सकती है। वर्क फ्रॉम होम के बारे में भी विचार किया जा रहा है। अब यहां ये समझना जरूरी है कि दिल्ली में प्रदूषण की स्थिति इतनी ज्यादा विस्फोटक हो चली है कि केंद्र से लेकर राज्य सरकार को अब आपातकालीन कदम उठाने पड़ रहे हैं। आंकड़े बता रहे सारी सच्चाई जानकार इस बढ़ते प्रदूषण के कई कारण मान रहे हैं। एक तरफ पंजाब, हरियाणा में जल रही पराली ने तो राजधानी को धुंआ-धुंआ किया ही है, इसके साथ-साथ दिल्ली में लगातार बढ़ते वाहनों ने भी हालत को खराब करने का काम किया है। इसके अलावा राजधानी में जो कंस्ट्रक्शन का काम चलता है, उसने भी स्थिति को बिगाड़ने का काम किया है। Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) की पिछले साल की एक रिपोर्ट बताती है कि राजधानी में जब भी PM2.5 का लेवल ज्यादा रहता है, वहां भी गाड़ियों की वजह से सबसे ज्यादा 17 फीसदी प्रदूषण फैलता है। इसके ऊपर जैसी ट्रैफिक की स्थिति यहां रहती है, वो हालत और ज्यादा विस्फोटक बन जाते हैं।

Lung Killer: In Delhi, PM2.5 up to 33 times safe standards

On Thursday afternoon, the hourly PM2.5 level shot up 33 times beyond the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) at Anand Vihar, logging a concentration of 1,985 micrograms per cubic metre. This is 132 times higher than the World Health Organization's safe guideline. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee data showed the hourly PM2.5 level at Anand Vihar rising to 1,985 micrograms per cubic metre at 1pm on Thursday. But the level saw a sudden improvement within an hour and had declined to 276 micrograms per cubic metre at 2pm. According to DPCC's hourly data, the PM2.5 concentration at Rohini was 935 micrograms per cubic metre on Thursday at 8pm, 15.6 times higher than NAAQS and 62 times higher than WHO's safe standard. Track the pollution level in your city On Friday morning, Narela recorded an hourly PM2.5 concentration of 985 micrograms per cubic metre against the NAAQS of 60 micrograms per cubic metre and the WHO safe limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre. Vivek Chattopadhyaya, principal programme manager, clean air and sustainable mobility, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "Narela is an industrial area, has dust and refuse burning problems. It has also been observed that open burning of non-hazardous waste takes place in industrial areas. Local monitoring and action thereon are missing in most areas of the city. We have seen that even the fire brigade does not reach a site on time after receiving complaints of garbage burning due to sheer ignorance of the pollution problem." delhi_pollution Chattopadhyaya added that all agencies involved should put the daily and weekly reports on action taken by them to control pollution in the public domain. Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board, which measures AQI on a scale of 0-500, displayed data that showed RK Puram touch 500 on Friday at 4pm. Though CPCB measures AQI on a scale with a maximum of 500, some private apps monitor AQI on a scale up to 1,000. In 14 of the 37 monitoring stations, AQI remained above 490 for many hours during the day. CPCB's data showed that Okhla Phase 2 and Siri Fort saw AQI rising to 499 and 498, respectively, at 3pm on Friday. The AQI reading remained above 490 at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range (491), IGI Airport (492), Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (495) and Punjabi Bagh (492), among others. The lowest AQI was recorded at IHBAS in Dilshad Garden at 371, which is in the upper end of the 'very poor' category at 3pm on Friday. Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said, "While the episodic events are adding to the background air pollution levels, sources within Delhi and the larger region around it such as transportation, industries, power generation, waste burning, construction and fugitive dust still form the major component of pollution and this is evident from the few locations in the city being more polluted than others. Efficient and effective steps at local and regional levels will help control pollution at source and must be prioritised over false solutions such as smog towers and mass deputation of anti-smog guns."

