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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 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 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 Delhi-NCR and 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.

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.

Curbs on BS III petrol, BS IV diesel cars: Desperate Delhi looks to loosen pollution's grip

NEW DELHI: After the air quality turned 'severe' on Thursday at 5pm, the sub-committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management enforced the measures for 'severe' air pollution under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan with immediate effect in Delhi and NCR. Thus, construction and demolition (C&D), stone crushing and mining-associated activities have been prohibited. In Delhi, all primary classes till Class V have been suspended. CAQM asked all states to impose strict restrictions on allowing BS III petrol and BS IV diesel cars running in Delhi and in the districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. Delhi Metro will add 20 more trips across its network from Friday to meet the additional public transport demand. It is already running 40 extra train trips on weekdays. Track the pollution level in your city CAQM's order banned all C&D activities, except those related to railways and metro services, airports, inter-state bus terminals, national security, defence-related activities, projects of national importance, among others. While non-polluting and non-dust generating activities can continue, the ban on C&D activities will impact the earnings of the daily-wage labourers involved in the housing sectors. CAQM said it invoked stage III of GRAP to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region. "Unfavourable meteorological conditions, sudden increase in farm fires and north-westerly winds moving pollutants to Delhi are the major causes for the sudden spike in AQI," explained CAQM, adding that it was keeping a close watch on the situation. It directed officials to further intensify public transport services and introduce differential rates to encourage off-peak travel. All schools will hold primary classes online. A Municipal Corporation of Delhi official said directions have been issued to intensify implementation of dust mitigation measures, including sprinkling of water on roads, use of mechanical road sweepers and curbing of open burning of waste. "We will take a call on biomining of legacy waste at the three landfills too," the official said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "Emergency measures under GRAP stage III are now necessary to prevent further loading of pollution when pollutants are already trapped in the city's air." Sunil Dahiya, analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said, "While Delhi looked at its worst air quality day this season, we know it was a failure of the system to cut down pollution at source in a systematic way. We still see a significant contribution from stubble burning and a major part of pollution still comes from the transport sector within and beyond Delhi. Industries and power stations in Delhi-NCR have also failed to reduce emission load and pollution."

Make MSP legally binding, empower landless farm workers to spread all-round cheer

Imagine if a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had shown that the Indian industry had in 2022 suffered a cumulative loss of Rs 14-lakh crore ($169 billion). All newspapers without exception would have carried bold headlines on the front page, and the TV anchors would have been shrieking 24x7 calling it as clear cut case of policy paralysis. The demand for an economic stimulus package to the industry would have grown by now. Just like what happens when the stock market is down, the Finance and Industry Ministers would be seen reassuring industry captains of adequate support. But nothing like this has happened. Not because there has been any change in the corporate media policy, but because the staggering loss that the OECD depicted was actually not for the industry but for Indian agriculture. Agriculture being a downmarket subject for the Indian media, it is often treated as nothing more than a filler. If there is nothing important happening that day, editors normally try to fill the pages with reports on agriculture. That’s how agriculture, where 70 per cent of the rural households remain dependent on for their livelihoods, is given a short shrift. However, this article is not about how the media treats agriculture but how the massive loss for agriculture that OECD has worked out further worsens the plight of the farming community. For several decades now, agriculture continues to be in a severe distress. My attention was drawn to a report in Down to Earth magazine (Oct 31, 2023) entitled: ‘Indian farmers taxed $169 billion via export bans or restriction in 2022: OECD report’. The report said that Indian farmers are being continuously taxed negatively for the past two decades, right from 2000, to be precise. The author had gone through the long report available on the web, and sieving through numerous charts and figures, brought out the salient features in a form that could be easily understood. Following the Russia-Ukraine war, India had imposed restrictions on export of wheat, wheat atta and subsequently on non-basmati rice. In addition, there were restrictions on pulses, sugar and a hike in onion and basmati minimum export prices. This may be important for stabilising the domestic price as also to ensure food security, but at the same time ‘exacerbate the persistent challenge of low farm incomes’.

