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Foundries in VKI area adding to air pollution

Jaipur: Jaipur has 11 major industrial clusters, housing polluting industries, and of these, the Vishwakarma Industrial Area (VKIA) accounts for the highest pollution load of 33 per cent. A lot of this pollutants in VKIA is coming from the 46 foundries that are located in the cluster causing the air pollution. The data has emerged from a recent assessment of the foundry sector in Rajasthan carried out jointly by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB). The two agencies organised a workshop on the subject on Wednesday in New Delhi, with the aim of discussing a roadmap for improving the environmental performance of the foundry sector in the state. Vijai N, member secretary, RSPCB inaugurated and addressed the event and Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution, CSE also addressed.

DNA Analysis on Honey: सेहतमंद रखने वाला ब्रांडेड शहद कहीं आपको कैंसर की दावत तो नहीं दे रहा?

DNA Analysis on Honey: बाजार में मिलने वाले बड़े ब्रांड के शहद के सैंपल हमने टेस्ट के लिए भेजे. जिनमें HMF काफी ज्यादा मात्रा में पायी गई है. टेस्ट रिपोर्ट में इसका खुलासा हुआ है. जब डाबर जैसी कंपनियां एकदम शुद्ध शहद बेचने का दावा करती हैं तो फिर उनके शहद में HMF की मात्रा ज्यादा क्यों मिली? इसकी कई वजह हो सकती हैं. हम सभी हर मौसम में खुद को सेहतमंद रखने के लिए शहद का सेवन करते हैं. गुणवत्ता का ध्यान रखते हुए ब्रांडेड हनी खरीदते हैं, लेकिन ये शहद आपको कैंसर के खतरे की ओर तो नहीं धकेल रहा है. ब्रांडेड कंपनियों के दावों की पोल खोलने वाले DNA के ऑपरेशन हनी ट्रैप में इसी का खुलासा किया गया है. इसमें पाया गया है कि शानदार Packaging और बड़े-बड़े दावों के साथ बिकने वाले शहद में मिलावट थी और ये मिलावट जानलेवा भी हो सकती है. ज़ी न्यूज़ ने इसका Reality Check के लिए कई कई महीनों तक रिसर्च और ग्राउंड रिपोर्टिंग की. देश में सबसे अधिक बिकने वाले शहद के कई छोटे और बड़े Brands का लैब टेस्ट (#Honeytest) भी करवाया. नामी ब्रांड के शहद की लैब टेस्टिंग के परिणाम चौंकाने वाले आए. शहद के दोनों ही सैंपल, एक खास मानक पर फेल हो गए. अधिक मात्रा में पाया गया HMF कंपाउंड जांच में एक खास तत्व Hydroxy-methyl-furfural यानी HMF की मात्रा ज्यादा पाई गई. यह दोनों ही कंपनियों के शहद में तय सीमा से दोगुने से भी ज्यादा मिला. डाबर के शहद के एक सैंपल में HMF की मात्रा 176.57 मिलीग्राम मिली और दूसरे सैंपल में 97.250 मिलीग्राम मिली. वहीं टेस्ट में एक अन्य ब्रांड, श्री जी हनी का सैंपल भी फेल हुआ, जिसमें HMF की मात्रा 135.16 मिलीग्राम पाई गई थी. तय मानकों के हिसाब से ये मात्रा किसी भी स्थिति में 80 मिलीग्राम से ज्यादा नहीं होनी चाहिए. कैंसर का कारण बन सकता है HMF स्टडी में पाया गया है कि शहद में Hydroxy-methyl-furfural (HMF) की ज्यादा मात्रा कैंसर का कारण बन सकती है. रिसर्च की मानें तो इंसान, हर दिन 30 से 150 मिलीग्राम HMF ही पचा पाता है. इससे अधिक मात्रा का हर दिन सेवन करना कैंसर को बुलावा देने जैसा है. यह कंपाउंड आंतों, लिवर और किडनी को खासकर नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है. HMF, Neo-Plasticity पैदा कर सकता है यानी शरीर के Healthy Cells को Tumor वाले Cells में बदल सकता है. HMF की अधिक मात्रा, Gene Mutation यानी आनुवांशिक संरचना को बदल सकती है. लगातार HMF का अवश्यकता से अधिक सेवन इंसान के DNA को भी नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है. भारत में शुद्ध शहद का दावा करते डाबर जैसे कई बड़े ब्रांड मिलावटी शहद बेच रहे हैं. लोग बाजार में मिलने वाले शहद सेहतमंद होने के लिए खाते हैं, लेकिन यह आपके लिए बहुत नुकसानदायक साबित हो सकता है. हमारे देश में शहद की क्वालिटी चेक करने का जो Mechanism है, वो इतना कारगर नहीं है कि मिलावट की 100 फीसदी जांच हो पाए. मिलावटी शहद बेचे जाने का यह भी एक बड़ा कारण हो सकता है. इसकी खुलासा दिसंबर 2020 में भारत में बिकने वाले ब्रांडेड शहद को लेकर बड़े एनजीओ (NGO) सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (Centre For Science And Environment) यानी CSE द्वारा किया जा चुका है. HMF की मात्रा बढ़ने का कारण अमेरिका की National Centre For Bio-Technology Information के मुताबिक शहद में HMF की तब मात्रा बढ़ती है जब- शहद बहुत पुराना हो. Processing के समय शहद को ज्यादा गर्म किया जाए. शहद में मॉइश्चर यानी नमी अधिक हो. शहद का स्टोरेज ठीक से न किया गया हो. उसमें चीनी जैसे शुगर सीरप मिलाए गए हों. साथ ही शहद को मेटल के कंटेनर में रखा गया हो.

Delhi News: ज़ी मीडिया का बड़ा खुलासा, नामी कंपनियों का शहद आपको बना सकता है कैंसर का मरीज, जानें कारण

