Cse In News

"Nits sense ficció" proposa una reflexió sobre les conseqüències del canvi climàtic amb l'estrena de "Camí de Marina" i "Canvi climàtic: Els fets"

Demà, a les 22.05, "Nits sense ficció" estrenarà "Camí de Marina", una dissecció del col·lapse territorial a partir de la primera transhumància que es fa del Pirineu al mar en més de setanta anys pel recentment recuperat camí ramader de Marina. "Camí de Marina" serà la pel·lícula inaugural del Festival Suncine que començarà el proper dijous, 2 de novembre, i amb el qual 3Cat ha signat un acord institucional. "Camí de Marina" "Camí de Marina" és una road movie a ritme de cavall que exposa el disseny i la gestió del territori de Catalunya i, per extensió, de tota la Mediterrània, tenint en compte els fluxos biològics de la fauna salvatge, la situació dels boscos, els desastres dels grans incendis forestals, la intensificació agrícola i ramadera, l'estat de l'aigua i la biodiversitat. El documental acompanya la Rosa, de la Fundació Marina, que es dedica a recuperar cavalls que han estat objecte de maltractaments o decomissats en operacions policials, en l'aventura de recuperar l'antic camí mil·lenari de Marina, una teranyina mil·lenària de camins, de més de 200 quilòmetres, que cosia el país de dalt a baix. La Rosa i els seus còmplices surten de l'Alt Berguedà amb un ramat de cavalls en una fila índia que en va sumant més al seu pas. El ramat emprèn el camí cap a la platja de la Marina del Penedès en una ruta que travessa deu comarques i el rastre del patrimoni cultural i natural del país. "Les últimes dècades -explica el consultor ambiental Josep M Mallarach- les infraestructures han fragmentat aquestes artèries que durant mil·lennis havien estat en funcionament". Hi ha un abans i un després de Montserrat. A partir d'aquí el paisatge i el camí mateix canvien radicalment. Els polígons industrials, les carreteres, les autovies fan d'aquest viatge una temeritat, un acte heroic contra els elements. A mesura que els cavalls avancen, el documental retrata els efectes del canvi climàtic sobre el territori i la pèrdua de diversitat, i planteja els grans reptes pendents sobre com protegir el país de la sequera, les plagues, les pluges torrencials i els grans incendis. Al cap de 10 dies, el ramat trota sobre la sorra de la platja. Alguns es quedaran per sempre vora el mar. Fitxa tècnica Direcció i guió: Carles Caparrós i Obiols Realització: Sacha Soliman Latorre Producció: Carles Caparrós i Obiols Productor executiu 3Cat: David Bassa Cabanas Edició continguts 3Cat: Agustí Argelich Gironès Productor delegat 3Cat: Daniel Barea Delgado Director de fotografia: Norman García Solera Muntatge: Laila Romero i Torrent Director de producció: Sacha Soliman Latorre Música: Marian Márquez Ruiz de Gopegui Lingüista: Laia Rúbies i Ambit Grafisme: Miriam Sugranyes "Camí de Marina" és una producció d'Aigua Films amb la participació de 3Cat, Fundació Miranda, Xarxa per la Conservació de la Natura, Diputació de Barcelona, Fundació Pau Costa, IDAPA, Sèlvans, Consorci del Lluçanès, Associació Camí Ramader de Marina i l'ICEC. "Canvi climàtic: Els fets" Què passarà si la temperatura de la Terra puja més d'un grau? Podrem revertir la situació? Això és el que planteja el naturalista David Attenborough en aquest documental, una àmplia anàlisi del canvi climàtic i de les possibles solucions que podem adoptar abans no sigui massa tard. Davant de l'evidència que la crisi climàtica és real i que ja ens afecta, Attenborough dona una crua ullada als fets que l'envolten i detalla els perills als quals ja ens estem enfrontant i les amenaces futures: "Se'ns acaba el temps, però encara hi ha esperança. Crec que si entenem millor l'amenaça a què ens enfrontem, és més probable que puguem evitar un futur tan catastròfic." A través d'experts, científics i activistes, "Canvi climàtic, els fets" mostra com han evolucionat els canvis socials i polítics en relació amb un augment constant de la temperatura i un futur cada cop més incert. Una evolució que el científic climàtic Peter Stott explica així: "El que ha passat els últims anys ens demostra què significa que pugi un sol grau, no només per a la vida salvatge, sinó per a les persones, per a la seva seguretat, per als seus mitjans de vida i per al seu futur." Refugiats climàtics El documental posa el focus en la vida humana i en com aquesta crisi ja afecta milions de persones arreu del món. Pobles sencers que han de ser evacuats per l'augment del nivell del mar. "Està passant al vostre món, està passant al meu món. I que quedi clar: encara serà molt pitjor", avisa Sunita Narain, directora general del Centre per la Ciència i el Medi. Respostes polítiques Però tot i que mostra àmpliament els desastres naturals cada cop més freqüents i ens adverteix dels perills ja existents, Attenborough exposa les possibles solucions al problema: energies renovables, reforestacions, màquines que xuclen CO₂ o inclús la possibilitat d'arribar a viatjar amb avions elèctrics. Mesures que, en definitiva, requereixen una resposta política imminent. Fitxa tècnica Documental presentat per David Attenborough Direcció: Serena Davies Guió: Richard Klein, Jonathan Warne, Leanne Kyle Producció executiva: Sacha Baveystock, Andrew Cohen, Jonathan Renouf Direcció de producció: Kate Dooley, Ross Kirby, Kathryn Jein, Laura Davey Direcció de fotografia: Patrick Acum, Toby Wilkinson, Kendal Kempsey, Ben Joiner, David Farmer, Stuart Ireland So: Ali Pares, Sam Staples, Stuart Thompson, Mike Williams, Terry Meehan Edició: Stephen Moore, Ben Salkeld Mùsica original: Rob Manning Una producció de BBC Studios en coproducció amb IWC Media.