Gopal Rai Asks Centre To Intervene As Delhi AQI Dips To ‘Severe Plus’ Category

Delhi Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday called upon Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav to become more active in addressing the deteriorating air quality in the national capital region. He also mentioned that the entire north India is breathing polluted air. This comes after the air quality in the national capital deteriorated to the ‘severe plus’ category on Friday morning. The AQI rose from 351 at 10 am on Thursday to 475 at 12 noon on Friday, as reported by news agency PTI. The Delhi Environment minister emphasised that the BJP is blaming Rai appealed to the Union Environment Minister to become proactive in addressing the issue, saying, "It doesn't seem like there's a Union Environment Ministry in Delhi." He also cited research from the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment to claim that neighbouring states are responsible for 69 per cent of Delhi's air pollution. "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,” Ra

दिल्ली ही नहीं देश के इन 10 शहरों में भी सांस फुला रही जहरीली हवा, लिस्ट देख लीजिए

सीएसई विश्लेषण से पता चलता है कि सर्दियों के दौरान वायुमंडलीय परिवर्तन जैसे उलटाव, शांत स्थिति, हवा की दिशा में बदलाव और पूरे उत्तर भारत में परिवेश के तापमान में मौसमी गिरावट प्रदूषण का कारण बनती है।

Delhi Pollution: कितना और बढ़ा प्रदूषण तो रहने लायक नहीं बचेगी दिल्लीं? एक्‍सपर्ट से जानें

How Dangerous is Delhi air Pollution: दिल्‍ली में प्रदूषण स्‍तर लगातार बढ़ रहा है. शहर के अधिकांश हिस्‍सों में एयर क्‍वालिटी सीवियर केटेगरी में पहुंच गई है जबकि कुछ हिस्‍सों में हालात इतने खराब हैं कि लोगों का दम घुट रहा है और सांस लेने में ऑक्‍सीजन के बजाय धुआं अंदर जा रहा है. गुरुवार को आनंद विहार में एक्‍यूआई 999 दर्ज किया गया है. इतने भीषण हालात में कुछ लोग दिल्‍ली को छोड़कर अन्‍य जगहों पर चले गए हैं लेकिन बड़ी आबादी अभी भी राजधानी में रहने को मजबूर है. ऐसे में लोगों के मन में ये सवाल है कि इतने प्रदूषण स्‍तर के बावजूद क्‍या दिल्‍ली अभी भी रहने लायक बची है? या अभी कितना और प्रदूषण बढ़ने पर दिल्‍ली में रहना जानलेवा हो जाएगा और लोगों को इसे छोड़कर जाना पड़ेगा. आइए जानते हैं एक्‍सपर्ट से इसका जवाब… सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की एयर पॉल्‍यूशन यूनिट में एसोसिएट एक्‍सपर्ट विवेक चट्टोपाध्‍याय का कहना है कि दिल्‍ली में प्रदूषण गंभीर हो चुका है. वहीं आनंद विहार जैसी कई जगहों पर तो एयर क्‍वालिटी खतरनाक हो चुकी है और इन जगहों पर इमरजेंसी के हालात हैं. यहां रहना और घरों से बाहर निकलना खतरे से खाली नहीं है. यहां सरकार को लोकल स्‍तर पर हेल्‍थ एडवाइजरी जारी करनी चाहिए.