Delhi News: इन नामी कंपनियों का शहद आपकी सेहत के लिए हानीकारक साबित हो सकता है. इसको लेकर हमारी ज़ी मीडिया की टीम ने टेस्टिंग की तो डाबर कंपनी के शहद के नमूने फेल हो गए. आयुर्वेद में शहद को अमृत के समान माना गया है. शहद का सेवन करने से शरीर में ऊर्जा बरकरार रहती है. रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता भी अच्छी होती है. यहां तक कि नियमित शहद खाने से कैंसर जैसी बीमारियों का खतरा भी कम होता है. इसलिए आयुर्वेदिक औषधियों में भी शहद का इस्तेमाल होता है. आपमें से बहुत से लोग शहद खाते होंगे. गुनगुने पानी में लोग ये सोचकर शहद ले लेते हैं कि वो पतले हो जाएंगे. डायबिटीज के कई मरीज, चीनी के विकल्प के तौर पर शहद की चाय-कॉफी पीते हैं. यहां तक कि भारतीय परिवारों में नवजात बच्चे के अन्नप्रासन में सबसे पहले शहद की बूंद चटाई जाती है, ये सोचकर कि शहद, प्रकृति से मिलने वाली सबसे शुद्ध चीज है, लेकिन मिलावट के इस दौर में अब अमृत समान शहद के नाम पर कैसे आपको विष बेचा जा रहा है, आज हम इसका, Lab Tested खुलासा करेंगे. Branded शहद की रिपोर्ट परेशान करने वाली ज्यादातर लोग ये मानते हैं कि Branded Company का शहद है तो इसमें मिलावट नहीं होगी, लेकिन क्या वो शहद असली है? शुद्ध है ? जैसा कि कंपनियां दावा करती हैं. इसका Reality Check करने के लिए ज़ी मीडिया की टीम ने कई महीनों तक रिसर्च और Ground Reporting की हैं. ज़ी मीडिया ने देश में सबसे ज्यादा बिकने वाले शहद के कई बड़े और छोटे Brands का लैब टेस्ट भी करवाया है, जिसके नतीजे इतने हैरान कर देने वाले हैं, उससे ज्यादा परेशान कर देने वाले हैं. वहीं बड़े बड़े ब्रैंड्स दावा करते हैं कि उनका शहद सबसे शुद्ध है और जीरो मिलावट का दम भरते हैं, लेकिन क्या वाकई डाबर जैसे बड़े ब्रैंड्स के शहद, शुद्धता की कसौटी पर खरे उतरते हैं ? दो सैंपल की हुई जांच हमारी टीम ने बाजार से देश में सबसे ज्यादा बिकने वाले शहद के दो सैंपल उठाए, जिसमें से एक सैंपल, सबसे बड़े ब्रैंड डाबर (Dabour) का था और फिर इन सैंपल्स को लैब टेस्टिंग के लिए भेजने की तैयारी शुरु की. हमने दोनों सैंपल्स को उनके ब्रैंड्स के डिब्बों से निकालकर दूसरे डिब्बों में स्टोर किया है, ताकि जब हम लैब में ये सैंपल भेजें तो पता ना चले कि कौन सा शहद, किस ब्रैंड का है. शहद की टेस्टिंग करने वाली मान्यता प्राप्त लैब्स की संख्या देश में गिनी चुनी है । ज्यादातर प्राइवेट लैब ने हमारे सैंपल टेस्ट करने से ही इंकार कर दिया. लैब टेस्टिंग कंपनी ने कर दिया मना गुरुग्राम की एक नामी लैब Fare labs ने हमारे सैंपल टेस्ट करने के लिए हामी भरी. हमसे सैंपल भी ले लिए. इसके बाद हमारी टीम सैंपल लेकर पहुंची. कंपनी के एक्सपर्ट ने सैंपल रिसीव करते समय हमसे बाकायदा बात की. हमें उम्मीद थी कि जल्द ही हमें टेस्ट रिजल्ट मिल जाएंगे, लेकिन करीब एक हफ्ते बाद कंपनी की तरफ से एक ई-मेल भेजा गया, जिसमें कहा गया कि शहद की टेस्टिंग करने वाली मशीन का एक पार्ट टूट गया है. जिसे उन्हें इंपोर्ट करना पड़ेगा इसलिए वो टेस्टिंग नहीं कर पाएंगे. यानी लैब, शहद का टेस्ट करने से ही मुकर गई, लेकिन हमारी टीम ने हार नहीं मानी और फिर शहद के सैंपल्स को लेकर हम पहुंचे गुजरात के आणंद में स्थित National Dairy Development Board की laboratory (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food) के सेंटर पर, जो कि देश की सबसे विश्वसनीय टेस्टिंग लैब है. लैब में शहद के सैंपल्स की जांच उन सभी 40 मानकों पर की जानी थी, जो भारत में शहद बेचने के लिए जरूरी हैं तो सैंपल, लैब में जा चुके थे और हमें इंतजार था टेस्ट रिपोर्ट का तो क्या शहद के बाजार में मार्केट लीडर, बिक्री में नंबर वन, डाबर हनी शुद्धता के मानकों पर खरता उतरा? इन सारे सवालों के जवाब इस टेस्ट रिपोर्ट में दर्ज हैं. पैरामीटर पर खरे नहीं उतरे ब्रैंड्स बाजार में मिलने वाले नामी ब्रैंड्स के शहद की लैब टेस्टिंग के नतीजे आ चुके हैं. हमने दो Brands के शहद के तीन सैंपल टेस्ट के लिए भेजे थे और दोनों ही सैंपल, एक खास Parameter पर Fail हो गए. दोनों ही कंपनियों के शहद में एक खास Compound की मात्रा, तय सीमा से दोगुने से भी ज्यादा मिली. शहद में ज्यादा मात्रा में HMF (Hydroxy Methyl Furfural) डाबर के जिस शहद का सैंपल हमने टेस्टिंग के लिए भेजा. उसमें HMF की मात्रा 176.57 मिलीग्राम मिली, जो कि तय मानकों के मुताबिक ये मात्रा किसी भी स्थिति में 80 मिलीग्राम से ज्यादा नहीं होनी चाहिए थी. वहीं डाबर के ही दूसरे सैंपल में भी HMF की मात्रा 97.250 मिलीग्राम मिली, जबकि एक अन्य ब्रैंड, श्री जी हनी का सैंपल भी टेस्ट में फेल हो गया, जिसमें HMF की मात्रा 135.16 मिलीग्राम थी. यानी तीनों ही सैंपल शुद्धता की कसौटी पर खरे नहीं उतरे. अब आप सोच रहे होंगे कि आखिर ये HMF है क्या? और ये सेहत के लिए कितना नुकसानदायक हो सकता है, तो ये भी आपको बताते हैं. HMF एक Organic Compound है, जो कि कुछ मात्रा में मीठी चीजों में पाया जाता है. आमतौर पर शुद्ध और ताजा शहद में HMF की मात्रा प्रति किलो 15 मिलीग्राम तक होती है. शहद के अलावा HMF, ब्रेड्स और बेकरी के ज्यादातर प्रॉडक्ट्स, डेयरी प्रॉडक्टस में भी पाया जाता है. अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मानकों के मुताबिक शहद में HMF की मात्रा प्रति किलो 40 मिलीग्राम से ज्यादा नहीं होनी चाहिए. गर्म इलाकों में बनने वाले शहद के लिए ये मात्रा प्रति किलो 80 मिलिग्राम से कम होनी चाहिए, लेकिन बाजार में मिलने वाले बड़े Brands के शहद के जो Samples हमने टेस्ट करवाए हैं. उनमें HMF काफी ज्यादा है. टेस्ट रिपोर्ट साफ-साफ इसका खुलासा कर रही हैं, लेकिन जब डाबर जैसी कंपनियां एकदम शुद्ध शहद बेचने का दावा करती हैं तो फिर उनके शहद में HMF की मात्रा ज्यादा क्यों मिली? तो इसकी कई वजह हो सकती हैं. अमेरिका की National Centre For Bio-Technology Information के मुताबिक शहद में HMF की मात्रा तब बढ़ जाती है, जब शहद बहुत पुराना हो या शहद को Processing के दौरान ज्यादा गर्म किया गया हो, शहद में Moisture यानी नमी ज्यादा हो, शहद का Storage सही तरीके से नहीं किया गया हो, शहद में चीनी जैसे Sugar Syrup की मिलावट की गई हो या फिर शहद को Metal के Container में रख दिया गया हो. इन सभी वजहों से शहद में HMF Compound ज्यादा हो सकता है. वहीं हमारे पास जो लैब टेस्ट रिपोर्ट हैं, वो साबित करती हैं कि डाबर जैसे बड़े ब्रैंड्स के शहद में भी HMF की मात्रा, तय मानक से बहुत ज्यादा पाई गई है. इसका सीधा सा मतलब ये है कि बाजार में मिलने वाला शहद, शुद्ध तो बिलकुल भी नहीं है. वहीं अब आपके मन में ये सवाल आ सकता है कि आखिर शहद में ये मिलावट क्यों हो रही है? बता दें कि बाजार में भले ही कोई भी कंपनी कहे कि उसके ब्रैंड का शहद सबसे शुद्ध है तो यकीन मत करना, क्योंकि शानदार Packaging और बड़े-बड़े दावों के साथ बाजार में बिकने वाला शहद में मिलावट है, और ये मिलावट जानलेवा भी साबित हो सकती है, क्योंकि शहद में HMF की ज्यादा मात्रा कैंसर का कारण भी बन सकती है. कई शोध में ये पता चला है कि इंसान, रोजाना 30 से 150 मिलीग्राम HMF ही पचा सकते हैं, लेकिन रोजाना HMF की इससे ज्यादा मात्रा का सेवन करने से कैंसर हो सकता है. खासतौर पर आंतों, लिवर और किडनी को HMF बहुत नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है. बता दें कि HMF, Neo-Plasticity पैदा कर सकता है. यानी ये शरीर के Healthy Cells को Tumor वाले Cells में बदल सकता है. HMF की ज्यादा मात्रा Gene Mutation कर सकती है यानी आपकी आनुवांशिक संरचना को बदल सकती है. इतना ही नहीं लगातार HMF का जरूरत से ज्यादा सेवन इंसान के DNA को भी नुकसान पहुंचाने की ताकत रखता है. बाजार में मिलने वाला शहद, जो आप सेहतमंद बनने की इच्छा से खाते हैं. वो आपकी सेहत के लिए बेहद नुकसानदायक साबित हो सकता है. इसके बावजूद हमारे देश में डाबर जैसे बड़े ब्रैंड भी शुद्ध शहद का दावा करके मिलावटी शहद बेच रहे हैं और इसकी एक बड़ी वजह ये भी है कि हमारे देश में शहद की क्वालिटी चेक करने का जो Mechanism है, वो इतना कारगर नहीं है कि शहद में मिलावट को सौ फीसदी पकड़ पाए. हम ये किस आधार पर कह रहे हैं. ये भी आपको बताते हैं. दिसंबर 2020 में NGO, Centre For Science And Environment यानी CSE ने भारत में बिकने वाले ब्रैंडेड शहद को लेकर एक बड़ा खुलासा किया था. CSE ने दावा किया था कि डाबर सहित भारत में 13 प्रमुख Brands द्वारा बेचे जाने वाले शहद में चीनी सिरप की मिलावट पाई गई है. CSE के शोधकर्ताओं ने शुद्धता की जांच के लिए, उन 13 Brands को चुना था जो भारत में Processed शहद बेचते हैं. इस स्टडी में पाया गया था कि 77 प्रतिशत सैंपल्स में चीनी सिरप की मिलावट थी. CSE की स्टडी में कहा गया है कि डाबर, पतंजलि, बैद्यनाथ, झंडू, हितकारी जैसे प्रमुख ब्रांड्स के शहद के सैंपल्स, टेस्ट में फेल रहे. दिलचस्प बात ये है कि इन Brands के Samples का टेस्ट सबसे पहले भारत की लैब्स में किया गया था और लगभग सभी Samples, शुद्धता के परीक्षण में पास भी हो गये थे, लेकिन जब इन सैंपल्स का, CSE ने जर्मनी की Bruker Biospin लैब में Advance Test करवाया तो Branded शहर में मिलावट पकड़ में आई. भारत में शहद के Samples की testing करने वाली लैब्स की विश्वसनीयता तभी से संदेह के घेरे में है, जो शहद में मिलावट को पकड़ ही नहीं पा रही हैं. वहीं तीन साल पहले जब CSE ने शहद में मिलावट का खुलासा किया था तब भी डाबर ने ये मानने से इंकार कर दिया था कि उसके शहद में कोई मिलावट है. वहीं अब तीन साल बाद ज़ी मीडिया ने डाबर के शहद में मिलावट का खुलासा किया है तो अब देखते हैं कि इस बार डाबर क्या जवाब देती है, लेकिन इससे एक बात तो साबित होती है कि बाजार में मिलने वाले शहद को लेकर चाहे कोई कंपनी जितने मर्जी दावे करें. उनके शुद्ध होने की न तो कोई Guarantee है और न कोई Warranty है.

