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'Air quality monitoring stations in city have max population coverage'

A report by the Centre for Science and Environment, which is an analysis on the status of air quality monitoring stations, says that Delhi has the highest share of its population covered by real-time monitoring stations. However, the overall condition in the country is bad as only 12% of India's census cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations. The report says that 21% of Delhi's population lives within a 2-km radius of the city's 40 real-time monitoring stations and 100% of its population is within a 50-km radius of a real-time monitoring network. Chandigarh has the second highest coverage with 19% of its population residing within the 2-km radius. "Considering the combined coverage of national air quality monitoring programme (NAMP) and continuous ambient air quality monitoring station (CAAQMS) networks, only 43 districts have 100% of pollution monitored within the 50-km radius.... These districts are mostly in Delhi-NCR," the report said. The CSE said the number of manual monitoring stations in the country has doubled since 2010, while the number of real-time monitoring stations has grown 20-fold. "However, about 860 million (62%) people in the country live outside the 50-km radius of real-time air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS only) - which means they do not receive the daily AQI-based health alerts. Only 2% population lives in the immediate coverage zone of real-time monitoring stations," the report said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy, CSE, said: "Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify the non-attainment status of a vast number of cities and regions and impedes effective evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality needed for evaluation of performance of clean air action." She added: "It is necessary to ensure equitable distribution of monitors and hybrid monitoring with a standardised air sensor network and satellite-based monitoring."

CSE report reveals grim state of air quality monitoring in India: Only 12 percent cities, towns have required stations A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed the sad state of air quality monitoring in the country. Accordi

CSE report reveals grim state of air quality monitoring in India: Only 12 percent cities, towns have required stations A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed the sad state of air quality monitoring in the country. According to it, 47 per cent population lives outside the air quality monitoring network and 62 per cent do not have access to daily alerts on local air quality index.

Only 12% of India’s census cities have air quality monitoring stations

The Center for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed a significant lack of air quality monitoring infrastructure in India through a comprehensive analysis. Michael Mann, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, led the study, which reveals that only 12% of the 4,041 cities and towns surveyed in the country have adequate systems of air quality monitoring. Furthermore, the study highlights the dismal state of the country’s air quality monitoring network, with only 200 cities monitoring the six key criteria pollutants. The analysis, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the critical need for robust air quality monitoring to effectively forecast and mitigate the impacts of climate change-related extreme weather events. Meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the clean air goals of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) is highly dependent on reliable air quality monitoring. The study states that the air quality monitoring grid, which includes both manual and real-time monitoring, does not cover nearly 47% of the Indian population. Furthermore, an alarming 62% of the population is not included in the real-time monitoring network, thereby depriving them of daily air quality updates. Identifying areas of noncompliance and evaluating the effectiveness of clean air actions are challenged by this lack of coverage. NCAP’s compliance assessments under NCAP are also prevented from including more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone due to limited monitoring and data availability.

Only 12 per cent of India’s census cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations

Of India’s 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12 per cent have air quality monitoring systems. What’s more, only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. This is when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) requires robust air quality monitoring. A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released here today has laid bare this abysmal state of the country’s air quality monitoring network. The analysis points out that this means nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (manual and real time combined), while 62 per cent is outside that of the real time monitoring network. “Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment status of a vast number of towns/cities and regions and also impedes effective evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality needed for evaluation of performance of clean air action, especially under the 15th Finance Commission grant. More harmful PM2.5 and ozone are not considered for compliance under NCAP due to limited monitoring and data. It is necessary to ensure more equitable distribution of monitors and adoption of hybrid monitoring with a standardised and certified air sensor network and satellite-based monitoring with appropriate protocols for maximum and cost effective coverage of population to support action,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “The current monitoring network also faces the challenge of inadequate data generation, lack of data completeness and poor quality control of monitoring. This makes air quality trend assessment difficult to establish compliance with clean air targets. The current urban monitoring grid is highly concentrated in a few big cities and there are vast areas in other regions with no monitoring. This needs to be rationalised to cover a wider population and habitats to support implementation of clean air action plans, provide information to public about the daily risks and design emergency response and longer term action,” adds Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab, CSE. The methodology CSE’s assessment has analysed the adequacy of the air quality monitoring network and air quality data, spatial spread, population coverage and data completeness in the country. This has considered both manual monitoring under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and real time monitoring under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS). The key focus is on adequacy and completeness of the PM2.5 data. The study covers 883 manual stations and 409 real time stations. It has accessed and analysed publicly available data from the websites and publications of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as of December 31, 2022. The extent of population coverage by the monitoring grid and the population estimates are based on the 100 m x 100 m spatial distribution of population in 2020, developed by the WorldPop research programme of the School of Geography and Environmental Sciences at the University of Southampton. Air quality reported by a station is understood to be accurate representation of ambient air in its 2-km radius, while it can also be fairly representative of a 2-10 km radius around the station. Without major topographical or human-made features the air quality reported at a station can also be a good proxy for ambient air 10-50 km around the station. This method is drawn from the 2019 UNICEF report on assessment of coverage of children by monitoring stations in Africa that also accounts for the population overlaps. Key findings Number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010: There were 411 manual stations operating in 2010. According to the CPCB website, currently, there are 883 operating manual stations in 379 cities/towns in 28 states and seven Union territories (UTs) of the country. The CPCB has discontinued its practice of publishing station-wise monitoring data after the NAMP 2020 report; in 2020, the NAMP report had monitoring information from about 711 stations (despite 818 stations listed on record for that year). Number of real time monitoring stations has grown 20-fold since 2010: There are 409 real time CAAQMS stations spread across 209 cities/towns in 27 states and four UTs. Of these, 77 stations were added in 2022. As of February 22, 2023, 23 new stations and 18 new cities have been added to the network, making it 423 stations in 221 cities. It is not always possible to assess actual operating stations. For example, at least four stations have not reported any monitoring data in last few years. These include Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijaywada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow. Only 476 of 4,041 cities/towns have air quality monitoring stations (manual or real time): A majority of these (267 cities) have manual stations; 98 cities have only real time stations; and 111 cities have both manual and real time stations. Air quality monotoring grid falls short of the recommended guidelines: The monitoring capacity as of January 1, 2023 barely adds up to 6-8 per cent of the minimum recommended as per the guidelines of the Indian Standard 5182 Methods for Measurement of Air Pollution-Part 14. This recommends a minimum number of monitoring stations for cities and towns to be set up as per their population size and type and level of pollutants. The number of stations increases with rise in population, and this is based on factors defined in the standard itself. As per the 2011 census, India has 4,041 satutory towns. The UN population database for 2020 says there are 63 census towns have more than a million inhabitants. As per the guidelines, these million-plus cities require 959 PM monitors, 643 SO2 monitors, 630 NO2 monitors and 320 monitors for CO and surface ozone each. Cities with their population in the range of 100,000 and a million need 2,417 PM, 1,863 SO2 and 2,417 NO2 monitors and 525 monitors for CO and surface ozone, each. The requirement for small towns with population less than 100,000 is staggering and adds up to 14,172 PM, 10,629 SO2, and 10,629 NO2 monitors, besides 3,543 monitors for CO and surface ozone, each. What is available is miniscule in comparison. India has only 1,187 PM10 monitors, 717 PM2.5 monitors, 1,161 SO2 monitors, 1,185 NO2 monitors, 406 CO monitors and 396 surface ozone monitors. A lot more will have to be added if the rural population is also considered. 47 per cent of the population lives outside the 50-km radius coverage of combined manual and real time air quality monitoring network: About 47 per cent of Indian population or about 655 million people lives outside 50 km radius of the air quality monitoring stations (NAMP and CAAQMS combined). Only 4 per cent of the population or about 50 million people lives within the immediate coverage zone of 2 km radius of the monitoring stations; 15 per cent lives in the 2-10 km radius; and about 34 per cent lives in 10-50 km radius. Only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have full population coverage under the combined monitoring network: In Delhi, 26 per cent of the population lives within a 2-km radius of its 40 real time and 10 NAMP monitoring stations; 100 per cent of the population is within the 50-km radius. Chandigarh has the second best coverage with 40 per cent of its population residing within the 2-km radius of its eight manual and real time monitoring stations and 100 per cent within the 50-km radius. Haryana is able to cover 95 per cent of its population within the 50-km radius of its monitoring grid. No other state or UT has over 90 per cent population coverage (within the 50-km radius). 