दिल्ली-एनसीआर पर छाई जहरीली धुंध की मोटी परत, जानें क्यों सांस लेना हो गया है दूभर

दिल्ली-एनसीआर को जहरीली धुंध की मोटी परत ने अपनी आगोश में ले लिया है। इस सीजन में पहली बार हवा की गुणवत्ता गिरकर ‘सीवियर प्लस’ श्रेणी में पहुंच गई है। राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र में स्कूल दो दिनों के लिए बंद कर दिए गए हैं और कमर्शियल चार पहिया वाहनों और निर्माण गतिविधियों पर प्रतिबंध सहित सभी आपातकालीन उपाय जल्द ही शुरू किए जा सकते हैं। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के अनुसार, आज सुबह 8 बजे दिल्ली में वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) 346 था। दिल्ली के लोधी रोड, जहांगीरपुरी, आरके पुरम और आईजीआई एयरपोर्ट (टी3) इलाकों में हवा की गुणवत्ता गंभीर बनी हुई है, जहां एक्यूआई रीडिंग क्रमश: 438, 491, 486 और 473 रही। निगरानी फर्म IQAir के अनुसार, शुक्रवार को, सबसे खतरनाक PM2.5 कणों का स्तर लगभग 35 गुना अधिक था। ये कण इतने छोटे हैं कि वे आपके रक्तप्रवाह में प्रवेश कर सकते हैं। हालांकि प्रदूषण के लिए कई कारक जिम्मेदार हैं, जिसमें मुख्य रूप से वाहनों से होने वाला उत्सर्जन, पराली जलाने से निकलने वाला धुआं और कम हवा की गति शामिल हैं। दिल्ली प्रदूषण नियंत्रण समिति के अध्ययन के अनुसार, पिछले कुछ वर्षों से, दिल्ली की सर्दियां खतरनाक धुंध की मोटी परत का पर्याय होकर रह गई हैं। अब तो जैसे हर साल 1-15 नवंबर तक प्रदूषण चरम पर होता है। इस बार आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि पंजाब में पराली जलाने में अचानक वृद्धि दर्ज की गई है। राज्य में रविवार को 1,068 खेतों में आग लगने की घटनाओं के साथ 740 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि देखी गई। मौसम विभाग ने कहा है कि पराली जलाने की घटनाएं बढ़ने के कारण अगले दो दिनों तक दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता में कोई सुधार होने की उम्मीद नहीं है। पिछले साल, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट ने एक अध्ययन में निष्कर्ष निकाला था कि राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र में पीएम 2.5 के स्तर में वाहनों के उत्सर्जन का लगभग 51 प्रतिशत योगदान है। उद्योगों और निर्माण गतिविधियों का योगदान क्रमशः 11 और 7 प्रतिशत है। मौसम विज्ञानियों ने यह भी कहा है कि बारिश न होने के कारण दिल्ली में 2020 के बाद से इस साल अक्टूबर में सबसे खराब वायु गुणवत्ता दर्ज की गई है। दिल्ली सरकार ने सर्दियों के मौसम के दौरान वायु प्रदूषण को कम करने के लिए पिछले महीने 15-सूत्रीय कार्य योजना शुरू की है। जिसमें धूल प्रदूषण, वाहन उत्सर्जन और खुले में कचरा जलाने पर रोक शामिल है।

दिल्ली में एक बार फिर वायु आपातकाल

दिल्ली एनसीआर में वायु गुणवत्ता 'सीवियर' यानी गंभीर श्रेणी में जा चुकी है, जो केंद्र सरकार के वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी तंत्र 'सफर' के मुताबिक सबसे खराब श्रेणी है. दिल्ली का औसत एक्यूआई 504 हो चुका है, जबकि 'सफर' में अधिकतम सीमा ही 500 की है. कुछ इलाकों में स्थिति इससे भी ज्यादा खराब है. ऐसे हालात में डॉक्टरों और सरकार की तरफ से घर के बाहर जाने से बचने की एडवाइजरी जारी की जाती है. चिंता इस बात की है कि अभी वायु गुणवत्ता पर अभी दिवाली और सर्दियों का असर होना बाकी है. जैसे कोई काल्पनिक भविष्य गुरुवार को दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता में अचानक गिरावट आई थी और शाम होते होते एक्यूआई 400 पार कर गया था. शुक्रवार को 500 का आंकड़ा भी पीछे छूट गया. पूरे एनसीआर पर स्मॉग की मोटी चादर छा गई. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की एग्जेकेटिव डायरेक्टर अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने अखबार को बताया कि अगली फसल की बुवाई का समय करीब आ गया है और किसान जल्दी पराली से छुटकारा पाना चाहते हैं. रॉयचौधरी के मुताबिक इस समय अगर किसानों को पराली से निजात पाने के आसान और पर्यावरण के अनुकूल उपाय उपलब्ध नहीं कराए गए तो उनके पास उसे जलाने के अलावा कोई विकल्प नहीं रहेगा.