India among the 12 countries responsible for 52% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste: Report

On July 28, 2023, the Earth saw its first Plastic Overshoot Day: The point at which the amount of plastics exceeds the global waste management capacity, according to Swiss-based research consultancy Earth Action (EA). Nearly 68,642,999 tonnes of additional plastic waste will end up in nature this year, noted the 2023 Plastic Overshoot Day Report by EA. India is among the 12 countries, along with China, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Russia, Mexico, the United States, Saudia Arabia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran and Kazakhstan, which are responsible for 52 per cent of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste, it pointed out. Under current scenarios, despite pledges and increased waste management capacity, increased production of plastics will lead to global plastics pollution tripling by 2040, it pointed out. Also read: Extreme weather events in India may be transporting more plastic litter into oceans, warn experts Of the 159 million tonnes of plastics (which can be used only for a short time) to be produced globally in 2023, 43 per cent (68.5 million tonnes) will end up causing pollution, the report pointed out. This day, which is just four days ahead of Earth Overshoot Day on August 2, is a wake-up call to the world. Plastic Overshoot Day sheds light on a critical aspect of the world’s plastic consumption: Short-life plastics, encompassing plastic packaging and single-use plastics. These categories account for approximately 37 per cent of the total plastic commercialised annually. Moreover, they pose a higher risk of leakage to the environment. When it comes to plastic consumption on a per-person basis, the world’s worst offender is Iceland, with annual consumption of 128.9 kg per person. This is 24.3 times higher than the yearly consumption per person of 5.3 kg in India. The global average consumption of plastic per person per year is 20.9 kg. Overshoot Day for India, or the date when the amount of plastic waste outweighed the country’s ability to manage it, was January 6 2023. Plastic Overshoot Day is determined based on a country’s Mismanaged Waste Index (MWI). The imbalance between the volumes of plastic that are produced and used, as well as the world’s ability to manage those volumes when they become waste, is the root cause of plastic pollution. The gap in waste management capacity and plastic consumption is called MWI. Three countries (followed by India) with the highest mismanaged waste — Mozambique (99.8 per cent), Nigeria (99.44 per cent) and Kenya (98.9 per cent) — belong to Africa, according to the document. India ranks fourth in the MWI, with 98.55 per cent of generated waste being mismanaged and fares poorly in the management of plastics waste, according to the EA report. However, Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager of municipal solid waste at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “The index of the report can be challenged as it does not mention the source of the information that it has published especially with respect to mismanaged waste index of India”. According to CSE’s report, The Plastic Life Cycle, India recycles 12.3 per cent of its plastic waste and incinerates 20 per cent. The centralised EPR portal developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change also suggests India has a cumulative capacity to process 14.2 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. This includes recycling and incineration, indicating that the country has the capacity to process 71 per cent of all the primary plastic that is produced. The researchers categorised countries into 10 archetypes to carry out the analysis: The transactors, the self-sustainers, the strugglers, the overloaders, the toxic exporters, the waste saviours, the waste sponges, the selective exporters, the exporting polluters and the small-scale inward polluters. Also read: Plastic-free planet: Evolution of Global Plastics Treaty Among these, plastic pollution particularly impacts developing countries without mature waste management systems, including India. These countries have been categorised as ‘waste sponges’. However, 25 per cent of the countries that EA categorised as waste sponges are trying to address the global waste crisis by absorbing waste from other countries but are struggling to manage their own waste. Waste sponges have a low plastic consumption yet a high level of plastic pollution. This is worrying since the expected mismanaged waste in India in 2023 will be 7,300,752 tonnes of plastic. The country will also be responsible for releasing an average of 3,30,764 tonnes of microplastics into waterways. “According to Indian Industry estimates, the total primary plastic production in the country is 20 million metric tonnes, of this 43 per cent is single use in nature. This means that roughly 8.6 million tonnes of single use plastic waste is generated in the country —1.3 million tonnes more than what is estimated by this report,” said Singh. To mitigate plastic pollution, India must Invest in waste management policies like Extended producer responsibility (EPR), suggested the report. Plastics that are not designed for circular use must be phased out, it added. India was among the few countries in 2019 to propose a global ban on single-use plastics. The idea was later widened, and the world agreed in March 2022 to draw up a global treaty on plastic pollution by 2024. The UN Plastic Treaty represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spark global action against plastic pollution. But to achieve this, the treaty must be adequately scoped, negotiated, ratified and enforced with high ambition. However, India abstained from furnishing its written submission for the second round of negotiations held in Paris from May 29 to June 2, 2023. While 70 per cent of the submissions spoke of restricting / phasing out unnecessary plastic products, a negligible 8 per cent suggested a moratorium on plastic production. Similarly, just 10 per cent of the submissions suggested looking at the entire lifecycle of plastic to find solutions, according to an analysis published in the State of India’s Environment 2023: In figures. EA, in its report, has called for an ambitious treaty and urged all governments to endorse and ratify it.

Rain, winds give Delhi best July AQI since 2015

Consistent rain, coupled with gusty winds, gave Delhi an average monthly Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 84 — the lowest pollution levels for the month of July since at least 2015, when the Central Pollution Control Board began collecting AQI readings for the Capital, data shared by the CPCB showed. The average AQI for July this year on par with that of July 2020 — an outlier year due to Covid-19 pandemic-induced restrictions. CPCB data also showed that this July, Delhi logged pollution levels in the “satisfactory” zone on 26 out of 31 days — better than the 25 “satisfactory” days recorded in 2020 and 2022, and the 20 such days in July 2021. The lowest AQI recorded so far this year was 59 on July 29. Delhi is yet to record “good” air this year. CPCB classifies an AQI between 0-50 as “good”, between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor”, and over 400 as “severe”. Analysing the CPCB data, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said in a statement, “The monthly average AQI for Delhi in July remained in the satisfactory AQI category (83.71). Delhi has recorded its lowest monthly average AQI during July this year as compared to the corresponding period for the last four years from 2019. The monthly average AQI of July 2023 is comparable with the monthly average AQI of July 2020 (83.80).” A CAQM official said while the body only looked at a five-year data for July starting 2019, this year was in fact the cleanest since it began recording AQI data. “The years before 2019 were even more polluted,” the official said. Giving details about the concentration of particulate matter in Delhi this July, CAQM said the city’s average PM2.5 concentration was 35 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) — slightly above the reading of 34µg/m³ in July 2020 and better than the 36µg/m in July 2022. Meanwhile, the average PM10 concentration for this July was 77µg/m³, the same as 2020 and better than the 82µg/m³ last year. The national annual safe standard for PM2.5 and PM10 is 40µg/m³ and 60µg/m³, respectively. CAQM said the improvement in AQI was indicative of the efforts take by commission as well as the state governments across the National Capital Region, asking for the state pollution control bodies, regulatory bodies, industries, RWAs, civil society organizations and citizens to further contribute towards cleaner air. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said while this monsoon season has been marked by prolonged rains in Delhi, long-term trends show there has been a marked improvement in AQI over the years. “We are seeing a drop in annual PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels each year and that is reflecting in the monthly data too. It shows that since 2015, there has been a drop in the background emissions, but we also have to acknowledge the role of meteorological conditions. There has been a washout effect too, largely because we have seen good rain in the last two months,” she said.