Climate Change-Induced Surge In Humidity Fuels Discomfort, Drives Power Demand In Delhi: Report

New Delhi: Shift in the rainfall pattern due to climate change have led to a rise in Delhi’s relative humidity, increasing discomfort even though there has been no significant change in the city’s ambient temperatures since 2011, according to a new analysis. The analysis by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) underscores that the rise in heat index, due to the increase in Delhi’s relative humidity, is driving the power demand in the city. The heat index, also known as the ‘apparent temperature’ or ‘feels-like temperature’, is a measure of how hot it feels to the human body when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature.

CSE Report: क्लाइमेट चेंज के कारण बदला बारिश का पैटर्न, दिल्ली में बढ़ा हीट इंडेक्स

CSE Report, नई दिल्ली: देश की राजधानी दिल्ली में पहले की तुलना में ज्यादा दिन तक एसी-कूलर के इस्तेमाल की वजह जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण बारिश के पैटर्न में आए बदलाव और हीट इंडेक्स में बढ़ोतरी है। विज्ञान व पर्यावरण केंद्र (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट में यह बात कही गई है। इसके मुताबिक जलवायु परिवर्तन के चलते बारिश के पैटर्न में बदलाव से दिल्ली की सापेक्ष आर्द्रता और हीट इंडेक्स में वृद्धि हुई है। साथ ही राजधानी में बिजली की मांग भी बढ़ रही है। इन्हीं वजहों से राजधानीवासियों को दिल्ली में पहले की तुलना में अब ज्यादा दिनों तक एसी-कूलर का इस्तेमाल करना पड़ रहा है।

Delhi records coldest night of season, AQI falls to 'very poor'

NEW DELHI: The air quality in the city plummeted to the " very poor" category on Saturday with an AQI of 304 as against 261 a day earlier. It is likely to remain " very poor" till Tuesday. According to officials, calm wind conditions, low temperatures and a low mixing layer height have caused accumulation of pollutants. In fact, Delhi recorded the coldest night of the season on Saturday with the minimum temperature dropping to 14.3°C, two degrees below normal, at Safdarjung, which is the city's base station. It was the first time this season when the minimum temperature was below 15°C at Safdarjung. However, the night temperature is likely to remain at 16°C for the next two days. Track the pollution level in your city Satellite data compiled by Indian Agricultural Research Institute shows that farm fires have started increasing in states of north-west India. Most polluted Jahangirpuri in severe zone The stubble burning count in Punjab stood at 398 on Wednesday, 589 on Thursday and 766 on Friday. However, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh reported 127, 14 and 36 instances, respectively, on Saturday. Detection of farm fires on Saturday was hampered by the presence of clouds over Punjab, Haryana and central UP, said IARI, which follows the standard protocol 2021 notified by the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM). Delhi_pollution “Calm wind conditions prevailed during the night, which impacted the dispersion of pollutants. Northwesterly winds at a speed of 6-8 kmph blew during the day. Low temperature and a low mixing layer height also slowed down the process of dispersion of pollutants,” said a met official. Central Pollution Control Board’s data showed that Jahangirpuri was the most polluted station in the city on Saturday as the AQI there reached the "severe" category with a reading of 409. This is the second time this season when the air quality has entered the "very poor" category. On October 22, it had turned "very poor" for the first time this season with an AQI of 313. Measures under Stage II that correspond to this category in the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) are already in place. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, told TOI: “The cool and calm conditions of winter are deepening now. High local and regional pollution levels are beginning to get trapped. This is tilting the scale towards the ‘very poor’ category. Implementation of GRAP measures needs to get stronger.” According to Air Quality Early Warning System, the air quality is likely to be in ‘very poor’ category till October 31. The outlook for the subsequent six days from October 31 is that the air quality is likely to remain in ‘very poor’ to ‘poor’ category. Meanwhile, aiming to tackle vehicular pollution, the "Red Light On, Gaadi Off" campaign was on Saturday being implemented at the Barakhamba intersection.