गोपाल राय ने उत्तर भारत में प्रदूषण के कारण केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री से ‘सक्रिय’ होने की अपील की

नयी दिल्ली, तीन नवंबर (भाषा) दिल्ली के पर्यावरण मंत्री गोपाल राय ने वायु प्रदूषण की समस्या से निपटने के लिए केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री से ‘‘सक्रिय’’ होने की शुक्रवार को अपील करते हुए कहा कि न केवल राष्ट्रीय राजधानी, बल्कि समूचा उत्तर भारत प्रदूषण की चपेट में है। राय ने यहां एक संवाददाता सम्मेलन में कहा कि भारतीय जनता पार्टी दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण के लिए मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल को जिम्मेदार ठहरा रही है, लेकिन उत्तर प्रदेश और हरियाणा में खराब वायु गुणवत्ता के लिए वह जिम्मेदार नहीं हैं। राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री से ‘‘सक्रिय’’ होने की अपील करते हुए कहा, ‘‘ऐसा नहीं लगता कि दिल्ली में कोई केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय भी है।’’ एक स्वतंत्र थिंक टैंक ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट’ के एक अध्ययन का हवाला देते हुए उन्होंने कहा कि दिल्ली में 69 प्रतिशत वायु प्रदूषण पड़ोसी राज्यों से आता है। उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘हम (दिल्ली) समस्या से निपटने के लिए हरसंभव कदम उठा रहे हैं लेकिन कोई नहीं जानता कि उत्तर प्रदेश और हरियाणा के पर्यावरण मंत्री क्या कर रहे हैं।’’ उन्होंने आगाह किया कि समूचे दिल्ली-एनसीआर के लिए अगले 15 दिन अहम है और सभी राज्य सरकारों को चौकन्ना रहना चाहिए और वायु प्रदूष्ण से निपटने के लिए एक साथ मिलकर काम करना चाहिए। राय ने कहा कि सरकार को फीडबैक मिला है कि संबंधित विभागों द्वारा गठित वायु प्रदूषण निगरानी दल जमीनी स्तर पर उचित तरीके से काम नहीं कर रहे हैं। उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘अत: हमने इन दलों के कामकाज पर नजर रखने के लिए एक तंत्र बनाने के वास्ते सभी संबंधित विभागों को निर्देश दिए हैं।’’ यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए भी निर्देश दिए गए हैं कि वायु प्रदूषण पर काबू पाने के लिए केंद्र के वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) द्वारा जारी दिशा-निर्देशों का सख्ती से पालन किया जाए। सीएक्यूएम ने राष्ट्रीय राजधानी में वायु गुणवत्ता ‘‘गंभीर’’ श्रेणी में चली जाने के बाद दिल्ली-एनसीआर में बृहस्पतिवार को गैर-जरूरी निर्माण कार्य, पत्थर काटने और खनन पर प्रतिबंध का आदेश दिया।

हर साल दिवाली के करीब दिल्ली में क्यों जहरीली हो जाती है हवा?