Cleaner air for Delhi in last 7 months

NEW DELHI: This year, the city saw its cleanest July since 2015, when the Central Pollution Control Board began maintaining the Air Quality Index. The average AQI this July was 84 due mainly to regular rainfall. July 2020 too had logged the same average AQI of 84. Additionally, the period from January to July this year is the second cleanest in three years. The average AQI of Delhi in the seven-month period was 182.6 this year, 209 in 2022, 204.7 in 2021, 159 in 2020 and 215.3 in 2019. Track the pollution level in your city Experts said the prolonged spells of rain in July played a significant role in cleaning the air. Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, logged 384.6mm of rainfall against the normal average of 209.7mm. "Rain help settle down pollutants," said Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB's laboratory. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "Intense and prolonged spell of rain created this wash-out effect. Besides, the downward trend in long-term pollution level could also have contributed to further lowering the AQI this season." CPCB's data shows that the average AQI in July was 87 in 2022, 110 in 2021, 84 in 2020, 134 in 2019, 104 in 2018, 98 in 2017, 146 in 2016 and 138 in 2015. In July this year, the AQI was at the 'satisfactory' level for 26 days, including for a consecutive 13 days from July 5 to 17. In the remaining five days, the AQI was in the 'moderate' category. However, no 'good' air day was recorded in the month. According to the Commission for Air Quality Management, there was a reduction in daily average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations this July. The daily average PM2.5 level in July this year was 35 microgram per cubic metre in contrast with 36 in 2022, 40 in 2021, 34 in 2020 and 47 micrograms per cubic metre in 2019. Similarly, the daily average PM10 concentration in Delhi for July 2023 was 77 microgram per cubic metre against 82 in 2022, 107 in 2021, 77 in 2020 and 143 micrograms per cubic metre in 2019. "CAQM is working closely with all the stakeholders to take effective measures for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution and to improve the overall air quality in NCR," said the commission in a statement on Monday.

जोशीमठ के सवाल पर संसद में सरकार का गोलमोल जवाब

जोशीमठ भूधंसाव के मामले में सरकार से संसद में सवाल पूछा गया, लेकिन सरकार की ओर से केंद्रीय पर्यावरण, वन एवं जलवायु परिवर्तन राज्य मंत्री अश्विनी कुमार चौबे ने पुरानी बातें दोहरा दीं। उन्होंने बताया कि भूधंसाव के बाद तपोवन-विष्णुगढ़ पनबिजली परियोजना और हेलंंग मारवाड़ी बाइपास का काम रोक दिया गया था। हालांकि, उन्होंने यह नहीं बताया कि हेलंग बाइपास का काम बाद में शुरू कर दिया गया था। राज्यसभा में दिए गए एक लिखित जवाब में उन्होंने बताया कि साल 1976 में तत्कालीन उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार द्वारा गठित मिश्रा समिति ने जोशीमठ में भूस्खलन और स्थानीय धंसाव की चेतावनी दी थी। उस समय 18-सदस्यीय समिति के सदस्य संगठनों के पास उपलब्ध विशेषज्ञता और संसाधनों के अनुसार विभिन्न दीर्घकालिक और अल्पकालिक उपाय सुझाए थे। उनके मुताबिक, मिश्रा समिति की सिफारिशों पर उत्तराखंड सरकार द्वारा कार्रवाई की जानी बाकी है। अपने जवाब में उन्होंने आपदा प्रबंधन पर राष्ट्रीय नीति का हवाला देते हुए कहा कि राहत वितरण और आपदा के कारण प्रभावित लोगों के पुनर्वास सहित आपदा प्रबंधन की प्राथमिक जिम्मेदारी भी राज्य सरकार की है। केंद्र सरकार स्थापित प्रक्रिया के अनुसार आवश्यक वित्तीय और रसद सहायता प्रदान करती है। यहां यह खास बात है कि छह माह से अधिक समय बीतने के बाद भी उत्तराखंड सरकार कोई स्थायी सहायता प्रदान नहीं कर पाई है। वन एवं पर्यावरण मंत्री के जवाब में कहा गया है कि राज्य और केंद्र सरकार के विभिन्न स्तरों पर स्थिति पर लगातार नजर रखी जा रही है। इसके अलावा, केंद्र सरकार और राज्य सरकार जोशीमठ क्षेत्र में भूमि धंसाव के प्रभाव को कम करने के लिए सभी संबंधित एजेंसियों के साथ निकट समन्वय में काम कर रही है। यहां यह भी बता दें कि इन एजेंसियों की रिपोर्ट को अब तक सार्वजनिक नहीं किया गया है। जवाब में कहा गया कि केंद्र सरकार ने विकासात्मक परियोजनाओं के लिए पर्यावरणीय और सामाजिक प्रभावों के आकलन के लिए एक विस्तृत प्रक्रिया भी तैयार की है और इसे समय-समय पर संशोधित पर्यावरण प्रभाव आकलन अधिसूचना, 2006 में निर्धारित किया गया है। अधिसूचना अन्य बातों के साथ-साथ विचार प्रक्रिया के चार चरणों यानी स्क्रीनिंग, स्कोपिंग, सार्वजनिक परामर्श और विशेषज्ञ मूल्यांकन समिति (ईएसी) द्वारा मूल्यांकन प्रदान करती है। अधिसूचना की अनुसूची में सूचीबद्ध विकासात्मक परियोजनाओं के विस्तृत अध्ययन और विश्लेषण के बाद और आवश्यक पर्यावरणीय सुरक्षा उपायों के अनुपालन के अधीन ही पर्यावरणीय मंजूरी जारी की जाती है। सुरक्षा उपायों से संबंधित परियोजना विशिष्ट शर्तें जैसे प्रारंभिक चेतावनी टेलीमीट्रिक प्रणाली की स्थापना, आपातकालीन तैयारी योजना का कार्यान्वयन, आपदा प्रबंधन योजना, बांध टूटने का विश्लेषण, जलग्रहण क्षेत्र उपचार योजना, मलबा निपटान स्थलों का स्थिरीकरण, वृक्षारोपण, चारागाह विकास, नर्सरी विकास, आदि। पनबिजली परियोजनाओं के लिए पर्यावरणीय मंजूरी भी इसमें निर्धारित की गई है। जवाब में कहा गया कि पिछले दशक में, मंत्रालय ने विष्णुगढ़ पीपलकोटी जलविद्युत परियोजना (444 मेगावाट स्थापित क्षमता), घांघरिया से हेमकुंड साहिब (चरण- प्रथम) तक हवाई यात्री रोपवे और चमोली जिले के जोशीमठ तहसील में सेनेटरी लैंडफिल को पर्यावरणीय मंजूरी दी है। इन सभी के लिए उचित प्रक्रियाओं का पालन करके और अपेक्षित पर्यावरणीय सुरक्षा उपायों को शामिल किया गया है। (यह स्टोरी डाउन टू अर्थ से साभार ली गई है।) https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/development/urbanisation/rules-should-not-be-ignored-in-construction-work-in-environmentally-sensitive-area-joshimath-90889