Incidents of stubble burning fall in Punjab, Haryana; rise in U.P.

This year’s harvest season so far has seen a 59% fall in the number of stubble burning incidents in Punjab as compared to the same period last year. In Haryana it is down by 40%, according to official data. In absolute numbers, Punjab and Haryana contribute to the highest number of stubble-burning incidents in the region. This comes as a breather for Delhi and many other parts of north India, where air pollution spikes during the winter months mainly due to meteorological factors. Pollution caused by stubble-burning compounds the problem. However, Uttar Pradesh has seen a 30.6% rise in stubble burning incidents during the ongoing harvest season. These figures are based on data collected by Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) Lab, run by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), for the period between September 15 and October 28. It may still be early for a full reading of the situation as the harvest season is considered to end only by November 30. Falling trend For the complete harvest season, in both Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, the number of farm fires has been falling year-on-year consistently through 2020, 2021, and 2022, according to the data. However, in Haryana there was a fall in 2020, but the State witnessed a 22.1% increase in 2021 which again fell by to 47.6% in 2022. Vinay Kumar Sehgal, Principial Scientist at IARI, said that about 40% of harvesting has been completed in Punjab and 60% in Haryana and they are hoping the current trend will hold till the end of the harvesting season. As for the rise in Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Sehgal, said, “In absolute terms, the rise in stubble-burning incidents in Uttar Pradesh this year is less than 200 and not that worrisome. We are hoping that by the end of the harvesting season it will come down compared to last year.” Arvind Kumar Nautiyal, Member Secretary of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas, told The Hindu that though the current harvest season is yet to be over, the fall in the number of stubble burning incidents in both Punjab and Haryana are expected to continue and the final figures are most likely to be significantly less than last year. Mr. Nautiyal said that both in-situ and ex-situ stubble management and using different varieties of paddy are among the reasons for the decrease in stubble burning and it is the result of collective efforts of all stakeholders. Politically sensitive Stubble-burning is a politically sensitive issue and in the past, the AAP government in Delhi used to blame stubble burning in Punjab for the air pollution in Delhi during winters. But since the AAP came to power in Punjab, the BJP has been attacking the AAP government in Punjab for causing air pollution in Delhi. Earlier this month, in a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V.K. Saxena, said it was “extremely worrisome” that the number of farm fires registered in Punjab between September 15 and October 11 was 1,063, over 300 more than the count over the same period last year. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said that there is a falling trend in farm fires over the past few years. But she said that governments should make sure that solutions such as machines used for stubble management reach all, including small and marginal farmers. “Industrial use of stubble as fuel is picking up. If the government enables storage and transportation of stubble for further reuse as fuels or power generation, then industrial use of stubble will increase and create an economic incentive for farmers which will help reduce stubble burning,” she added.