69% air pollution in Delhi comes from neighbouring states, claims minister

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai called upon his Union counterpart Bhupender Yadav on Friday to become “active” in addressing the air pollution problem, emphasising that it’s not just the national capital but the entire North India that is breathing polluted air. At a press conference held here, Rai said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is blaming Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the air pollution problem in Delhi, but he is not responsible for the poor air quality in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Rai appealed to the Union Environment Minister to become “active”, saying, “It doesn’t seem like there’s a Union Environment Ministry in Delhi.” Citing a study by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, he said 69 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi comes from neighbouring states. “While we (Delhi) are taking all possible steps to address the problem, no one knows what the environment ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are doing,” he said. He cautioned that the next 15 days are critical for the entire Delhi-NCR and that all state governments should remain vigilant and work together to control air pollution. Rai said the government received feedback that air pollution monitoring teams set up by departments concerned are not working properly on the ground. “Therefore, we have issued directions to all departments involved to prepare mechanisms to monitor the working of these teams,” he said. Directions have also been issued to ensure strict implementation of directives issued by the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management to curb air pollution. The pollution control panel on Thursday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing and mining in Delhi-NCR as the air quality in the capital nosedived to the ‘severe’ category. Construction work related to national security or defence, projects of national importance, healthcare, Railways, Metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation and water supply are exempt from the ban. This action is part of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) — the Centre’s air pollution control plan implemented in the region during the winter season. Under Stage III, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar. GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I —‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II — ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III — ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV — ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI above 450). Delhi’s air quality plummeted to the ‘severe plus’ category on Friday morning, at which point all emergency measures, including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction, are mandated to be initiated and enforced in the National Capital Region. The city’s air quality index rose from 351 at 10 am on Thursday to 475 at 12 noon on Friday.