Energy Security~II

According to cumulative global wind installations, India ranks fourth in the world in terms of installed wind power, with a capacity of 41.8 GW as of November 2022. But this is not enough for the country to meet its target of sourcing 450 GW of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, set in its Nationally Determined power target of 60 GW by 2022 and 140 GW by 2030 compared to solar power target of 100 GW by 2022 and 280 GW by 2030. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi, shows that this wind power target can be achieved only if India increases its installed capacity by over 12 GW annually for the next eight years. The National institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) estimates that the country has a wind potential of 302 GW at 100 m hub-height (indicates how high the turbine stands above the ground) and 695 GW at 120 m hub-height. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are the country’s top seven states with high wind energy potential. Tamil Nadu and Gujarat top the list by accounting for 24 and 23 per cent of the country’s total installed wind power capacity respectively. The advantage of wind power is that such plants could be spread all over the country based on the survey of wind conditions and thus be able to feed nearby consumers directly. Where India’s transmission and distribution (T&D) losses in the power sector are ‘substantial’ (over 20 per cent of generation, which is more than twice the world average), this set-up would be fairly cost effective as transmission losses would be reduced. The other renewable energy sources are biomass and small hydro projects, which have been targeted to reach up to 10 GW and 5 MW respectively by 2022. India achieved the target of 10 GW of biomass power before 2022 with the present installed capacity of 10.17 GW of biomass power. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has realized the potential and role of biomass energy in the Indian context and hence initiated a number of programmes for promotion of efficient technologies for its use in various sectors of the economy to ensure derivation of maximum benefits. SubHimalayan states like Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are installing many mini hydroelectric plants in their remote areas; some of them in locations where roads are yet to reach. Interestingly, the first small hydro-power plant in Asia was established by the British in 1897 at Sidrapong about 12 kilometers from Darjeeling. The visionary project had two hydroelectric sets producing 65 KW each, which was sufficient to meet the energy needs of Darjeeling at that time. In addition, new technologies with huge potential are emerging for generating renewable energy. Among them are ‘geothermal energy’ which is the thermal energy in the Earth’s crust which originates from the formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of materials. The word geothermal comes the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). It is not only a clean but also renewable energy. It is renewable because heat is continuously produced inside the earth. Though heat in geothermal zones below the surface of the earth is being used in many parts of the world, at present this remains at the nascent stage in India. Hydrogen is a highly efficient energy carrier. It has the highest energy density by weight as compared to other conventional fuels like natural gas, petrol, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Its lowest and highest heating values are 120.7 megajoules (MJ)/ kg and 141 MJ/kg respectively. This is the highest as compared to other non-conventional fuels. Hydrogen has zero carbon content and also is a non-polluting source of energy. Other advantages of using hydrogen as fuels are: it addresses climate change issues, reduces fossil fuels imports, tackles energy security concerns; and also helps integration of renewable energy and decarburization of different sectors. Electrolysis is an electrochemical process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. If electricity comes from renewables, the hydrogen from electrolysis has the potential to be zero carbon. India is pouring crores of rupees to explore the potential of hydrogen energy. As a viable alternative to conventional and coal or gas based power generation, India has also planned to source a major portion of its energy from nuclear power plants having the latest technologies and greater safeguards. ‘Energy independence is India’s first and highest priority’ said India’s former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a scientist of repute. Further, he asserted that the nation has ‘to go in for nuclear power generation in a big way using Thorium based reactors.’ Presently, nuclear power constitutes the fifth–largest source of electricity in India, contributing approximately 2 per cent to the nation’s overall power generation. Energy conservation is a sine qua non for ensuring energy security. Conservation is the effort to reduce wasteful energy by using fewer energy services. While there is enough talk about how the climate is changing and carbon footprints of developing countries are getting out of control, a bevy of professionals have been driving a revolution without the rhetoric. These professionals, called energy conservation specialists, help various companies cut down their energy consumption, saving them money as well as conserving one of the nation’s most prized resources. We know that energy is neither created, nor destroyed. It is simply converted from one form to another by the action of various processes. However, during these processes, some of the energy is converted into forms that are not intended to or cannot be utilized. Let us take a simple example of an incandescent light bulb. When electricity passes through its filament, it glows due to the material’s resistance and light is produced. Simultaneously due to the same resistance heat is also produced and that is energy being wasted ~ both in terms of electricity used and unutilized heat (these also add to cooling cost, one of the biggest components of domestic power uses). Of course, one solution is switching to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), which use less power and heat up less. Simply, switching from a 100W bulb to the new range of 36W tube lights, which give twice as much light output renders a saving of about 60 per cent ~ a huge saving in terms of energy consumed and cost. Again, replacing a 40W tubelight with a 36W one will directly save 4W. Currently, Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are being widely used. They consume very little power, are very hardy and last long. Indian industries have been regarded as a role model across the world when it comes to social responsibility. Today, energy saving is top in the list of social responsibilities of every individual. Energy saving measures also help in curtailing pollution that is one of the major factors contributing to Global Warming. The IEA defines energy security as the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price. Energy security has many aspects. Long-term energy security mainly deals with timely investments to supply energy in line with economic development and environment needs. On the other hand, shortterm energy security focuses on the ability of the energy system to react promptly to sudden changes in the supply–demand balance. We need sustainable and clean fuels so that we can drive our energy transition to renewable and other non-fossil energy sources. But a country like India will find it difficult to get out of the coal-trap easily. Though dirty, it is cheaper. It makes the entire world unsafe and insecure. This is where the rubber meets the road. We shall not forget what Robert Redford said: “The measure of our success will be the condition on which we leave the world for the next generation.” (The writer is a retired IAS officer)

Why ESG is a crucial investment despite the sceptics

To achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, an estimated $125 trillion is needed for climate investments globally. India alone will require $160 billion per year, three times the current investment levels, to reach its target by 2030. In the first six months of 2023, India experienced extreme weather events on 143 of the 181 days, as per data collated by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth. The data sourced from the Disaster Management Division of the India Meteorological Department and media reports noted that 651 lives were lost and 1 million hectares of crop area were affected. (image) It’s not as though floods and heatwaves didn’t occur before. But anyone following newspaper headlines...

Thanks to rain, Delhi breathed year's cleanest air yesterday

NEW DELHI: Delhi breathed its cleanest air of 2023 on Saturday with an air quality index (AQI) of 59 in the "satisfactory" category. Before this, Delhi saw a lower AQI than this in October last year when there were two "good" air days. Experts said widespread rain in the city and neighbouring districts helped improve the air quality. Track the pollution level in your city The Central Pollution Control Board's data shows that in July, so far, the AQI was in the "satisfactory" category for 24 days and "moderate" for five days. This July saw the longest spell of the AQI being in the "satisfactory" range - 13 consecutive days from July 5 to 17. An analysis of July's AQI since 2015, when CPCB started maintaining air quality records, shows that the average AQI in this month has been 84, making it the second cleanest July after 2020. The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas tweeted that Delhi on Saturday registered its best AQI of 2023. Delhi_air_quality Rain unlikely early next week: IMD Delhi's average AQI clocked 59 today. The earlier recorded best AQI of Delhi during the current year was 64 on July 9. Let's continue working together towards cleaner skies and a healthier environment," said CAQM. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, which is a forecasting model under the ministry of earth sciences, the air quality is likely to remain satisfactory till August 1. Experts said rain helped in settling down the pollutants and monsoon months in Delhi are the cleanest. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "This is an indication of the cleansing effect of the intense and prolonged spell of rains. We need to see how high the AQI bounces back post-monsoon. Speed-up action now is needed to prevent severe winter smogs." This year has so far not seen a single "good" air day. The last time Delhi saw one was on October 9 and 10, 2022 when the AQI was 48 and 44, respectively. The CPCB classifies AQI between 0 and 50 as "good", between 51 and 100 "satisfactory", between 101 and 200 "moderate", between 201 and 300 "poor", between 301 and 400 "very poor" and over 400 "severe". Meanwhile, some parts of the city saw drizzling during the day. However, rain intensity is likely to be reduced from Sunday. According to the India Meteorological Department, Ridge in north Delhi, Pitampura and Delhi University received heavy rain during the last 24 hours till 8.30am on Saturday. Between 8.30am on Friday and 8.30am on Saturday, Ridge, Pitampura and DU logged 83.4, 67 and 78.5mm, respectively. During the same period, Safdarjung recorded 15.4mm, Palam 34.9mm, Lodhi Road 18.6 mm and Ayanagar 27.4mm. However, from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, 0.5mm rainfall each was seen at SPS Mayur Vihar and Sports Complex near Akshardham while Palam saw only "trace" rainfall. Met officials said there is a possibility of a drizzle on Sunday while rain is unlikely on Monday and Tuesday. The maximum temperature was recorded at 31.6oC, three notches below normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 25oC, two degrees below normal.