Delhi parking wars intensify, over 7,000 calls to police this year

These incidents show a disturbing problem that is symptomatic of a city that has maximum number of registered vehicles but very few organised parking spaces Till October 25 this year, the Delhi Police received 7,328 calls reporting violent disputes over parking on neighbourhood roads — more than the cumulative number of such calls received in the previous two years, shows official data shared by the police. According to data, the police received 3,367 and 2,413 parking disputes related calls in 2022 and 2021 (3,145 and 2,267 till October 25), respectively. Besides injuries to scores of people in these clashes over parking space, three people have died in the cases reported in the past three years, according to data. On February 17 this year, a 52-year-old man and his son, returning home from a wedding, were shot and injured by their neighbour and his friends following an altercation over parking of their cars in north-east Delhi’s Yamuna Vihar. On June 25, two brothers were allegedly stabbed by their neighbour in north Delhi’s Kirari area after an argument over parking a scooter. Similarly, on July 3, a 37-year-old man and his parents were allegedly thrashed with sticks by their neighbours during a quarrel over parking a motorcycle in outer Delhi’s Mangolpuri. These incidents show a disturbing problem that is symptomatic of a city that has maximum number of registered vehicles but very few organised parking spaces. However, police data indicates that the problem has only grown acute this year. The highest number of such calls – 816 – were received from west district, followed by 766 (south-west), 702 (south) and 682 (Dwarka), shows the data. Also, of the total 7,380 calls till October 25, 43% (3,190) were received after June 30 this year, according to the data. The number of vehicles registered in Delhi has witnessed a huge drop from 12.2 million in 2020-21 to 7.9 million in 2021-22, according to the Delhi Economic Survey 2022-23. Of 7.9 million vehicles in the Capital, personal cars and jeeps account for around 26%, while around 66.5% are two-wheelers, according to the survey. In addition, Delhi has 85,033 taxis, 17,522 buses, 1,145 ambulances and 93,578 auto rickshaws. This sharp decrease in number can largely be attributed to the deregistration of end-of-life vehicles — no vehicle which is 15 years old can legally operate on the roads of the national capital, according to orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018). Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa said attending to such calls puts additional burden on the time of police. “Every month, on an average, there are 700 PCR calls regarding quarrels due to parking issues. Every day, the number of vehicles in the city is increasing without any commensurate availability of parking spaces. Thus, the conflict between neighbours on parking, specially on neighbourhood roads, leads to fights. Our emergency vehicles and local police spend a lot of time dealing with these calls,” she said. Experts said the police cannot resolve the issue that is at the root of the problem. BK Singh, former joint commissioner of Delhi Police and now a Supreme Court lawyer, said the problem has grown over the years as the vehicle density in the city is at peak. “The police have no solution for this issue. The city lacks parking spaces even as the number of vehicles are increasing by the day. People are forced to leave their vehicles on the road and disputes are common. Sometimes, it takes an ugly turn and results in violence,” he said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said the city has failed to implement the Parking Management Rules (PMR) 2019, and its mandate for parking management area plan in each municipal ward. “This was needed to ensure legal parking spaces are identified and demarcated on ground across neighbourhoods, variable parking pricing and residential parking permits are implemented, and penalty for illegal parking outside the demarcated areas is enforced. This is essential not only to manage parking efficiently but also to reduce demand for parking and emissions, improve efficient use of available but limited parking spaces, and improve overall liveability of the city,” she said. Atul Goyal, president, URJA, an organisation of 2,500 resident welfare associations (RWA) across Delhi, said despite knowing the gravity of parking issues in the Capital, the state government, the traffic police and Municipal Corporation of Delhi have failed to frame guidelines, in complete defiance of the Master Plan of Delhi and directions by various courts.

Surge in Delhi's Parking Disputes as 7,328 Calls Are Recorded in 2023; What Are the Reasons?

Delhi: The Delhi Police have reported a spike in violent altercations over parking, with 7,328 calls recorded this year till October 25—higher than the combined total of the last two years. Tragically, three lives have been lost in these disputes over the past three years. Examples of violence over parking disputes include a father-son duo shot after a quarrel in Yamuna Vihar, two brothers stabbed over a scooter parking issue in Kirari, and a family assaulted in Mangolpuri over a motorcycle parking argument. Lack of Organised Parking Spaces Despite having the most registered vehicles, Delhi lacks sufficient organized parking areas. This inadequacy has intensified the problem, especially this year. West district recorded the highest number of dispute calls Decline in Registered Vehicles, but Issues Persist The number of vehicles registered in Delhi has dropped significantly from 12.2 million in 2020-21 to 7.9 million in 2021-22, largely due to the deregistration of older vehicles. Yet, of these, 26 per cent are personal cars and jeeps, and 66.5 per cent are two-wheelers, highlighting the parking space challenge. Delhi Police spokesperson, Suman Nalwa, noted that resolving parking quarrels has become a significant demand on police resources. She emphasized the city's growing vehicle numbers and the continuous shortage of parking spaces. BK Singh, a former joint commissioner of Delhi Police, said the vehicle density is at its peak, leading to disputes that sometimes escalate to violence. Anumita Roychowdhury from the Centre for Science and Environment pointed out the city's failure to implement the Parking Management Rules 2019. Atul Goyal, president of URJA, urged city agencies to immediately enforce a parking policy in Delhi, stressing the need for a management action plan involving Resident Welfare Associations (RWA). The city's growth in vehicular population and its insufficient parking infrastructure is a critical issue that demands immediate attention to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents.