62 per cent of people live outside the 50-km radius coverage of real time air quality monitoring network: About 860 million people live outside the 50-km radius of real time air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS only) – which means they do not receive the daily AQI-based health alerts. Only 2 per cent of the population lives in the immediate coverage zone (2-km radius) of real time monitoring stations; 11 per cent is within 2-10 km radius, and about 25 per cent within 10-50 km radius. Less than 200 cities monitor all six criteria pollutants: The group of pollutants covered for NAAQS includes particulate matter less than 10 and 2.5 micron size (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), ammonia (NH3) and lead (Pb). These also qualify for Air Quality Index (AQI) calculations. While PM10, NO2 and SO2 are most widely monitored, the monitoring of PM2.5 is comparatively not as extensive and that of ozone is very limited. Monitoring of ammonia and lead and air toxins like benzene etc is very sparse. Manual stations are mandated to monitor SO2, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5. Real time stations usually monitor six pollutants — SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO and ozone. Many stations do not monitor all the pollutants. Over 100 manual monitoring stations have been added since 2020, but their data is not in the public domain. As per available data from CAAQMS stations (updated as of January 1, 2023), 199 cities are capable of monitoring all six criteria pollutants. Eight cities monitor only five pollutants (barring PM2.5); 102 cities monitor four pollutants – they do not have CO and O3 monitors; 161 monitor three pollutants — they do not monitor CO, O3 and PM2.5. There are six cities that monitor only one or two pollutants. Only 43 districts have their whole population monitored for all six criteria pollutants: Considering the combined coverage of NAMP and CAAQMS networks, only 43 districts have 100 per cent of their pollution within the 50-km radius of each of the six criteria pollutant monitors. These districts are mostly located in Delhi-NCR. There are 237 districts where PM10 monitoring covers more than 75 per cent of the population within the 50-km radius of the combined monitoring networks. The number falls to 173 districts for PM2.5 monitoring. Monitoring of SO2 and NO2 covers over 75 per cent of the population within the 50-km radius of the combined monitoring networks in 235 districts and 236 districts, respectively. Numbers are much lower for CO and surface ozone monitoring, as it is only done under the CAAQMS network. For CO and ozone, 75 per cent or more population coverage is limited to 134 and 129 districts, respectively. Less than half of the manual stations have PM2.5 monitors and only 51 stations meet the 104 days of minimum monitoring: The NAAQS requires a minimum of 104 days of monitoring at manual stations with two 24-hour monitoring sessions every week of the year. In 2020, the CPCB discontinued publishing information on number of monitoring days for stations; therefore, this analysis is based on data from station-level monitoring days published in the NAMP 2019 report. Only 315 out of 711 stations that reported data in the report had PM2.5 monitors. Out of them, only 51 met the minimum monitoring requirement of 104 days or 100 per cent data completeness; 103 stations reported data completeness of 75-99 per cent. Over half of the PM2.5 stations did not even clock 52 days of monitoring in 2019. Half the manual stations meeting minimum requirement of 104 days of monitoring in a year are located in just two states: These two states are Odisha (14 stations) and West Bengal (12 stations). About 11 states and one UT that have manual PM2.5 monitors do not meet the minimum requirement. Other stations meeting the minimum requirement are Goa (six stations), Himachal Pradesh (five stations), Chandigarh (four stations), Karnataka (three stations), Bihar (two stations), Delhi (two stations), and one station each in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Meghalaya. The maximum number of manual PM2.5 monitors are located in Andhra Pradesh (47 stations) — none of them meet the minimum requirement. Over 70 per cent of real time stations meet minimum data completeness requirement: The NAAQS has not defined minimum data completeness requirement for real time stations. The European Union requires minimum 90 per cent of hourly values to compute a valid annual average. In the US, annual data completeness is set at greater than or equal to 75 per cent of scheduled monitoring. The CAAQMS requires real time stations to report data every 15 minutes. Says Somvanshi: “If the US criteria is applied, 290 stations out of 409 that reported PM2.5 data in 2022 had data completeness of 75 per cent or more; 69 stations reported data completeness of 50-74 per cent, while 37 reported 1-49 per cent data completeness. Seven stations did not have any data.” Minimum data completeness requirement for 24-hour average PM2.5 was met at all stations of only nine states and UTs: The CPCB requires a minimum of 16 hours of data to determine a 24-hour average. All stations of six states and three UTs met the 75 per cent valid 24-hour values in 2022. These were Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Punjab, Tripura, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir and Puducherry. The maximum number of stations that did not meet the values were located in Maharashtra (20 stations), Karnataka (16 stations) and Gujarat (12 stations). The way forward Air quality monitoring is important for assessing the status of growing risk and the impacts of clean air action on air quality; it is also instrumental for informing people and vulnerable communities about the daily pollution levels; enabling emergency and long-term action; and supporting health impact studies. The CSE analysis recommends the following way forward to bolster the monitoring systems: More equitable distribution of reference-grade regulatory air quality monitoring stations for wider population coverage and for reaching areas that are without a monitoring network. Expand monitoring network for pollutants that pose higher public health risk — PM2.5 and ozone. Implement framework for hybrid air quality monitoring system that combines a network of regulatory monitors with air sensors and satellite-based monitoring — but based on proper standardisation, certification, calibration requirements and detailed protocols. All communities, especially the vulnerable ones, need to be covered.