अक्टूबर के पहले हफ्तेतक दिल्ली की हवा की क्वालिटी (Delhi air Quality) करीब सामान्य थी। लेकिन, अब यह खतरनाक स्तर पर पहुंच गई है। पराली जलाने के मामले बढ़े हैं। इंडियन एग्रीकल्चरल रिसर्च इंस्टीट्यूट (IARI) के डेटा बताते हैं कि 15 सितंबर से 21 अक्टूबर के दौरान पराली जलाने के 4,026 मामले आए हैं। दरअसल, इस दौरान पंजाब, हरियाणा, उत्तर प्रदेश, दिल्ली, राजस्थान और मध्य प्रदेश में धान की फसल की कटाई शुरू हो गई है, जिससे पराली जलाने (Stubble burning) के मामले सामने आए है। हालांकि, पिछले साल के इसी अवधि के मुकाबले ये मामले थोड़े कम हैं। दिवाली के करीब आने के साथ आने वाले दिनों में हवा की क्वालिटी और खराब होने का डर है। यह चिंता का सबब है। लंबे समय तक हवा की क्वालिटी खराब होने से लोगों के स्वास्थ्यपर खराब असर पड़ सकता है। खासकर, सांस की बीमारी वाले लोगों और बुजुर्गों को दिक्कत का सामना करना पड़ सकता है। नेशनल इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ एडवान्स स्टडीज बेंगलोर के प्रोफेसर गुफरान बेग ने कहा कि 2022 असाधारण साल था,क्योंकिक्यों हवा की क्वालिटी को कंट्रो ल में रखा जा सका था। इसके अलावा फायर काउंट्स के मामले भी पिछले तीन सालों के मुकाबले कम थे। बेग SAFAR के फाउंडर प्रोजेक्ट डायरेक्टर भी हैं। इसे एयर क्वालिटी बेहतर बनाए रखने के लिए मिनिस्ट्री ऑफ अर्थ साइंसेज की तरफ से शुरू किया गया है। उन्होंनेन्हों नेकहा कि पिछले 5 साल में प्रदूषण ज्यादातर 6 से 7 नवंबर के दौरान सबसे ज्यादा रहता है। अगर वैज्ञानिक उपायों की मदद ली जाए तो इस दौरान हवा की गुणवत्ता को खराब होने से रोका जा सकता है। देर से दिवाली आने परज्यादा खतरा पर्यावरण विशेषज्ञ चंद्रभूषण का भी मानना है कि दिवाली और प्रदूषण के बीच करीबी संबंध है। इसकी वजह यह है कि इस वक्त पराली जलाने के मामले भी चरम पर होते हैं। जब दिवाली अक्टूबर के अंत से नवंबर के अंत के बीच पड़ती है तो AQI काफी बढ़ जाता है। 2019 में दिवाली 27 अक्टूबर को मनाई गई थी। तब एक्यूआई 337 था। उस साल सिर्फ पंजाब और हरियाणा से उस दिन पराली जलाने के 16,336 मामले आए थे। 2020 में दिवाली 14 नवंबर को थी। तब दोनों राज्यों में पराली जलाने के 80,660 मामले आए थे। इससे 14 नवंबर को AQI बढ़कर 414 पर पहुंच गया था। 2021 में 4 नवंबर को दिवाली थी। उस दिन एक्यूआई 382 था। तब पराली जलाने के 27,276 मामले आए थे। एक दूसरे एक्सपर्ट ने कहा कि हमें यह पता नहीं कि अगर जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से जाड़े की शुरुआत में बारिश होती है तो उसका मौसम पर किस तरह का असर पड़ेगा। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इनवायरमेंट की एग्जिक्यूटिव डायरेक्टर अनुमिता रायचौधरी ने कहा कि आम तौर पर दिवाली के नवंबर के दूसरे तीसरे हफ्तेमें होने पर शांत और शीतल मौसम की स्थितियों में पराली जलाने के मामले आते हैं, जिससे प्रदूषण का लेवल बढ़ जाता है। हालांकि, उन्होंनेन्हों नेकहा कि प्रदूषण को नियंत्रित करने के उपायों से स्थिति को बिगड़ने से बचाया जा सकता है। हमें क्रॉप बर्निंग को रोकना होगा।