CSE Report: जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण बढ़ी बिजली की मांग, बारिश के पैटर्न में भी बदलाव, हीट इंडेक्स में बढ़ोतरी

विज्ञान व पर्यावरण केंद्र (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक दिल्ली में जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से बिजली की मांग बढ़ रही है। रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से बारिश के पैटर्न में बदलाव आया, जिससे दिल्ली की सापेक्ष आर्द्रता और हीट इंडेक्स में बढ़ोतरी हुई है। यही वजह है कि लोगों को दिल्ली में अब पहले की तुलना में ज्यादा दिनों तक एसी-कूलर का इस्तेमाल करना पड़ रहा है। सीएसई शोधकर्ताओं का कहना है कि ये स्थानीय रुझान प्रमुख जलवायु वैज्ञानिकों के वैश्विक निकाय, इंटरगवर्नमेंटल पैनल ऑन क्लाइमेट चेंज (आईपीसीसी) के निष्कर्षों से मेल खाते हैं। https://www.varta24live.com/ncr/cse-report-demand-for-electricity-increased-due-to-climate-change-change-in-rain-pattern-increase-in-heat-index-431662

Rise in Capital’s heat index driving power demand

Climate change has led to shift in the rainfall pattern resulting in a rise in Delhi's relative humidity, increasing discomfort even though there has been no significant change in the city's ambient temperatures since 2011, according to a new analysis. The analysis by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) underscores that the rise in heat index, due to the increase in Delhi's relative humidity, is driving the power demand in the city. The heat index, also known as the 'apparent temperature' or 'feels-like temperature', is a measure of how hot it feels to the human body when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature. The combination of high heat and humidity can compromise the human body's main cooling mechanism -- sweating. Evaporation of sweat from the skin cools our bodies. However, higher humidity levels limit this natural cooling mechanism. As a result, people can suffer heat stress and illness, and the consequences can even be fatal even at much lower ambient temperatures. A heat index of 41 degrees Celsius is considered dangerous to human health. CSE researchers point out that these local trends are consistent with the observations made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a global body of leading climate scientists. The IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6 WG-I) report says hot extremes, including heatwaves, have intensified in urban centres that are experiencing air temperatures several degrees warmer than the surrounding areas, especially during the night. The urban heat island effect can add two degrees Celsius to local warming, reducing the adaptive capacity of cities and increasing risks, the IPCC warns. "Climate change is making the city so hot and humid that it is not cooling down adequately even during nights, adding to severe thermal discomfort. As a result, electricity demand -- driven largely by mechanical cooling (especially air-conditioners) -- is surging. "In 2023, average daily peak electricity demand in the monsoon period was the highest since real-time load monitoring started in Delhi in 2018," says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. The report said the ambient average temperature for the last 10 summers is marginally lower than the decadal average for 2001-10, but this does not mean Delhi is getting cooler. Changes in the pattern of rains, especially unseasonal rains in the pre-monsoon period, have led to an increase in relative humidity, which is making the city's weather muggier and more uncomfortable even though there have been no significant changes in ambient temperatures, it said. During the pre-monsoon season in 2023, the average relative humidity stood at 49.1 per cent, which was about 21 per cent more humid than the 2001-10 average. During the monsoon season (June to September), the average relative humidity was 73.2 per cent, 14 per cent higher than the 2001-10 average, the CSE analysis reveals. Delhi's power demand is closely linked to outdoor temperature and humidity conditions. The demand is at its minimum when the outdoor heat index is between 17.5-22.5 degrees Celsius (daily mean) during February and October

Delhi News: दिल्लीवालों ने सालभर बाद ऐसे ली साफ हवा में ‘सांस’