Developing nations open to locating Loss and Damage Fund in World Bank

New Delhi: Developing countries have indicated that they are agreeable to locating the Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund in the World Bank but for a pre-determined interim period following which it will become an independent entity -- a significant change from their earlier position and one which could accelerate the creation of the fund. The compromise offer was made by developing country parties to kickstart the L&D fund in view of an increase in severe weather events, many of which are ravaging the economies of least developed, vulnerable and developing economies. Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, member of the L&D Transitional Committee representing least developed countries, small islands, the Caribbean, Asia Pacific and Africa said they have an open mind on the location of the fund and their option is to have World Bank as the interim location for a predetermined period with an exit strategy thereafter. The L&D facility will have an independent legal personality after exiting World Bank, he said. “Loss and damage” is a general term used in UN climate negotiations to refer to the consequences of climate change that go beyond what people can adapt to, or when options exist but a community doesn’t have the resources to access or utilize them. This could include the loss of coastal heritage sites due to rising sea levels, or the loss of homes and lives during extreme floods, according to World Resources Institute. The operationalising of the Loss and Damage Facility was discussed at the fifth meeting of the Transitional Committee being held in Abu Dhabi on Friday. HT reported on October 26 that the fourth meeting of the Transitional Committee ended in Aswan last month without a clear consensus on operationalising the fund, exposing a deep trust deficit between rich and emerging economies over historic responsibility, climate reparations and making money available for compensation. The UN Climate Summit (COP28) host , the United Arab Emirates offered to host a fifth meeting to resolve differences among rich and developing countries on November 3 and 4. Wangdi said they are clear that the fund should offer direct support through largely grant based non-debt finance to developing countries to help them reconstruct their lives. It should address severity of climate impacts on people, infrastructure and ecosystems. There should be flexibility to address variation among events in the developing world. It should also cover slow onset events sea level rise, glacial retreat, drought, land degradation and others, he said. “Developing countries make a BIG concession to developed countries by agreeing to the #WorldBank being the “interim” host and trustee of the new #LossAndDamage Fund for two years, if the proposed following conditions are met: (a) Is fully consistent with the provisions and principles of the Convention and the Paris Agreement as well as the Fund’s Governing Instrument; (b) The full autonomy of the Board of the Fund to select the Executive Director of the Fund, in line with the relevant World Bank human resources policies...the provisions and principles of the Convention and Paris Agreement as well as the Fund’s governing instrument supersede the policies, definitions and classifications of the World Bank in instances where they differ; allow developing countries to directly access resources from the Fund, including, sub-national, national or regional entities, and small grants funding for communities,” Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy for Climate Action Network International tweeted. The US, one of the developed nations pushing for the fund to be located in the World Bank also said there is no obligation for any party under Paris Agreement on providing funds for Loss and Damage. “It is entirely based on cooperation and not on liability,” the US representative said. The payment to the fund based on common but differentiated responsibility and obligation is absolutely unacceptable and a non-starter for US. HT earlier reported that collapse of the talks on L&D, which could snowball at COP28 if rich and emerging nations are unable to arrive at a compromise, is particularly significant with an over 99% probability of 2023 ending up the warmest year on record, according to the US’ National Centers for Environmental Information’s Global Annual Temperature Outlook and data through September. Developed countries rejected the foundational principle of common-but-differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR&RC) between