12% Indian cities have air quality stations, 47% people unmonitored: Report

Only 12% of India's 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all 6 key pollutants Only 12 per cent of India's 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and address the extent of pollution across the country, according to a new analysis. Environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which conducted the analysis, said nearly 47 per cent of the country's population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid. The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasised the urgent need for more equitable distribution of monitoring stations and the adoption of hybrid monitoring methods.

12 pc Indian cities have air quality monitoring stations 47 pc people outside monitoring grid Report

Only 12 per cent of India's 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and address the extent of pollution across the country, according to a new analysis. Environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which conducted the analysis, said nearly 47 per cent of the country's population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid. The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasised the urgent need for more equitable distribution of monitoring stations and the adoption of hybrid monitoring methods. She suggested integrating a standardised and certified air sensor network along with satellite-based monitoring to ensure maximum and cost-effective coverage of the population. By expanding the monitoring network, policymakers can gather essential data to support evidence-based actions against air pollution. Roychowdhury said the current monitoring network faces challenges related to data quality and completeness. This hampers accurate assessment of air quality trends and compliance with clean air targets. The study revealed a concentration of monitoring stations in a few major cities, leaving vast regions without adequate monitoring. Avikal Somvanshi, a senior programme manager at CSE's urban lab, stressed the need to rectify this disparity by establishing a more comprehensive monitoring network that covers a wider population and habitats. Such a network would facilitate the implementation of effective clean air action plans, provide vital information to the public about daily risks, and enable the design of emergency responses and long-term strategies, he said. The CSE analysis considered both manual monitoring under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and real-time monitoring under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS). It focused primarily on the adequacy and completeness of PM2.5 data, given its significant impact on human health. The study examined data from 883 manual monitoring stations and 409 real-time monitoring stations as of December 31, 2022. The CSE report said the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, reaching 883 stations across 379 cities and towns in 28 states and seven Union territories. However, the availability of monitoring data is limited, with the discontinuation of station-wise data publication by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after the NAMP 2020 report. The number of real-time monitoring stations has witnessed a twenty-fold increase since 2010 with 409 stations in 209 cities and towns across 27 states and four Union territories. However, the accuracy and reliability of real-time data collection are compromised due to the non-reporting of data from certain stations over the years. For example, several stations, including those in Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow, have not reported any monitoring data in recent years. The analysis also revealed that only 476 out of 4,041 cities and towns in India have air quality monitoring stations. It found that 267 cities have manual stations, while 98 cities have only real-time stations and 111 have both types of stations. This indicates a significant gap in monitoring infrastructure, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Also, the current air quality monitoring network falls far short of the recommended guidelines. As per the standards, the minimum number of monitoring stations should correspond to the population size, pollutant levels, and type of city or town. However, the existing network only meets sic to eight per cent of the minimum recommended capacity. This inadequacy poses a significant challenge to accurately assess compliance with clean air targets and identify areas of non-attainment. The population coverage by the monitoring grid is also deeply insufficient. Around 47 per cent of the Indian population, or around 655 million people, live outside the 50-kilometre radius of the air quality monitoring stations, which means they lack the immediate benefits of real-time monitoring. Only 4 per cent of the population, or around 50 million people, live within the two-kilometre radius of monitoring stations while 15 per cent reside within a two to 10 kilometre radius and around 34 per cent live within a 10-50 kilometre radius. Among the states and Union Territories, only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have achieved full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. In Delhi, 26 per cent of the population resides within a two-kilometre radius of the city's 40 real-time and 10 manual monitoring stations. Chandigarh has the second-best coverage, with 40 per cent of its population living within the two-kilometre radius of its eight manual and real-time monitoring stations. However, no other state or Union Territory has achieved over 90 per cent population coverage within the 50-kilometre radius. The inadequate monitoring coverage has serious implications for public health and effective policymaking. Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment areas and evaluate the impact of clean air actions. It also impedes the inclusion of more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone under the National Clean Air Programme, the CSE said.