Delhi AQI: Connaught Place smog tower remains defunct, BJP attacks Delhi govt

India’s first smog tower in Delhi’s Connaught Place remained defunct while the air quality in several areas of the national capital reeled under the” severe” category”. The AQI around Delhi-NCR was crossed the 500 mark on November 3. The tower, worth Rs 20 crore, aimed at purifying air in a 1-km radius around the structure was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in August 2021. It can filter around 1,000 cubic metres of air per second. Around 40 fans were installed at the bottom of the tower to suck in air from the top. The air would then be filtered and released through the fans at the bottom. The tower comprises 5,000 filters. Electrostatic air filters were installed to filter microparticles, including those that constitute smoke, household dust and pollen. A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system was also installed to collect data and monitor its functioning. This tower was established as a pilot project. Later another such tower was set up in Anand Vihar. Since the towers were set up, IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi have been studying the efficiency of the smog towers in providing clean air zones in specific regions and their performance in reducing the levels of PM2.5 and PM10. However, recently the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) suggested that the smog tower be shut down as it was found to be “largely ineffective in tackling air pollution”. It also said the site should be used as an environmental and climate change innovation centre. In December 2021, data submitted by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) showed a 50-60 percent reduction in PM 2.5 concentration but only between the inlet and the outlet of the smog tower, reported Hindustan Times. Experts have also argued that smog towers are no answer to Delhi’s air pollution woes. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at Centre for Science and Environment, said that smog towers across the world haven’t emerged as a solution to the air pollution problem. “There is no scientific study at the moment to back the need for smog towers,” she said. According to an Indian Express report last year, a Delhi government official said that the smog tower had “underperformed”. “The sensors that are placed to collect data were not placed correctly and not giving proper readings. There were issues with the filters as well, which would get dislodged at high fan speeds. Leaks that allowed polluted air into the system were detected in a few places” the official said. Meanwhile, after the reports of the tower being defunct surfaced, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala attacked the Delhi government for the tower’s closure. "I am here at Delhi's smog tower. It was claimed that pollution would come down by 50 per cent with the help of this smog tower, however, for the last 7-8 months this smog tower has not been working. Today, when Delhi has turned into a gas chamber, this smog tower remains closed. Questions must be asked from the Kejriwal government on what has it done in the last 7-8 years to address the issue of air pollution in Delhi,” he said.

Gurgaon: Met factors, dust keep AQI in poor zone for 2nd day on trot

GURGAON: The city's air quality index (AQI) improved slightly on Wednesday due to better wind speed. The AQI was recorded at 226, while it was clocked at 254 on Tuesday. The air is still in the 'poor' category. According to experts, vehicular emissions and pollution from construction dust are the major reasons behind the city's 'poor' air quality. Three out of the city's four air monitoring stations - Sector 51, Vikas Sadan and Teri Gram - recorded 'poor' AQI at 248, 209 and 211 respectively on Wednesday, while the data was unavailable for Gwalpahari. Track the pollution level in your city"At present, the wind is not bringing a large quantity of residue from districts that see paddy burning because of its direction which usually happens in this period. Also, the number of farm fires are less this year so far. It is further likely to deteriorate in the coming days as meteorological conditions may change and farm fires may increase. Currently, Gurgaon's AQI is poor because of its own emissions," said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Centre for Science and Environment. Forecasts show that the air quality index (AQI) is likely to remain 'poor' over the next three days, with a drop to the 'very poor' category unlikely till November 8, according to the Early Warning System. Officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that a change in wind direction to northwesterly is unlikely over the next three-four days. But wind speeds are expected to remain low, which may lead to accumulation of pollutants locally, officials added. The transition back to northwesterly may happen towards the second week of November - a period when farm fires are generally at their peak. Data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute showed that 1,921 farm fires were recorded in Punjab on Wednesday, with 99 fires in Haryana. Meanwhile, the city on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal for this time of year, with the minimum recorded at 17.8 degrees Celsius, which is around the normal for this time of the year. Every winter, the air quality in Delhi-NCR plummets to dangerous levels as the region gets blanketed under toxic haze due to a combination of cold and still weather conditions and local emissions like garbage burning. Also, farm fires, commonly seen in north India's agricultural belt to clear tracts of land for another round of sowing after the paddy harvest, are among the key sources of pollution at this time. Satellites detected 2,684 residue burning events in the six states on Wednesday. Apart from Punjab and Haryana, 95 fires were detected in Uttar Pradesh, 60 in Rajasthan and 509 in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. So far, a total of 16,329 burning events were detected in these six states between 15-Sept and 1-Nov.