developed and developing countries, and thus, their lead role in providing finance to developing countries as part of their financial obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement. Developing countries have contended that if the L&D facility is located in the World Bank, it will not have a legal personality and hence will not enjoy as much independence in operating the fund. “Why are we so suspicious of the World Bank as “interim” host for the L&D Fund? Because once you set up a bureaucracy it is no simple matter to get rid of it and move to something else. The World Bank’s own Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) offer a valuable lesson,” tweeted Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns at ActionAid USA. “Developing countries are keen to host the Fund within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change where the principle of equity will be mandatorily upheld. The World Bank’s funding is primarily focused on loans, while loss and damage funding must necessarily be grant-based and easy to access. Developed countries are proposing a new set of checks and balances for the Fund to be hosted within the World Bank, but if that is the case, why do we need the World Bank -- why not develop a new entity altogether, under the UNFCCC?” Tamanna Sengupta, Programme Officer, Climate Change, Centre for Science and Environment had said on October 19. “This weekend’s Fifth Meeting of the Transitional Committee must build consensus and deliver clear, clean, and strong recommendations ahead of COP28 to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund and funding arrangements, so it can be activated and capitalized soon after,” said Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President in a statement on Friday.

Delhi environment minister urges Union counterpart to become 'active' as north India grapples with polluted air

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai called upon his Union counterpart Bhupender Yadav on Friday to become "active" in addressing the air pollution problem, emphasising that it's not just the national capital but the entire North India that is breathing polluted air. At a press conference held here, Rai said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is blaming Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the air pollution problem in Delhi, but he is not responsible for the poor air quality in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Rai appealed to the Union Environment Minister to become "active", saying, "It doesn't seem like there's a Union Environment Ministry in Delhi." Citing a study by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, he said 69 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi comes from neighbouring states. "While we (Delhi) are taking all possible steps to address the problem, no one knows what the environment ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are doing," he said. He cautioned that the next 15 days are critical for the entire Delhi-NCR and that all state governments should remain vigilant and work together to control air pollution. Rai said the government received feedback that air pollution monitoring teams set up by concerned departments are not working properly on the ground. "Therefore, we have issued directions to all departments involved to prepare mechanisms to monitor the working of these teams," he said. Directions have also been issued to ensure strict implementation of directives issued by the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management to curb air pollution. The pollution control panel on Thursday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work, stone crushing, and mining in Delhi-NCR as the air quality in the capital nosedived to the 'severe' category. Construction work related to national security or defence, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation, and water supply are exempt from the ban. This action is part of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) — the Centre's air pollution control plan implemented in the region during the winter season. Under Stage III, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI above 450). Delhi's air quality plummeted to the 'severe plus' category on Friday morning, at which point all emergency measures, including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction, are mandated to be initiated and enforced in the National Capital Region. The city's AQI rose from 351 at 10 am on Thursday to 475 at 12 noon on Friday.