Only 12 Per Cent Of India’s Census Cities And Towns Have Air Quality Monitoring Stations

Of India’s 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12 per cent have air quality monitoring systems. What’s more, only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. This is when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) requires robust air quality monitoring. A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released here today has laid bare this abysmal state of the country’s air quality monitoring network. The analysis points out that this means nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (manual and real time combined), while 62 per cent is outside that of the real-time monitoring network. “Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment status of a vast number of towns/cities and regions and also impedes effective evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality needed for evaluation of performance of clean air action, especially under the 15th Finance Commission grant. More harmful PM2.5 and ozone are not considered for compliance under NCAP due to limited monitoring and data. It is necessary to ensure more equitable distribution of monitors and adoption of hybrid monitoring with a standardised and certified air sensor network and satellite-based monitoring with appropriate protocols for maximum and cost effective coverage of population to support action,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “The current monitoring network also faces the challenge of inadequate data generation, lack of data completeness and poor quality control of monitoring. This makes air quality trend assessment difficult to establish compliance with clean air targets. The current urban monitoring grid is highly concentrated in a few big cities and there are vast areas in other regions with no monitoring. This needs to be rationalised to cover a wider population and habitats to support implementation of clean air action plans, provide information to public about the daily risks and design emergency response and longer term action,” adds Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab, CSE. The study covers 883 manual stations and 409 real time stations. It has accessed and analysed publicly available data from the websites and publications of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as of December 31, 2022. The extent of population coverage by the monitoring grid and the population estimates are based on the 100 m x 100 m spatial distribution of population in 2020, developed by the WorldPop research programme of the School of Geography and Environmental Sciences at the University of Southampton. The number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010: There were 411 manual stations operating in 2010. According to the CPCB website, currently, there are 883 operating manual stations in 379 cities/towns in 28 states and seven Union territories (UTs) of the country. The CPCB has discontinued its practice of publishing station-wise monitoring data after the NAMP 2020 report; in 2020, the NAMP report had monitoring information from about 711 stations (despite 818 stations listed on record for that year).

India's Air Quality Monitoring Network in Woeful State, Says Report

Contrary to government claims of having good air quality monitoring systems, the ground reality reveals that the condition of the country's air quality monitoring network is abysmal. This revelation comes from the latest nationwide analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-profit organisation based in New Delhi. According to the CSE report, out of India's 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12% have air quality monitoring systems. Furthermore, only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. This is a cause for concern as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) necessitate a robust air quality monitoring system. The CSE analysis highlights that nearly 47% of the country's population is outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (including manual and real-time monitoring combined), while 62% is outside the coverage of the real-time monitoring network. Limited air quality monitoring poses challenges in identifying the non-attainment status of a significant number of towns, cities, and regions, hindering the evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality. This issue is especially pertinent for assessing the performance of the clean air action under the 15th Finance Commission grant," stated Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Senior Programme Manager at CSE's Urban Lab, added that the current monitoring network also faces challenges in terms of inadequate data generation, incomplete data, and poor quality control of monitoring. These issues make it challenging to assess air quality trends and establish compliance with clean air targets. The current urban monitoring grid is heavily concentrated in a few major cities, leaving vast areas in other regions without monitoring. A more comprehensive approach is needed to cover a wider population and habitats to effectively implement clean air action plans, inform the public about daily risks, and design emergency response measures. Other findings of the report include full population coverage of 100% only in Chandigarh, Delhi, and Goa. The national monitoring grid presently meets only 6-8% of the recommended requirement, and less than 200 cities monitor all six key pollutants. Despite the poor air quality monitoring network, the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, when there were 411 operating manual stations. Currently, there are 883 operating manual stations in 379 cities/towns across 28 states and seven Union territories, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) website. Similarly, the number of real-time monitoring stations has increased 20-fold since 2010. There are 409 real-time Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) spread across 209 cities/towns in 27 states and four Union territories. In 2022, 77 stations were added, bringing the total to 423 stations in 221 cities as of February 22, 2023. However, the operational status of some stations is uncertain, as at least four stations have not reported any monitoring data in recent years, including Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow. CSE's assessment analysed the adequacy of the air quality monitoring network, spatial spread, population coverage, and data completeness throughout the country. The study encompassed 883 manual stations and 409 real-time stations, using publicly available data from the websites and publications of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as of December 31, 2022. According to the 2011 census, India has 4,041 statutory towns. The UN population database for 2020 indicates that 63 census towns have a population of over a million. These million-plus cities require 959 PM monitors, 643 SO2 monitors, 630 NO2 monitors, and 320 monitors for CO and surface ozone each, as per guidelines. Air quality monitoring plays a crucial role in assessing the increasing risks and impacts of clean air action on air quality. It also serves as a vital tool for informing the public, especially vulnerable communities, about daily pollution levels, enabling emergency and long-term action, and supporting health impact studies. The CSE analysis recommends the following steps to strengthen the monitoring systems: Ensure a more equitable distribution of reference-grade regulatory air quality monitoring stations to provide wider population coverage, including areas without a monitoring network. Expand the monitoring network to include pollutants that pose higher public health risks, such as PM2.5 and ozone. Implement a framework for a hybrid air quality monitoring system that combines a network of regulatory monitors with air sensors and satellite-based monitoring based on proper standardisation, certification, calibration requirements, and detailed protocols. Ensure coverage of all communities, particularly vulnerable ones, to provide comprehensive air quality information.