As AQI climbs, Delhi govt admits next fortnight will be crucial

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said that construction activities within a kilometre of a pollution hot spot will be banned if the air quality index (AQI) remains over 400 in the locality during the next week — an announcement that came amid a steady deterioration in Capital’s air quality and an admission that the next 15 days will be crucial in the city’s annual battle against toxic, unbreathable air. The city recorded an overall AQI reading of 364 at 4pm — the highest this season and the fifth consecutive day of worsening conditions. Rai said that tackling the conditions till November 15 will be critical, and several steps were being taken to reduce local sources of pollution. “There are about five to six hot spots where the AQI has consistently been over 400. We are continuously monitoring the situation in these areas through the nodal officers who have been instructed to increase anti-smog guns and water sprinkling. We are also identifying the major factors contributing to pollution in these areas,” said Rai. To be sure, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the use of anti-smog guns reduces pollution effectively over an extended period. Delhi’s air quality has worsened this year despite favourable wind conditions and the contribution of farm fires being lower compared to previous years. Last year on November 1, the pollution levels worsened to the severe zone, with an AQI of 424. In 2021, the AQI on the same date was 281 (poor), and in 2020, it was 364 (very poor). On Tuesday, the Supreme Court remarked that steps to improve the city’s air quality seem to be only on paper, calling it “a persistent problem year after year”. In late October, the government identified eight new bad air hot spots, in addition to the previous 13. The areas where AQI has hovered in the “severe” category (above 400) in the last four days include Anand Vihar, Mundka, Wazirpur and Rohini, which are part of the 13 pollution hot spots earmarked prior to last month. Additionally, Sonia Vihar and New Moti Bagh, which are not part of the list of 13, have also recorded pollution levels over 400 at different times. The AQI at Anand Vihar on Wednesday around 6pm was 421, while it was 414 at Mundka, 400 in Wazirpur and 421 in New Moti Bagh. Construction activities are usually stopped across Delhi and the NCR under the Graded Response Action Plan stage 3 (Grap 3) when the overall AQI in these cities crosses the 400 mark. However, the environment minister said the same norm will be applied at a local level in areas with AQI over 400 to control local pollution levels. By November 10, the Delhi government said it will take over 1,000 private CNG buses to add to the public transport fleet, while trips of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and Delhi Metro have also been increased. Additionally, subdivisional magistrates of different districts have held 996 meetings with resident welfare associations (RWAs) to distribute heaters to guards on night duty in order to reduce fires. Instructions have also been given to all government departments to distribute heaters. Experts, however, reiterated that Delhi needs to work at a hyperlocal level as well as implement a citywide action plan if it wants to tackle air pollution. “This can only be done with an intensive survey of all hot spots across the city. Authorities need to check if the roads are fully paved and that there are no dusty shoulders. Pollution from emissions also needs to be controlled by regularly checking the buses and trucks that visit a particular area. Also, reengineering local traffic may be required through a survey to ensure that there are fewer traffic jams,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