Junk Food's $30 Billion Opening Is India's Next Health Crisis

Packaged food companies, hampered in Western markets, are pushing into developing nations with weaker public health awareness. At a primary school outside Delhi, Aditi Mehrotra stood before a class of second graders to talk about a growing menace: junk food. With no patience for side chatter, Mehrotra, a seasoned nutritionist, quizzed the room on “bad sugars,” and explained the benefits of a traditional Indian diet. In one game, students identified raw vegetables while blindfolded. During another, they planned a nutritious picnic. Then Mehrotra paused to test whether any of this had sunk in. “How many would rather eat at McDonald’s for your birthday than at home?” she asked. Many hands shot into the air. “This is what we’re up against,” Mehrotra said between activities at Lotus Valley International School, a sprawling institution catering to an affluent city just outside the Indian capital. “There are so many new tricks and temptations for children.” The global packaged food and beverage industry is on the hunt for its next frontier. Regulatory scrutiny and greater public health awareness are hampering business in core Western markets, where products from Nestlé SA and Kellanova, maker of Frosties and Pringles, have long been familiar grocery store staples. Over the past decade, demand for potato chips and chocolate has stalled in North America and much of Europe. The recent surge in popularity of appetite-suppressing drugs like Ozempic is already curbing sales for Walmart Inc. and undercutting share prices for food and beverage companies. Against that backdrop, executives see a lifeline in countries like India — populous emerging economies where ultra-processed and packaged foods are still relative novelties, the latest slimming drugs aren’t accessible and expansive marketing curbs are rare, including when it comes to children. Countries like Mexico, where childhood obesity is a leading health concern, have restricted companies from advertising unhealthy food to youth. But no such rules exist in India. Starchy cereals and sugary drinks are sold as quality options in commercials featuring Bollywood actors and cartoon characters. In India’s metropolises, large supermarkets still aren’t common, but convenience store chains now compete against traditional, open-air vegetable markets. Sales of snacks and soft drinks almost tripled over the past decade in India, exceeding $30 billion last year. Unilever Plc, which makes mayonnaise, ice cream and Horlicks malted milk drinks, expects the South Asian nation to become the London-based company’s largest source of revenue within a decade. These days, 60% of their business comes from emerging markets. “India’s on fire,” said Hanneke Faber, the outgoing head of nutrition at Unilever, calling the country a “fantastic growth engine.” What this all means for the well-being of India’s 1.4 billion people is a conundrum of growing magnitude for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His government has pushed to attract foreign investment to the world’s most populous nation, but must weigh progress on that front against the health costs of a new food economy in which diets — often too high in oil and starchy carbohydrates, too low in protein, even when food is cooked at home — are increasingly full of empty calories. Though extreme hunger still stalks India, the opposite problem is now also true. Since the country liberalized three decades ago, leading to swift economic development and urbanization, the adult obesity rate has more than tripled. Among children, the annual rise is the steepest in the world, behind Vietnam and Namibia, according to the World Obesity Federation. Food manufacturers emphasized in statements that many of their products address gaps in the Indian market and they’re continuously pushing to offer healthy options. Over the past year, Kellanova said the company has cut sugar in its chocolate cereal by a fifth. Nestlé noted that it voluntarily includes nutrition information on the front packaging of items sold in India. And a spokesperson for Unilever said the company is committed to providing quality products that “strike a balance between nutrient fortification and palatability.” Revant Himatsingka, a public health campaigner and social media influencer, said these measures aren’t enough. He urged India’s government to step in with tougher regulation, drawing a parallel to efforts undertaken to curb tobacco use. In the US, food companies “have to go to even more advanced levels of marketing to try to get someone to buy something unhealthy,” he said. “In India, the awareness is not as much there. This is why these companies are making insane amounts of money.” Among the most sensitive debates is how to sell food products to children. Packaging rules in India are lax compared to other parts of the world. Unlike in most of Latin America, food and beverage companies aren’t required to include front-of-container notes on sugar, fats and salt levels — not even on a voluntary basis, like in Europe or South Korea. Many companies use English on their food packaging, though the language is spoken by only 10% or so of India’s population, and even fewer among those younger than 10. A recent advertisement for Kinder Joy chocolate eggs highlights that a toy is included with the sweet, a feature that previously prompted Chile to ban a similar product. “There’s something special inside,” a mother says to her children in Hindi. They dance, describe the joy of eating chocolate and hold up toys contained in capsules within the eggs. The commercial, shown on television and social media, notes the sweet’s Vitamin B12 content — but says nothing about a single egg containing close to half of the daily sugar intake recommended by health experts for children under 10. A spokesperson for the Ferrero Group, the Italian company that owns the Kinder Joy brand, said its advertising is “directed only to adults who make purchasing decisions.” In a statement, the spokesperson said most of Ferrero’s products come in “single wrapped servings, so people can enjoy them in a suitable amount,” and the vast