बारिश और जी-20 समिट के चलते तीन दिन की छुट्टी के बाद दिल्लीवालों को करीब 11 महीनों बाद साफ हवा मिली है। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण विभाग (CPCB) के मुताबिक, रविवार को दिल्ली का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 45 के अंक पर रहा। पिछले साल अक्टूबर में हवा का स्तर इतना साफ-सुथरा रहा था। राजधानी और आसपास के इलाकों में शनिवार और रविवार को हल्की से मध्यम बारिश हुई है, जबकि जी-20 शिखर सम्मेलन (G-20 Summit) के चलते शुक्रवार से ही स्कूल कॉलेजों और कार्यालयों में छुट्टी कर दी गई थी। इसके चलते सड़कों पर वाहनों की संख्या में भारी कमी आई है। इन दोनों ही कारणों के चलते दिल्ली के प्रदूषण में खासी गिरावट दर्ज की गई है। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के मुताबिक, रविवार को दिल्ली का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 45 के अंक पर रहा है। इस स्तर की हवा को अच्छी श्रेणी में रखा जाता है। शनिवार को भी सूचकांक 54 के अंक पर रहा था। यह भी पढ़े : दिल्ली के ट्रांसफर-पोस्टिंग पर संसद से पास कानून को चुनौती वाली याचिका पर सुनवाई से सुप्रीम कोर्ट का इनकार सीपीसीबी के आंकड़े बताते हैं कि पिछले साल 10 अक्टूबर को वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 44 के अंक पर रहा था। अब लगभग 11 महीनों बाद हवा की गुणवत्ता इतनी साफ हुई है। मौसम विभाग का अनुमान है कि साफ हवा का यह स्तर ज्यादा दिन तक नहीं बना रहेगा। प्रदूषण जांच के आधार केंद्रों में प्रदूषक कण पीएम 10, पीएम 2.5, नाइट्रोजन आॅक्साइड, सल्फर डाई आॅक्साइड, कार्बन मोनोआॅक्साइड, ओजोन और अमोनिया के प्रदूषक कणों के आधार पर निगरानी होती है। 8 साल में प्रदूषण पर बीस गुना रीयल टाइम निगरानी बढ़ी वहीं, राजधानी और एनसीआर समेत देश के तमाम शहरों में प्रदूषण की निगरानी में इजाफा हुआ है। यहां तक कि आठ वर्षों में प्रदूषण पर रीयल टाइम निगरानी करने वाले केन्द्रों की संख्या बीस गुना तक बढ़ गई है। सीपीसीबी के आंकड़ों के आधार पर विज्ञान एवं पर्यावरण केंद्र ने इसका विश्लेषण किया है। निगरानी केंद्रों के बढ़ने से प्रदूषण के स्रोतों को जानने और उसकी रोकथाम करने में मदद मिली है। इस वर्ष इजाफा हुआ सीएसई की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, वर्ष 2015 में देशभर में केवल 25 प्रदूषण निगरानी केंद्र थे, जबकि वर्ष 2023 में इनकी संख्या बढ़कर 517 हो गई है। यानी आठ वर्षों में लगभग बीस गुना का इजाफा हुआ है। वर्ष 2015 में आधे रियल टाइम निगरानी केंद्र दिल्ली में मौजूद थे।