Data Lab | India houses 75% of the world’s tigers, but let's not get fixated on numbers

Roaring into the headlines in 2022, the government of India released a tiger census report containing some remarkable findings. The report revealed that the tiger population in India had reached 3,167, showing a notable increase of about 6.7 per cent compared to the last census in 2018, which had reported 2,967 tigers. During the report's unveiling, PM Modi said that India stands apart from other tiger-range countries as its tiger numbers continue to grow. He attributed this positive trend to the long-standing coexistence of people and wildlife in the country. Undoubtedly, the report warrants celebration, but the need to holistically understand these numbers is pivotal. To do that, WION spoke to Dr Anish Andheria, India’s leading wildlife expert and the President of the Wildlife Conservation Trust. The report is a clear indicator of India’s positive stride in conservation over the years, but there are a few problem areas that need some attention. But, firstly a bit on the role of a tiger in the ecosystem. Role of a tiger in the ecosystem Tigers stand as ambassadors for preserving diverse habitats. They defy limitations, thrive in a wide array of landscapes, from the snowy peaks of Uttarakhand to the mangroves of Bengal, and even the arid areas of Rajasthan's Ranthambore. “In the name of tigers, we conserve various other forms of biodiversity that coexist within the same ecosystem,” Andheria told WION. As apex predators, tigers play a crucial role in regulating the herbivore population within an ecosystem. Without tigers, the deer population would surge, leading to continuous grazing and overburdening the ecosystem. Consequently, tigers effectively control prey density, ensuring the stability of the habitat. "If we hadn't conserved tigers or hadn't started Project Tiger in 1973, India would have lost almost 50 per cent of the forests that exist today, and we would have had a major pan-India water crisis by now. So, it's that important," Andheria noted. Tigers, as sizeable carnivores, inhabit a total of 13 countries, all of which are located in Asia. Among these nations, India alone boasts nearly 75 per cent of the global tiger population. With vast countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Russia, and more having habitats but very few tigers, India roars as the conservation champion, doing something truly remarkable, says Andheria. In India, the higher density of human beings creates various pressures, which limits the drastic increase in tiger numbers, as the habitat remains constant in terms of area. “It's not always the number of tigers that is important; what matters is whether the population growth is reasonable. We should not only focus on 2018 and 2022 but also look back to 2006 when there were only 1411 tigers in India. From 2006 to 2022, we have more than doubled the tiger population, thanks to efforts such as patrolling, community involvement, cracking down on illegal wildlife trade, and motivating forest guards,” adds Andheria. Importance of tiger corridors The term "corridor" is often used loosely, but its primary significance lies in serving as a conduit between two tiger breeding populations. Tigers utilise riparian tracks for their movement. A corridor is intentionally designed to facilitate the seamless movement of tigers from one habitat to another, noted Andheria. Surprisingly, among India's 53 tiger reserves, not a single one has an adequate number of breeding females to ensure the long-term stability of the tiger population. “These parks need at least 20 female tigers of breeding age to maintain a healthy reproduction rate (a number derived through mathematical methods). The only way to ensure the stability of the tiger population is by connecting reserves with less than 20 female breeding tigers to another population that also has less than 20 female breeding tigers through a corridor, effectively uniting them as one. This facilitates both genetic transfer and population stability if the corridor maintains good quality,” said Andheria. The threats faced by tigers outside tiger reserves are massive. To ensure stable tiger populations, it is equally crucial to secure the safety of corridors, just as it is essential to protect the tiger reserves, he adds. Based on the data, states that have excelled are the ones where the corridors are in good condition. ‘Rare black’ tigers of Similipal in decline In the Similipal Tiger Reserve, there exists a remarkable find: Bengal big cats with a gene mutation that causes a rare melanistic trait, characterised by their distinct dark stripe patterns. A 2021 study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that tigers in the Similipal Tiger Reserve, located in eastern India, are isolated with limited gene flow to other tiger populations. As per the results of the 2022 tiger census, tiger populations in this region are declining due to extensive human disturbance. The Similipal area is significantly affected by human habitation, with several villages right in the heart of the reserve. Rampant hunting, a reduced prey base, and a large number of cattle holdings contribute to the issue as well, particularly when cattle are left for grazing in the reserve. “Furthermore, the tigers in Similipal have maintained their isolated status, indicating the lack of connectivity to other tiger reserves. This suggests that there are insufficient neighbouring reserves to support the movement of tigers in and out of Similipal,” explained Andheria. What is the status of Rajasthan's Sariska national park? In 2005, Sariska lost all its tigers, leading to the formation of a special committee with environmental activist Sunita Narain at the helm, eventually becoming the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Tigers were later reintroduced from Ranthambore, and though they started breeding, Sariska continues to face challenges, with over 30 villages still present within the core tiger zone. Despite endeavours to augment tiger density through Project Tiger, "Sariska has not realised its full potential as a significant breeding habitat," unlike Panna National Park. Panna faced a similar fate as Sariska in 2007-2008 but rebounded with 55 tigers almost a decade ago, boasting no villages within its core area, said Andheria. Western Ghats losing tigers? Tiger populations have decreased around Kerala's Wayanad region, where a significant constituency is advocating for tiger hunting or removal, unlike Karnataka, which is performing better. The high-altitude Western Ghats area also experiences lower tiger numbers due to reduced prey density. In contrast, grasslands with more deer have a higher tiger population, while areas with fewer prey animals see fluctuating tiger populations. Although some parts of the Western Ghats show a declining tiger population, the overall performance in the Western Ghats is satisfactory,” notes Andheria. What should India’s game plan be? Andheria suggests that India should step away from solely prioritising numbers and, instead, incentivise and commend states that have achieved success in tiger conservation. Valuable practices can be borrowed and adopted from these well-performing states as lessons for improvement. “The government cannot prevent the poor from venturing into the forest for subsistence. Instead, they need to provide them with alternative income sources that do not rely on the forest,” he added. Moreover, to effectively and promptly mitigate animal-human conflict, the forest department should secure additional funding, address understaffing by filling vacancies and work in tandem with local communities that live within these core tiger zones.

Data gaps in heatwave deaths widen as India battles record-smashing temperatures

Over the past few months, a growing number of heat-related fatalities have been reported as unrelenting heatwaves kept large swathes of India simmering. Various government agencies such as National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Union health ministry keep records on the casualties from sweltering heatwaves. However, a closer look at the official data from 2015-2023, presented by the health ministry, unravels discrepancies between the information provided by various agencies. [...] Considering these contexts, human casualty is an important indicator of loss and damage due to heatwaves — a significant climate-related extreme weather event. “Deaths due to extreme events” is an important indicator under the sustainable development goal on climate action (SDG 13) as well. It should also be monitored, quantified and reported by India under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). At a time when heatwave has been surpassing records in India, data veracity, along with data gaps on “mortality due to heatwave”, needs to be addressed. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/data-gaps-in-heatwave-deaths-widen-as-india-battles-record-smashing-temperatures-90839

Data-driven testing needed to address vehicle pollution in Delhi NCR, say experts

Experts advocate for a policy-level intervention that identifies vehicles based on their condition and calls for further strengthening of PUC norms. They stress the importance o monitoring nitrogen oxides (NOx) and adding all pollutants relevant to the air quality ind (AQI). New Delhi: Experts in the National Capital Region (NCR) are recommending a more scientific approach to phase out polluting vehicles instead of relying on a blanket rule that mandates the disposal of "end-of-life" vehicles, reported a national daily. Currently, vehicles that are 15 years old cannot legally operate on Delhi's roads, as mandated by orders from the National Green Tribunal in 2015 and the Supreme Court in 2018. Diesel vehicles have a shorter limit of 10 years. These vehicles are referred to as "end-of-life" vehicles, and the intention is to reduce the number of vehicles on the city's roads with outdated emission standards. The Delhi transport department has been actively impounding 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles and sending them to scrap yards in Uttar Pradesh, as Delhi lacks its own scrapyard for vehicles. ing for much lower emission levels of pollutants like nitrous oxides (NOx). However, the current PUC test only monitors carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) and does not cover other harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter. In a 2017 report, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority highlighted that the current PUC certificate mechanism fails to account for the impact of transitioning to tighter emission standards. Since 2018, the Delhi transport department has deregistered around 5.5 million older vehicles. Nonetheless, experts advise the Delhi government to consider factors beyond just the age of vehicles to target polluting vehicles more effectively. Amit Bhatt, the Managing Director (India) of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), emphasizes that the actual lifespan of a vehicle depends on various parameters, including usage and maintenance. He argues for a new system where real-world vehicle performance determines if it is at the end of its life. Sagnik Dey, a lead researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)- Delhi and coordinator at the Centre for Excellence for Research for Clean Air (Cerca), points out that there is no fixed time frame for when emissions from a vehicle may exceed permissible standards as it ages. Different vehicles have varying usage patterns and maintenance conditions, impacting their pollution levels. Experts advocate for a policy-level intervention that identifies vehicles based on their condition and calls for further strengthening of PUC norms. They stress the importance of monitoring nitrogen oxides (NOx) and adding all pollutants relevant to the air quality index (AQI). While scraping older vehicles is considered necessary, car owners express concerns over the disposal of vehicles in good working condition. He believes that age alone does not determine a vehicle's pollution level and cites the responsible maintenance of his dream car as an example. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), supports scrapping older vehicles due to their higher emission levels compared to current models. However, she emphasizes the need to gradually incorporate remote sensing to measure pollutants emitted in real-world conditions as a more comprehensive approach. Experts call for a shift from solely considering the age of vehicles to a more nuanced approach based on emissions and real-world performance

Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity Are Winners From Indonesia, Cameroon & Brazil

The Foundation recognises that people, nature, and the climate are part of one joined-up ecosystem that supports life on earth. On 19 July three inspiring individuals were announced by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as winners of the 2023 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, in recognition of their leadership restoring and protecting vital ecosystems: Bandi “Apai Janggut”, customary community leader (Indonesia), Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet, campaigner and agronomist (Cameroon) and Lélia Wanick Salgado, environmentalist, designer and scenographer (Brazil). The three individuals will share the €1 million Prize, equivalent to Rs 91,238,000.00 equally. The Prize for Humanity is a manifestation of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s commitment to putting sustainability at the heart of everything it does and is given to individuals and organisations who are leading society’s efforts to tackle the biggest challenges facing humanity today – climate change and nature loss. Indian environmentalist Sunita Narain on the Jury who selected these three winners said: “Climate change is an existential threat. We know this. We need to find solutions that provide us inspiration and direction on what can and must be done to regenerate the environment so that we build resilience of communities and also mitigate emissions. This is what the winners of this year’s prize represent. This recognition of the work of community leaders is our duty to hope. These transformational answers will provide communities, who are worst impacted by the impacts of climate change and indeed are victims of the emissions that we have contributed to the atmosphere, the courage to act.” This is the fourth year in which the prize has been awarded. In 2020, its first year, the prize was awarded to Greta Thunberg; in 2021 it was awarded to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy; and in 2022, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were joint recipients. Humanity and nature The Foundation recognises that people, nature, and the climate are part of one joined-up ecosystem that supports life on earth. We cannot exist without nature. We depend on it for the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. At the same time, nature shapes and is shaped by the climate. Through our actions, we have disrupted the balance of nature and caused global temperatures to rise. Therefore, protecting and restoring nature – including the land and the sea – are critical for tackling climate change and for human survival. A flourishing natural world provides solutions for storing carbon and for reducing the impacts of global warming where these cannot be avoided. Humanity needs to find solutions for climate change which do not threaten the natural world. The Jury, chaired by former Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, chose these three individuals out of 143 nominations from 55 countries. The winners were chosen for their leadership and tireless work over decades to restore vital ecosystems including forests, landscapes, and mangroves, and protect land with and for the benefit of local communities. They have all been committed to acting locally to restore and protect the land and biodiversity critical for the healthy functioning of our whole Earth and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Merkel said: “Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The health of our planet and people depends on them, and healthy ecosystems will help us combat climate change. The Jury selected these three individuals in recognition of transformational work happening in the Global South, led by communities who are most impacted by climate change but have done the least to cause it. We believe the recipients will continue to inspire others and generate further positive climate action throughout the world.” The Three Winners Bandi aka “Apai Janggut” is an elder and customary leader of the Indigenous Group of Dayak Iban Sungai Utik Long House, located in the rainforests of western Kalimantan, in Indonesian Borneo. Bandi has led his community in fighting for recognition of their traditional land rights for over 40 years. In 2020, the Indonesian government gave the Dayak Iban community legal recognition and ownership of 9,500 hectares of land. Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet is an advocate for gender equality and community rights to forests and natural resources from Cameroon. For over 30 years she has fought for the rights of women to secure land in tenure, ultimately to play a role in restoring vital ecosystems, end poverty and tackle climate change. In 2022 she was named ‘Champion of the Earth for Inspiration and Action’ by the UN Environment Programme and received the ‘Wangari Maathai Forest Champions’ Award by Collaborative Partnership on Forests. Lélia Wanick Salgado is a Brazilian environmentalist, designer and scenographer. In 1998 she co-founded the Instituto Terra, dedicated to the restoration of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Instituto Terra has been responsible for planting more than 2.7 million trees and restoring more than 700 hectares of degraded land. In collaboration with smallholder farmers, an additional 2,000 have been reforested, recovering 1,900 water springs. The Prize honours the work and intentions of its founder, Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian When he died in 1955 at the age of 86, Calouste Gulbenkian was the richest man in the world. Much of his fortune had been made from Middle East oil. Today we all know the damage that the oil industry has caused to the planet, but at the time, it was seen as an emerging technology offering huge benefits over coal. Calouste Gulbenkian was a business architect – a convener and coalition builder – establishing and maintaining relationships with partners around the world. He did not see himself as an ‘oil man’. Never tied to a single country, he travelled the world exploring his joint passions for art and nature. He regarded philanthropy as his duty and established the Foundation, which continues his work to, “benefit all of humanity”, and today under the Board’s direction is prioritising sustainability and equity in everything it does.

Go by emissions, not age, to scrap end-of-life vehicles in Delhi, say experts

The National Capital Region (NCR) requires a more scientific basis to phase out polluting vehicles instead of a blanket rule that forces residents to discard their “end-of-life” vehicles, experts have recommended, adding that the authorities should invest in on-road emission tests and strengthen pollution-under-control (PUC) tests to detect vehicles that actually harm the environment. In Delhi, no vehicle which is 15 years old can legally operate on the roads, according to orders issued by the National Green Tribunal in 2015, and the Supreme Court in 2018. For diesel vehicles, this time period is cut down to 10 years. The government calls them “end-of-life” vehicles. The aim behind these rules is to cut down on the number of vehicles on the city’s roads with dated emission standards, and over the past few months, the Delhi transport department has accelerated its drive to impound 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles, sending them to be scrapped in yards located in Uttar Pradesh — Delhi at present has no scrapyard for vehicles. BS-VI or Bharat Stage VI are the latest emission norms in the country, and any new vehicle being manufactured has to comply to its standards. The norms are much more stringent than the previous BS-IV norms — for example, BS-VI allows for diesel vehicles to emit nitrous oxides (NOx) at a rate of 80 mg/km, compared to 250 mg/km for BS-IV. However, the existing PUC test only monitors carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC), not other emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter. In 2017, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority — now dissolved — had informed the court in its Report No. 73 that the current PUC certificate mechanism negated the impact of switching to tighter emission standards. A direct correlation between age and mileage of the vehicle and its ability to meet emission norms has also been analysed by Delhi Technology University (DTU) through a study published last year. “The current process to phase out vehicles is not scientific as vehicles may last longer, or less than the 10- or 15-year-old timeline. We need a new mechanism where factors such as mileage and real-world emissions are factored in. Based on that, a vehicle can be allowed to run longer — or less — than the Supreme Court and NGT benchmark,” Rajeev Kumar Mishra, assistant professor at DTU’s department of environmental engineering and lead author of the study, said. Since 2018, the Delhi transport department has legally de-registered around 5.5 million overage vehicles, but experts have urged the Delhi government to consider factors other than age to remove polluting vehicles from the Capital’s roads. “The actual life of a vehicle depends on multiple parameters — how much it is used daily, and how well it is being maintained. We see commercial vehicles that barely last seven to eight years, whereas a well-maintained private vehicle, even with a lower mileage, can last well beyond 15 years,” said Amit Bhatt, managing director (India) of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). Bhatt said instead of arbitrarily assigning a time frame to make a vehicle obsolete, NCR needs a new system where the actual real-world performance of the vehicle determines whether it is at the end of its life or not. “In its present form, the PUC certificate is not enough, as the test is taken when the vehicle is not running but is idle. Rather, we need to monitor real-world emissions and for that, remote sensing has begun across several countries,” said Bhatt. Sagnik Dey, lead researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi and coordinator at the Centre for Excellence for Research for Clean Air (Cerca), said there is sufficient data to show that as a vehicle ages, its emissions also increase, but there is no fixed time frame as to when these emissions may go beyond permissible standards. “We cannot say for sure when a diesel vehicle or a petrol vehicle starts polluting considerably. In the case of cabs, we have seen some of the cabs cross 200,000km in under 10 years, whereas a private vehicle may not even cross 80,000km in that period. A cab is likely to reach its end-of-life in around seven years, whereas a private vehicle, if maintained well, may not even do so in 15 years,” said Dey. He asked for a policy-level intervention moving forward, where vehicles are identified based on their condition, arguing for PUC norms to be strengthened further too. “We need to monitor NOx too and add all pollutants that form a part of the AQI (air quality index),” Dey said. This is a point that many car-owners echo. Anuj Agrawal, 41, who runs a travel business in Gurugram, owns two cars that now need to be scrapped. He, however, said his cars are still in a great working condition. “Since I was a child, I wanted to be able to earn enough to buy a luxury car. I worked hard for 12 years and bought an Audi A4 2.0. I also always get it serviced in front of my eyes. This is my dream car and in great working condition. I refuse to believe that it is more polluting than any other vehicle,” he said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said scrapping older vehicles is essential, as these were vehicles running on emission norms of BS-IV or less. However, she said, it is important to gradually incorporate remote sensing moving forward. “We need to keep in mind that these older vehicles are designed to emit several times more than what the vehicles we sell today are emitting, so inherently, there is more pollution through them. Certifying vehicles that are compliant based solely on the PUC is also not adequate, as it is an idling test and does not capture real-world emissions. For that, we need remote sensing, which measures a much wider bunch of pollutants and how much of these pollutants are being emitted in real-world conditions,” she said.