majority contain less than 150 calories. Himatsingka, the public health campaigner, said advertisements aimed at children have multiplied. One of the greatest threats to India, he argues, is the profusion of junk food products “pretending to be healthy.” It’s prompted him to turn to Instagram videos, where he unpacks the techniques food companies use to woo consumers. The cost of speaking out is high. Himatsingka, a former McKinsey consultant, took down one of his most popular posts after receiving legal notices. In that video, he warns viewers about the sugar content of Bournvita, a children’s drink owned by Mondelez International Inc., one of the world’s largest snacks companies. “Instead of an active kid, there should be a sick kid in the photo here,” Himatsingka says in the video, pointing to the packaging. A spokesperson for Bournvita said the video “distorted facts” and “made false and unverified inferences” about the product’s safety. The drink has been “scientifically crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to offer the best of taste and health,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement, adding that the company is fully compliant with India’s laws. “All the necessary nutritional information is mentioned on the pack for consumers to make informed choices.” India’s relationship to food is complex, adding a layer of nuance to public health debates. As late as the 1990s, India’s target, like China’s or Brazil’s, was on eradicating extreme hunger, putting the focus on calories — not nutrition. Obesity “was seen as a disease of luxury, mainly among the affluent classes,” said Eduardo Gómez, a global health policy professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. But as India’s economy liberalized and outsiders rushed in, fast-food companies like McDonald’s Corp. offered new, cheap and filling choices, with the added allure of a foreign brand. And as Indians grew richer, they had more money to spend on imported food and eating out. Higher weight has long been a status marker for some. “The dilemma India faces is how to work with these major multinationals and food and beverage companies, guaranteeing investment and jobs, while at the same time protecting the public’s health,” said Gómez, who recently wrote a book on the topic. Though hunger and extreme poverty are still realities in rural India, even there, the changes are undeniable. Nestlé’s Maggi noodles are a common snack even in small towns, while Coca-Cola is selling smaller and cheaper portions of its beverages to a price-conscious population — just as other consumer brands sell sachets of shampoos and detergents. “Now, in the remotest part of the country, one thing you can find is a packet of chips or a bottle of Coca-Cola,” said Pawan Agarwal, who runs the Food Future Foundation, a non-profit organization in Delhi that promotes nutritional literacy among children. In recent years, public health activists have increased pressure on India’s government to better communicate the consequences of consuming copious amounts of junk food. In 2011, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India was created to govern industry standards. And it’s now mandatory to color-code food products to show if they’re vegetarian. But many feel change is too slow and that food conglomerates have loud voices when it comes to shaping public policy. Throughout 2021, the FSSAI held a series of meetings with advocacy groups and food executives to put together a new set of regulations for packaging. Public health advocates argued that India’s color-coding system should also include products with high sugar, fat and carbohydrates — a model embraced in much of Europe. Food lobbyists pushed back, according to researcher Amit Khurana, who attended, leading to “very intense” discussions that sometimes lasted hours without a break. “It was as if we had to prove that this is in the interest of consumers,” said Khurana, who works for the Centre for Science and Environment, which campaigns for public interest causes in India. After a crucial final meeting in Feb. 2022, the FSSAI proposed using health star ratings adopted by Australia and New Zealand. Research suggests that this system has virtually no impact on curbing unhealthy purchases, according to Lindsey Smith Taillie, a nutrition epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Meeting minutes showed that big Indian business lobbyists and food companies, including Coca-Cola and Nestlé, outnumbered representatives from the WHO and related groups by more than two-to-one. Though the star system isn’t yet in effect and could still change, public health activists warn that companies can simply add positive nutrients to get a higher rating, even if those ingredients don’t transform unbalanced foods into balanced ones. “We are in danger of moving backward in policy,” Sunita Narain, the head of CSE, wrote in a letter last year to India’s top official for food safety at the time. Sudhansh Pant, India’s health secretary and chairperson of the FSSAI, didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment. The cost of doing nothing could weigh heavily on India’s youngest generation, a preoccupation for administrators back at Lotus Valley International School in Gurugram, a planned financial hub southwest of the country’s capital. Inside the so-called “Fit Room,” big, colorful charts depict food wheels and dozens of students shuffle in for regular nutrition talks. Recently, the school invited a chef to demonstrate how to cook healthy roti, or flatbreads, made from millets. The school’s principal, Anita Malhotra, said the seminars started about a decade ago as more students began bringing processed food in their tiffins, or lunchboxes. The school has also tried to educate parents, she said, partly because most of the worst products simply didn’t exist in the India of a generation ago. When she herself was a child almost every meal was cooked at home, the educator recalls. Now, food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy deliver within minutes, making it difficult to turn back the page to another era, when food was at least free of additives and excessive salt.