Air quality report: 12 per cent Indian cities have monitoring station, 47 per cent population outside monitoring grid

New Delhi: Only 12 per cent of India’s 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasised the urgent need for more equitable distribution of monitoring stations and the adoption of hybrid monitoring methods. She suggested integrating a standardised and certified air sensor network along with satellitebased monitoring to ensure maximum and cost-effective coverage of the population. By expanding the monitoring network, policymakers can gather essential data to support evidencebased actions against air pollution. Roychowdhury said the current monitoring network faces challenges related to data quality and completeness. This hampers accurate assessment of air quality trends and compliance with clean air targets. The study revealed a concentration of monitoring stations in a few major cities, leaving vast regions without adequate monitoring. Avikal Somvanshi, a senior programme manager at CSE’s urban lab, stressed the need to rectify this disparity by establishing a more comprehensive monitoring network that covers a wider population and habitats. Such a network would facilitate the implementation of effective clean air action plans, provide vital information to the public about daily risks, and enable the design of emergency responses and long-term strategies, he said. It focused primarily on the adequacy and completeness of PM2.5 data, given its significant impact on human health. The study examined data from 883 manual monitoring stations and 409 realtime monitoring stations as of December 31, 2022. The CSE report said the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, reaching 883 stations across 379 cities and towns in 28 states and seven Union territories. However, the availability of monitoring data is limited, with the discontinuation of station-wise data publication by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after the NAMP 2020 report. The number of real-time monitoring stations has witnessed a twenty-fold increase since 2010 with 409 stations in 209 cities and towns across 27 states and four Union territories. However, the accuracy and reliability of real-time data collection are compromised due to the nonreporting of data from certain stations over the years. For example, several stations, including those in Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow, have not reported any monitoring data in recent years. The analysis also revealed that only 476 out of 4,041 cities and towns in India have air quality monitoring stations. It found that 267 cities have manual stations, while 98 cities have only real-time stations and 111 have both types of stations. This indicates a significant gap in monitoring infrastructure, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Also, the current air quality monitoring network falls far short of the recommended guidelines. As per the standards, the minimum number of monitoring stations should correspond to the population size, pollutant levels, and type of city or town. However, the existing network only meets sic to eight per cent of the minimum recommended capacity. This inadequacy poses a significant challenge to accurately assess compliance with clean air targets and identify areas of nonattainment. Only 4 per cent of the population, or around 50 million people, live within the two-kilometre radius of monitoring stations while 15 per cent reside within a two to 10 kilometre radius and around 34 per cent live within a 10-50 kilometre radius. Among the states and Union Territories, only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have achieved full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. In Delhi, 26 per cent of the population resides within a two-kilometre radius of the city’s 40 realtime and 10 manual monitoring stations. Chandigarh has the second-best coverage, with 40 per cent of its population living within the twokilometre radius of its eight manual and real-time monitoring stations. However, no other state or Union Territory has achieved over 90 per cent population coverage within the 50-kilometre radius. The inadequate monitoring coverage has serious implications for public health and effective policymaking. Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment areas and evaluate the impact of clean air actions. It also impedes the inclusion of more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone under the National Clean Air Programme, the CSE said.

Only 12 Per Cent Of Indian Cities And Towns Have Air Quality Monitoring Stations: CSE Study

CSE’s assessment has analysed the adequacy of the air quality monitoring network and air quality data, spatial spread, population coverage and data completeness in the country. Of India’s 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12 per cent have air quality monitoring systems and only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants, says an analysis. This is when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) requires robust air quality monitoring.