High heat index not letting Delhi cool down at night

Climate change is making Delhi hot and humid and is not allowing it to cool down adequately even at night, causing severe thermal discomfort and health risks, a study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed.According to the study, the situation has led to an average increase in electricity demand during high heat days by almost 40%, driven mostly by mechanical cooling, especially airconditioners. In 2023, the average daily peak electricity demand during the monsoon was the highest since real-time load monitoring started in Delhi in 2018. The study also found that the high heat index (HI), a measure of how hot it really feels when humidity is factored in with the actual temperature, rose mostly during the monsoon when high humidity would add 5-7 degrees Celsius heat load in the city. The temperature above 41 degrees Celsius is dangerous for health, with the atmosphere not cooling down even at night increasing public health risk, it stated, adding that the seasonal HI has increased since 2011. Local trends of hot extremes like heatwaves have intensified in urban centres experiencing air temperatures several degrees warmer than the surrounding areas, especially at night, the study added. "It is important to track the impact of heat trends in cities; they can compromise adaptive thermal comfort of people and increase the demand for airconditioning, affecting electricity demand and energy security in the process," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at CSE. Expecting a better heat action plan for Delhi, she said the current trends needed to be understood and considered for improving city-wide heat management as well as for introducing better building design and materials to reduce heat load and improve adaptive thermal comfort. "Delhi government's newly announced heat action plan needs to go much beyond emergency response during extreme heatwaves to more sustained and systemic action to address all sources of heat, including waste heat from buildings, vehicles and industries, heat-absorbing concrete and urban building materials and infrastructure," said Roychowdhury. The heat issue is much more complex than the temperature crossing 45 degrees Celsius, the study pointed out. "Public health emergency action needs to consider both high daytime and night-time temperatures and relative humidity," said Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager at CSE's Urban Lab. Roychowdhury pointed out that heat mitigation required tracking key indicators like surface heat absorption, land surface temperatures, changing land use, vegetative cover and waterbodies, determinants of the heat island effect. "This requires effective leveraging of available satellite technology. We have the data, what is needed is policy integration," added Somvanshi. The study further asserted that combination of high heat and humidity could compromise the human body's main cooling mechanism - propensity to sweat. Higher humidity limits it and people can suffer heat stress and illness that can turn fatal even at much lower ambient temperatures, it stated. While days with high ambient temperatures are declining, days with dangerously high heat index are on the rise, the study found. While this summer, the daily average heat index had crossed the danger threshold of 41°C on 14 days, the summer of 2020 had 32 such days, the maximum for any year in the study period.

Improve Public Transport Facilities To Combat Poor AQI In Delhi: Environmentalists

Improvement in public transport facilities, smog guns at construction sites and strengthening the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) as an institution are some of the measures suggested by environmentalists to combat the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. Delhi's air quality was recorded in the 'poor' category for the fifth consecutive day on Friday and is likely to deterior Environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari said consistent efforts to address sources of pollution and implement systemic changes are required to combat air pollution in Delhi NCR. Speaking about dust pollution around construction sites, Kandhari said that smog gun should be a mandatory equipment at construction sites throughout the year. "Consistent efforts to address pollution sources and implement sy "While the idea of AQI (air quality index) display monitors on construction sites was announced in 2021, it remains a headline without any action. We must uphold promises in both letter and spirit," she added. Delhi's 24-hour AQI stood at 261 on Thursday, while several areas recorded their AQI in the 'very poor' category. Delhi's 24-hour average AQI was 256 at 4 pm on Thursday, 243 on Wednesday, Kandhari alleged that while the Delhi government mentions planting saplings every year, they also grant permissions to cut down trees simultaneously. "The action plan mentions planting a million saplings, but the government simultaneously grants permissions to cut down trees. It's time to shift away from a car-centric approach and invest in a robust, effective, affordable public transport system Meanwhile, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Anumita Roychowdhury said it is necessary to address the key gaps in action and ensure integrated public transport-supported by walking and cycling infrastructure. "There is a need to improve the public transport, ambitious target for fleet electrification for zero tailpipe emissions, restraini

Mumbai Air Pollution: Anti-smog guns may have just localised effect, say experts

MUMBAI: While the BMC is going ahead with its plan to procure anti-smog gun units, environmental experts said the move may not fetch the desired results in controlling all-round air pollution in the city and the effect would be localised. Track the pollution level in your city "The anti-smog gun is a dust-control measure. However, air pollution is a very complex issue and requires a detailed strategy, including looking at other sources of pollution such as construction sites, vehicles and burning of waste, among others. Use of anti-smog guns will ensure coarse particles in the air settle down. It will have a localised effect and can be used at locations where a high amount of dust is generated," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Gufran Beig, chair professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, and founder project director, SAFAR, said before deploying these mobile units, "they should first identify dust-emitting hotspots and then deploy multiple units at these spots to save resources". For a long-lasting solution, strategic measures based on high-resolution emission inventory and air-shed mapping are needed, he said. While welcoming the move, Rakesh Kumar, former director of National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI), said, "Air pollution health outcome should be the key success parameter wherein KEM Hospital EPRC could play a pivotal role." Bhagwan Keshbhat, founder, Waatavaran, said dust will settle on use of anti-smog guns and rise again after a few hours with vehicular movement. - Sanjeev Devasia