Delhi environment minister urges Union counterpart to become 'active' as north India grapples with polluted air

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai called upon his Union counterpart Bhupender Yadav on Friday to become "active" in addressing the air pollution problem, emphasising that it's not just the national capital but the entire North India that is breathing polluted air. At a press conference held here, Rai said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is blaming Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the air pollution problem in Delhi, but he is not responsible for the poor air quality in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Rai appealed to the Union Environment Minister to become "active", saying, "It doesn't seem like there's a Union Environment Ministry in Delhi." Citing a study by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, he said 69 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi comes from neighbouring states.

Delhi AQI: Peak farm fire season begins, brace for more trouble

The peak stubble burning season has begun, with farm fires in north-west India showing a rise. Usually, the intense burning takes place in the first fortnight of November. An analysis of last year's satellite data shows the number of daily paddy residue burning events stood between 2,500 and 3,500 from November 2 to 12. The peak per day counts recorded in 2022 were 3,916 on November 11 and 3,634 on November 2 in Punjab, according to Indian Agricultural Research Institute data. Track the pollution level in your city From September 15 till November 1 this year, satellites detected 9,594 paddy residue burning events in Punjab, 1,296 in Haryana, 1,029 in UP and two in Delhi. In the corresponding period last year, the figures stood at 17,846 in Punjab, 2,083 in Haryana, 777 in UP and six in Delhi. Though farm fires are fewer this year, experts said the intense burning season has now begun. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "As we are now fast approaching the sowing time of the next crop, there will be a rush to burn residues if alternatives are not available to farmers. Rapid outreach and concentrated efforts are required to prevent this as far as possible. Ultimately, a solution is possible only by enabling farmer access to technology and the market for biomass." On Wednesday, the daily stubble burning counts were 1,921, 99 and 95 in Punjab, Haryana and UP, respectively. The figures for Thursday were unavailable. In this season so far, Amritsar, Sangrur, Tarn Taran and Firozpur in Punjab and Fatehabad, Kaithal and Jind in Haryana are witnessing a higher number of farm fires. Gufran Beig, chair professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, and founder, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, said, "The data of past years shows that intense burning takes place from November 1 to 15. The burning season gets over by November-end." Chandra Bhushan, CEO, International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iForest), said though some action has been taken, the basic problem has not been solved yet. "The problem and solution to the issue is the combined harvester. It harvests the crop but allows a few inches of paddy to remain in the ground. There is a need to change its design so that everything is cut and no paddy residue is left," said Bhushan. He added, "The stubble of basmati rice is not burnt. Haryana is a basmati belt where the crop is harvested manually and no residue is left. Hence, Haryana witnesses fewer farm fires than Punjab." Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas said Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, a central government PSU, is setting up a second generation (2G) bio-refinery plant at Bathinda at a cost of over Rs 1,400 crore. The bio-refinery is designed for utilisation of paddy straw for production of ethanol for blending with petrol under the Centre's ethanol blending programme. "The production capacity of this plant is 100 kilo litre ethanol/day. For this purpose, 570 MT of paddy straw would be utilised per day (2,00,000 MT annually) when the plant operates at full capacity. Approximately, 1 lakh MT biomass will be procured this season for use as feedstock for the 2G ethanol plant, which is expected to be commissioned by this yearend," CAQM said.

As Delhi's Air Quality Deteriorates, AAP Asks Centre To Be "Active"

Delhi Minister Gopal Rai called upon Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to be "active" in addressing the deteriorating air quality in the national capital region, emphasising that entire North India is battling air pollution. The Delhi Environment Minister said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is blaming Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the air pollution problem in Delhi, but he is not responsible for the poor air quality in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. "Pollution is increasing all around Delhi and surrounding areas, so I request that the Union Environment Minister should be active. BJP has government in UP and Haryana, they should be active," Mr Rai said at a press conference. Citing a study by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, he said 69 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi comes from neighbouring states. "While we (Delhi) are taking all possible steps to address the problem, no one knows what the environment ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are doing," he said. "The effect of the Delhi government's steps is visible. If we talk about pollution throughout the year, in 2015 there were only 109 days when the air quality was good, this year it has been good for more than 200 days," Mr Rai added. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi at 8 am today stood at 346, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles - so tiny they can enter the bloodstream - were almost 35 times the daily maximum permissible by the World Health Organization, according to monitoring firm IQAir. The AAP leader cautioned that the next 15 days are critical for the entire Delhi-NCR and that all state governments should remain vigilant and work together to control air pollution. Mr Rai said the government received feedback that air pollution monitoring teams set up by concerned departments are not working properly on the ground. "Therefore, we have issued directions to all departments involved to prepare mechanisms to monitor the working of these teams," he said.

Living in ‘gas chambers’: What is making Delhi’s air so toxic?