Delhi AQI: Brace for toxic air as peak pollution period begins

NEW DELHI: If you thought the city's air quality that has been steadily deteriorating within the 'very poor' range for five straight days was bad enough, brace for what could follow in the next couple of weeks. AQI data of the past few years reveals that November 1 to 15 is the year's most polluted fortnight in the capital. Delhi pollution In the past five years, the first fortnight of November recorded an average AQI of 370, higher than the peak winter periods of December 16-31 (351) and January 1-15 (324), as per Delhi Pollution Control Committee data. Track the pollution level in your city With Diwali falling on November 12, farm fires starting to peak and meteorological conditions that are likely to keep pollutants trapped close to the ground, experts said Delhiites are likely to witness multiple days of very toxic air. Enforce GRAP strictly to beat November pain, say experts Delhi recorded its most polluted day of the season on Tuesday, with average AQI at 364, in the 'very poor' category for the past five days. The forecast of Union earth sciences ministry's Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi says that the AQI is likely to remain in 'very poor' category for the next few days. In November last year, the AQI air quality had turned 'severe' in the first week. Delhi has not so far recorded any 'severe' day (AQI above 400) in this season. November 2022 recorded 11 'severe' air days, making it the most polluted November since the Central Pollution Control Board started measuring AQI in 2015. Experts said the risk of multiple days of 'severe' air quality occurring in mid-November was high this year. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "In the past, we have noticed prolonged smog episodes (higher number of consecutive days of severe pollution levels) when Diwali and increased crop residue burning occur together deeper into the winter and atmospheric conditions turn adverse." "To manage air quality during this period, it will require advanced action and preparation for implementation of stringent Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) measures across the region and containment of fire incidents. GRAP can only prevent additional loading of pollution when high pollution is already trapped due to cool and calm conditions. Prevention of pollution is the only way to avoid smog episodes and high exposure," she added. Gufran Beig, chair professor National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) and founder, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said the period till November 15 is the most vulnerable. "In the first fortnight of November this year, the stretch from November 6 to 8 is likely to be the worst. NIAS is developing a model using fire counts, current and climatology of the past 10 years, and other factors using artificial intelligence. The initial report of the pilot model shows that AQI may rise from November 6 to 8. However, AQI is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category till November 15," said Beig. Beig agreed that to improve the air quality, drastic steps are needed in the entire airshed region. "The steps taken under GRAP in Delhi have to be enforced strictly in the entire airshed. However, there is a possibility that a western disturbance may impact the region during the period till November 15. If there is good rainfall activity under the influence of the western disturbance, air quality would improve due to the 'wash out' effect. But if the western disturbance brings only moisture to the region, the air quality can deteriorate," added Beig.

Seven northern cities record poorer AQI than Capital, CPCB data shows

Hanumangarh in Rajasthan and Fatehabad in Haryana were among seven locations that recorded higher air pollution levels than Delhi on Wednesday, indicating that air pollution is not just a problem of National Capital Region (NCR) but of most of the northern plains, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Hanumangarh in north-western Rajasthan recorded air quality index (AQI) of 414 becoming the most polluted town in the country, followed by Fatehabad and Hisar in Haryana, with AQI of 410 and 403, respectively. The air quality in these three towns, as per the CPCB data, was in the ‘severe’ category on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality was in the “poor” category, as the AQI recorded was 364. Other places in the region with worse air quality were Bahadurgarh (383), Kaithal (376), and Rohtak (374) in Haryana, and Muzaffarnagar (370) in Uttar Pradesh. Analysis of CPCB’s AQI data for Wednesday shows that almost half of the locations monitored in western Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi had either “poor”, “very poor” or “severe” air quality. This is not a one-day phenomenon, as air pollution levels in these locations have been worrisome for the last one week, with towns struggling to stay off the list of cities with the worst air in the country. “Air pollution is no longer just an NCR problem,” said Anumita Roy Choudhary, executive director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).