प्रदूषण से बेदम होती दिल्ली, एक्सपर्ट ने बताया क्या है समाधान

नई दिल्ली : सार्वजनिक परिवहन व्यवस्था में सुधार, निर्माण स्थलों पर ‘स्मॉग गन’ और दिल्ली प्रदूषण नियंत्रण कमेटी (डीपीसीसी) को एक संस्था के रूप में मजबूत करना, राष्ट्रीय राजधानी में बिगड़ती वायु गुणवत्ता से निपटने के लिए पर्यावरणविदों की तरफ से सुझाए गए कुछ उपाय हैं। निगरानी एजेंसियों के अनुसार, दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता शुक्रवार को लगातार पांचवें दिन 'खराब' श्रेणी में दर्ज की गई और मौसम संबंधी प्रतिकूल परिस्थितियों के कारण आने वाले दिनों में इसके और खराब होने की आशंका है। पर्यावरणविद् भावरीन कंधारी ने कहा कि दिल्ली एनसीआर में वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए प्रदूषण के स्रोतों का पता लगाने और प्रणालीगत बदलावों को लागू करने के लिए लगातार प्रयासों की आवश्यकता है। निर्माण स्थलों के आसपास धूल प्रदूषण के बारे में कंधारी ने कहा कि निर्माण स्थलों पर पूरे साल स्मॉग गन एक अनिवार्य उपकरण होना चाहिए। कंधारी ने कहा, ‘प्रदूषण स्रोतों का पता लगाने और प्रणालीगत परिवर्तनों को लागू करने के लिए लगातार प्रयासों की आवश्यकता है। स्मॉग टावर, गन और स्प्रिंकलर की जरूरत है। हमें स्मॉग गन की आवश्यकता है, लेकिन उन्हें पूरे वर्ष निर्माण स्थलों पर अनिवार्य उपकरण होना चाहिए, केवल फोटो खिंचवाने के लिए नहीं।’ दिल्ली में शु्क्रवार को 24 घंटे का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) 261 दर्ज किया गया। इससे पहले बृहस्पतिवार को एक्यूआई 256 , बुधवार को 243 और मंगलवार को 220 रहा था। एक्यूआई शून्य से 50 के बीच 'अच्छा', 51 से 100 के बीच 'संतोषजनक', 101 से 200 के बीच 'मध्यम', 201 से 300 के बीच 'खराब', 301 से 400 के बीच 'बहुत खराब' और 401 से 500 के बीच 'गंभीर' माना जाता है। दिल्ली के लिए केंद्र की वायु गुणवत्ता पूर्वानुमान प्रणाली के अनुसार, राष्ट्रीय राजधानी की वायु गुणवत्ता शनिवार को ‘बहुत खराब’ श्रेणी में पहुंचने की आशंका है। इसकी मुख्य वजह हवा की धीमी गति और तापमान में गिरावट मानी जा रही है। कंधारी ने आरोप लगाया कि दिल्ली सरकार हर साल पौधे लगाने की बात तो करती है, लेकिन साथ ही पेड़ काटने की इजाजत भी देती है। उन्होंने कहा, ‘कार्य योजना में दस लाख पौधे लगाने का उल्लेख है, लेकिन सरकार साथ ही पेड़ों को काटने की अनुमति भी देती है। अब समय आ गया है कि हवा को साफ करने के लिए एक मजबूत, प्रभावी, किफायती सार्वजनिक परिवहन प्रणाली में निवेश किया जाए। हमारा नीतियां इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुरूप होनी चाहिए।’ पिछले हफ्ते, प्रदूषण नियंत्रण योजना ‘ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान’ (जीआरएपी) को सक्रिय रूप से लागू करने के लिए जिम्मेदार एक वैधानिक निकाय, वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग ने प्रदूषण के स्तर में संभावित वृद्धि के बीच एनसीआर में अधिकारियों को निजी परिवहन को हतोत्साहित करने और सीएनजी या इलेक्ट्रिक बसों और मेट्रो ट्रेन की सेवाओं को बढ़ाने के लिए पार्किंग शुल्क बढ़ाने का निर्देश दिया था। चिंतन एनवायरमेंट रिसर्च एंड एक्शन ग्रुप संस्थापक और निदेशक भारती चतुर्वेदी ने कहा कि सरकार को जीआरएपी पर "भरोसा नहीं करना चाहिए" और राष्ट्रीय राजधानी में सार्वजनिक परिवहन में सुधार किया जाना चाहिए। इस बीच, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) में कार्यकारी निदेशक (अनुसंधान और वकालत) अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि कदमों में कमी को दूर करने और एकीकृत सार्वजनिक परिवहन सुनिश्चित करना आवश्यक है।