Only 12% Cities Measuring Air Quality, Monitoring Remains Sparse, Shows Study

Air quality monitoring across India remains sparse despite the ever-growing challenge of pollution. Out of 4,041 cities and towns, only 476 have monitoring systems – manual or real-time, shows a new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). A majority of the cities (267) have manual stations; 98 cities have only real-time stations; and 111 cities have manual as well as real-time stations. But only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. This leaves out at least 47 percent of the population, which lives outside the 50-km radius coverage of the air quality monitoring network. “The limited air quality monitoring has made it challenging to identify non-attainment status of a vast number of towns/cities and regions. It has also impeded effective evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality. More harmful PM2.5 and ozone are not even considered for compliance under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) due to limited monitoring and data,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the CSE. According to the team, air quality reported by a station can represent ambient air in its 2-km radius but it can also be used for measuring ambient air 2 km to 10 km away from the station. And, if no major topographical or human-made features exist, then the air quality reported at a station can also be considered a good proxy for ambient air 10 km to 50 km away from the station. The analysis covers about 883 manual stations under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and 409 real-time stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS), as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The number of manual monitoring stations have doubled since 2010, and the number of real-time monitoring stations have grown 20 times in that time period. But the current national monitoring grid is only 6 percent to 8 percent of the recommended requirement. In terms of districts, over half of a total of 755 districts have no air quality monitoring stations, whether manual or real-time. Researchers also highlighted that the current monitoring network is riddled with problems of inadequate data generation, lack of data completeness and poor quality control of monitoring. “The current urban monitoring grid is highly concentrated in a few big cities and there are vast areas in other regions with no monitoring at all. This needs to be rationalised to cover a wider population and habitats to support implementation of clean air action plans, provide information to the public about the daily risks and design emergency response and long-term action,” said Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager at CSE. Also, fewer than 200 cities that have systems in place monitor all the six key criteria pollutants – particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide and oxidants like surface ozone. “There is not only a need to expand the monitoring network to all communities, especially vulnerable sections, but also important to include all pollutants that pose a higher public health risk,” the team said.

12 प्रतिशत भारतीय शहरों में वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशन, 47 प्रतिशत लोग निगरानी ग्रिड से बाहर

विश्लेषण करने वाले पर्यावरण थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने कहा कि देश की लगभग 47 प्रतिशत आबादी वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी ग्रिड के अधिकतम दायरे से बाहर है। भारत के 4,041 जनगणना शहरों में से केवल 12 प्रतिशत में वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशन हैं, जिनमें से केवल 200 सभी छह प्रमुख प्रदूषकों की निगरानी करते हैं, जिससे देश भर में प्रदूषण की सीमा का आकलन करने और ध्यान देने की क्षमता गंभीर रूप से सीमित हो जाती है। एक नए विश्लेषण में यह जानकारी सामने आई है। विश्लेषण करने वाले पर्यावरण थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने कहा कि देश की लगभग 47 प्रतिशत आबादी वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी ग्रिड के अधिकतम दायरे से बाहर है।अध्ययन से पता चला कि 62 प्रतिशत आबादी वास्तविक समय निगरानी नेटवर्क के कवरेज दायरे से बाहर है। व्यापक निगरानी की यह कमी चिंताजनक है क्योंकि राष्ट्रीय परिवेशी वायु गुणवत्ता मानकों का अनुपालन और राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम (एनसीएपी) के लक्ष्य सटीक और मजबूत निगरानी प्रणालियों पर निर्भर हैं। एनसीएपी का लक्ष्य 2017 को आधार वर्ष मानकर 2024 तक पीएम-2.5 और पीएम-10 सांद्रता में 20 से 30 प्रतिशत की कमी लाना है। सीएसई में अनुसंधान और वकालत की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने निगरानी स्टेशनों के अधिक न्यायसंगत वितरण और हाइब्रिड निगरानी विधियों को अपनाने की तत्काल आवश्यकता पर जोर दिया। उन्होंने जनसंख्या की अधिकतम और लागत प्रभावी कवरेज सुनिश्चित करने के लिए उपग्रह-आधारित निगरानी के साथ एक मानकीकृत और प्रमाणित वायु सेंसर नेटवर्क को एकीकृत करने का सुझाव दिया। निगरानी नेटवर्क का विस्तार करके नीति निर्माता वायु प्रदूषण के खिलाफ साक्ष्य-आधारित कार्यों का समर्थन करने के लिए आवश्यक आंकड़े एकत्र कर सकते हैं। रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि वर्तमान निगरानी नेटवर्क को डाटा गुणवत्ता और पूर्णता से संबंधित चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ता है। इससे वायु गुणवत्ता रुझानों के सटीक आकलन और स्वच्छ वायु लक्ष्यों के अनुपालन में बाधा आती है। अध्ययन से कुछ प्रमुख शहरों में निगरानी स्टेशनों की सघनता का पता चला, जिससे विशाल क्षेत्र पर्याप्त निगरानी के बिना रह गए। सीएसई की शहरी प्रयोगशाला के एक वरिष्ठ कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक अविकल सोमवंशी ने एक अधिक व्यापक निगरानी नेटवर्क स्थापित करके इस असमानता को सुधारने की आवश्यकता पर बल दिया, जो व्यापक आबादी और आवासों को कवर करता है। उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसा नेटवर्क प्रभावी स्वच्छ वायु कार्य योजनाओं के कार्यान्वयन की सुविधा प्रदान करेगा, जनता को दैनिक जोखिमों के बारे में महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी देगा और आपातकालीन प्रतिक्रियाओं और दीर्घकालिक रणनीतियों के डिजाइन को सक्षम करेगा। सीएसई विश्लेषण ने राष्ट्रीय वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी कार्यक्रम (एनएएमपी) के तहत मैन्युअल निगरानी और सतत परिवेश वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी प्रणाली (सीएएक्यूएमएस) के तहत वास्तविक समय की निगरानी दोनों पर विचार किया। मानव स्वास्थ्य पर इसके महत्वपूर्ण प्रभाव को देखते हुए इसने मुख्य रूप से पीएम-2.5 डाटा की पर्याप्तता और पूर्णता पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया। अध्ययन ने 31 दिसंबर, 2022 तक 883 मैनुअल मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों और 409 वास्तविक समय मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों के डाटा की जांच की। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि 2010 के बाद से मैनुअल मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों की संख्या दोगुनी हो गई है। यह 28 राज्यों और सात केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के 379 शहरों और कस्बों में 883 स्टेशनों तक पहुंच गई है।