Lightning Deaths Increase In India As Compared To 2022

As of July 25, 2023, Bihar had recorded the maximum number of deaths from lightning, at 160. Mumbai: On July 5, 15 people reportedly died after being struck by lightning in Bihar; seven people, including two children died from lightning in Uttar Pradesh on July 7; 22 people died, and eight children suffered burns in UP, from lightning on July 11. Between April 1 and July 25, 429 people have died from lightning in India, up from 300 that died in the same period in 2022, according to data put together by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organisation, and shared with IndiaSpend by Kiran Pandey, Programme Director of the Environment Resources Unit at CSE. They collate data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Disaster Management Division and media reports. As of July 25, Bihar had recorded the maximum number of deaths (160), higher than the same period last year when it recorded 57 deaths, Pandey said. In 2021, more people died due to lightning strikes than floods or cold exposure. As many as 40% of the 7,126 accidental deaths reported by the National Crime Records Bureau attributed to weather events were due to lightning strikes. Between 2000 and 2021, over 49,000 have died from lightning strikes across the country. The latest numbers from the IMD are from March 2023, and show that 68 people died due to various weather events, of which 60 died due to lightning strikes. “Lightning is often called a silent killer. This is because even though lightning kills more people every year than heat waves, floods, landslides and cyclones, it somehow does not make headlines,” said Akshit Sangomala, who writes on climate change, science and policy for CSE in New Delhi. “This could be because the deaths are not clustered together and spread over time and space.” “This could also be a reason why lightning has not been declared a natural disaster by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), as yet. Some states, such as Bihar, have made a demand for this declaration,” he further added. We reached out to the NDMA for comment--on why lightning has not been declared a natural disaster despite a high national death toll--via call and email, and will update the story when we receive a response. Global warming could increase lightning strikes Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground. It can occur “between opposite charges within the thunderstorm cloud (intra-cloud lightning) or between opposite charges in the cloud and on the ground (cloud-to-ground lightning)”, according to the US government’s National Severe Storms Laboratory. Tall objects like trees, bushes and buildings are more susceptible to being struck by lightning, but lightning can also strike in an open field. If humans are struck by lightning, it can result in multisystem dysfunction, and survivors may experience prolonged disability following recovery from the initial strike. Electrical energy can also cause muscular spasm and necrosis, thrombosis, blood vessel tear, unconsciousness, and motor and sensory function abnormalities. Data from the annual reports of the Lightning Resilient India Campaign showed that lightning strikes increased 34% from 2019-20 to 2020-21, while reducing 19.5% between 2020-21 and 2021-22. The report is a joint initiative of the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC), a nonprofit that works with the government, the IMD, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the India Meteorological Society and World Vision India, a child-focused humanitarian organisation. “The reason attributed to reduction in lightning is due to Covid-19 pandemic-induced reduction in aerosol level, pollution, environmental upgradation and relatively stable weather system in the Indian subcontinent,” said Pandey. Studies find that with greater pollution, and a warming earth, lightning strikes are more likely. A study from the US, published in November 2014, by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, estimated that lightning strikes will increase by about 12% for every degree of rise in global average air temperature. Another study, by scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Ambedkar University and the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, published in July 2022, found a correlation between the intensity of lightning flashes and atmospheric concentration of aerosols and carbon dioxide. “The increase in lightning strikes in India and around the world is related to the increase in the frequency and intensity of thunderstorms with which they are associated. The thunderstorms are directly related to the increase in air temperatures and availability of moisture in the atmosphere, which are necessary for the genesis of storms,” said Sangomala. He said greenhouse gases increase both air temperatures and moisture levels and therefore lead to more storms and hence lightning strikes. “As the Earth warms further, there could definitely be more lightning strikes, including in India.” Preventing death and destruction from lightning strikes In March 2019, India’s Meteorological Department began the Lightning Resilient India Campaign with the aim to reduce lightning deaths by 80% in three years. “The campaign, through multi- stakeholders engagement at national and state level with governments, academia, NGOs and communities, has been successful in bringing down deaths by more than 60% within two years,” the 2021-22 annual report says, without providing the detailed data. There are different sources for lightning deaths used by government agencies. The NCRB collects data based on police reports from states and districts. The Lightning Resilient India Campaign uses data from the state-level disaster management departments where available, and NCRB where not available, said Colonel Sanjay Srivastava, chairman of CROPC. Hence the numbers from the two sources might differ. We have requested the data put together by the campaign and will update the story when we receive it. Across India, lightning deaths remained similar between 2019 and 2021, the year for which the latest comparable data from NCRB are available. Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand had the most deaths because of lightning in 2021, as per NCRB data. At the state level, deaths reduced in Bihar and Jharkhand, while Madhya Pradesh and Odisha saw an increase, between 2019 and 2021. In 2021, the National Disaster Management Authority released a protocol for early warning dissemination on thunderstorms and lightning that emphasised the need for an effective warning system “to minimise the loss of life”. “The Ministry of Earth Sciences communicates warnings directly to the general public through the DAMINI mobile app and the RAIN ALARM mobile app about 30-40 minutes in advance of the event. Warning for lightning occurrence is also provided up to three hours in advance through other mobile apps like MAUSAM, UMANG and MEGHDOOT,” as per the protocol. During winters, northern parts of India such as Jammu and Kashmir are particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes, according to a study that looked at lightning strikes between 1998 and 2013. While lightning strikes occur frequently in hilly regions over India throughout the year, sparse population over the hilly terrain means there are fewer casualties, the study, by scientists from Banaras Hindu University, and published in February 2020, said. “The favourable climatic conditions, such as availability of moisture content, unstable atmosphere and strong convection, cause severe cases of lightning over the regions of Orissa and Maharashtra,” the study added. In Madhya Pradesh, while there are guidelines for lightning strikes on the website of the state's disaster management authority, lightning has not been categorised as a natural disaster. Orissa labels lightning as a ‘state-specific disaster’ and says it has installed a robust infrastructure in order to mitigate lightning-related casualties in the state. In Odisha, Pandey credited the use of early warning communication systems and awareness programmes at the community level for the reduction in deaths due to lightning. Deaths due to lightning in Odisha reduced from 446 in 2017 to 287 in 2021. “Lightning risk management is a collective effort. In Odisha, our strength is a coalition of all 20 government universities, including IIT Bhubaneswar, AIIMS Bhubaneswar and NIT Rourkela, working together with the state and districts,” said Colonel Sanjay Srivastava, chairman of CROPC. “A similar model is there in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam etc.” However, Pandey added that the lack of lightning protection systems that are used to prevent or lessen lightning strike damage to buildings are the biggest drawback in the mitigation of lightning in India. “The coverage of LPS is just 2% and in rural areas it is almost zero. This is the main cause of death due to lightning.” In India, lightning protection systems are being manufactured and tested at the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) in Bengaluru which is capable of testing equipment for strikes up to 40 kilo Ampere (kA), explained Pandey, adding that as India has had strikes greater than 312 kA, there is a need to upgrade its testing capacity. "Lightning is an evolving science, and there is a huge requirement of research-based knowledge for its mitigation,” said Srivastava. “Currently, data analysis, research and development, socio-economic risk assessment, etc. is being done by only CROPC. More organisations, academia and funding are required."