Traffic moves on a road enveloped by fog and smog in New Delhi on 3 November. Authorities on Friday shut primary schools and banned polluting vehicles and construction activity to control the worst haze and smog this season, causing respiratory infections among people and enveloping monuments and high-rise buildings in and around New Delhi. AP It’s that time of the year. Delhi-NCR is becoming breathless, struggling to deal with the deteriorating air quality. The region is battling the season’s worst pollution. On Friday, the capital was the most polluted major city in the world, according to Swiss air monitor IQAir. The pollution in Delhi-NCR has peaked over the last few days, throwing everyday life out of gear. We take a look at how bad the situation is and what’s in the air that makes it so toxic. How bad is the pollution in Delhi and its neighbourhoods? On Friday, Delhi woke up to another bad air day. A thick layer of smog engulfed the city and its surrounding areas. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index stood at 346, which is severe. To put things in perspective, AQI between 51 and 100 is considered moderate. Anything above 200 is poor. The readings for Delhi’s Lodhi Road, Jahangirpuri, RK Puram, and IGI Airport (T3) were 438, 491, 486, and 473 respectively. The AQI at Anand Vihar reached the “severe’ category with PM 2.5 and PM 10 at 500, while NO2 was recorded at 76, under the “satisfactory” level and CO at 113 in the “moderate category”, as per CPCB. The AQI was 999 on Thursday. In Wazirpur, the air quality was “hazardous” with 763 AQI. In Gurugram, the air quality was “severe” with AQI in Gwal Pahari touching 440. There is no respite from pollution for the next few weeks. The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi (EWS) in its bulletin said that air quality was likely to be in the “very poor” category until 4 November and also in the subsequent six days. However, the dip to severe was not predicted. Now experts warn that the next 15 days remain critical. What’s making the Delhi air so harmful? Winter is setting in which means farm fires have started in north-west India. They are a major cause of pollution. Studies by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee pointed out that in the last couple of years, winters have become synonymous with hazardous smog, reports NDTV. The pollution peaks from 1 November to 15 November as stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana see a spike. Satellites detected 1,921 farm fire counts in Punjab, 99 in Haryana and 95 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. This year, Punjab saw a 740 per cent increase with 1,068 farm fire incidents after a relatively smoke-free October. Since then stubble burning has continued to rise steadily. The Decision Support System, the forecasting body under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, estimated the share of stubble burning to PM 2.5 levels in Delhi on Wednesday was 18.13 per cent, up from 7.175 per cent on Tuesday. It was predicted to be 22.4 per cent on Thursday and 21 per cent on Friday. The weather department has said that because of the rise in farm fires, no improvement in Delhi’s air quality is expected over the next two days, according to the NDTV report. But stubble burning is not all to be blamed. Pollutants in the air affected visibility in the city. Safdarjung, which is the city’s base station, saw mostly easterly winds on Thursday while Palam witnessed north-westerly winds, reports The Times of India. According to experts pollutants accumulate because of winds coming from opposite directions. The visibility in Safdarjung dropped to 500 metres with shallow fog and it was 1000 metres in Palam on Thursday, the report says. Gufran Beig, founder project director SAFAR, and chair professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, told The Indian Express, “Weather conditions have also become favourable for the accumulation of pollutants. Low visibility is on account of the intrusion of particles.” “From around this time of the year, wind direction changes and becomes north-northwest. The temperature is not that low, but major factors now are transport level wind direction and speed that is bringing pollutants into Delhi — stubble-related emissions travel at half a km to one km above the surface,” he added. Lack of strong winds and no rainfall means there is little chance of respite from pollutants. A wind speed of anywhere between 10 to 12 kmph is needed to help disperse pollutants. But the wind speed on Friday was predicted to be four to 10 kmph and around six to eight on Saturday and Sunday, according to the EWS, the report says. Rainfall during days of pollution can be a blessing. With no rain, Delhi witnessed the worst air quality in October 2023 since 2020, say meteorologists. Emissions from vehicular traffic also added to the pollution. In a study conducted last year, the Centre for Science and Environment in a study concluded that vehicular emissions contributed to nearly 51 per cent of the PM 2.5 levels in the national capital region. Industries and construction activities contributed to 11 and 7 per cent respectively, reports NDTV. What’s Delhi doing to tackle the pollution? A lot right now. All schools have been shut for two days. The Capital is imposing emergency measures including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction. These measures constitute the final stage of the Centre’s air pollution control plan and should ideally be activated at least three days before the AQI surpasses the 450 mark, as chalked out in a policy document prepared by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai chaired a review meeting with all concerned departments at the Delhi secretariat on Friday, on the issue of rising air pollution levels and strict implementation of GRAP-III measures.