12 pc Indian cities have air quality monitoring stations, 47 pc people outside monitoring grid: Report

Only 12 per cent of India’s 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and address the extent of pollution across the country, according to a new analysis. Environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which conducted the analysis, said nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid. The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. Powered By VDO.AI This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasised the urgent need for more equitable distribution of monitoring stations and the adoption of hybrid monitoring methods. She suggested integrating a standardised and certified air sensor network along with satellite-based monitoring to ensure maximum and cost-effective coverage of the population. By expanding the monitoring network, policymakers can gather essential data to support evidence-based actions against air pollution. Roychowdhury said the current monitoring network faces challenges related to data quality and completeness. This hampers accurate assessment of air quality trends and compliance with clean air targets. The study revealed a concentration of monitoring stations in a few major cities, leaving vast regions without adequate monitoring. Avikal Somvanshi, a senior programme manager at CSE’s urban lab, stressed the need to rectify this disparity by establishing a more comprehensive monitoring network that covers a wider population and habitats. Such a network would facilitate the implementation of effective clean air action plans, provide vital information to the public about daily risks, and enable the design of emergency responses and long-term strategies, he said. The CSE analysis considered both manual monitoring under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and real-time monitoring under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS). It focused primarily on the adequacy and completeness of PM2.5 data, given its significant impact on human health. The study examined data from 883 manual monitoring stations and 409 real-time monitoring stations as of December 31, 2022. The CSE report said the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, reaching 883 stations across 379 cities and towns in 28 states and seven Union territories. However, the availability of monitoring data is limited, with the discontinuation of station-wise data publication by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after the NAMP 2020 report. The number of real-time monitoring stations has witnessed a twenty-fold increase since 2010 with 409 stations in 209 cities and towns across 27 states and four Union territories. However, the accuracy and reliability of real-time data collection are compromised due to the non-reporting of data from certain stations over the years. For example, several stations, including those in Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow, have not reported any monitoring data in recent years. The analysis also revealed that only 476 out of 4,041 cities and towns in India have air quality monitoring stations. It found that 267 cities have manual stations, while 98 cities have only real-time stations and 111 have both types of stations. This indicates a significant gap in monitoring infrastructure, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Also, the current air quality monitoring network falls far short of the recommended guidelines. As per the standards, the minimum number of monitoring stations should correspond to the population size, pollutant levels, and type of city or town. However, the existing network only meets sic to eight per cent of the minimum recommended capacity. This inadequacy poses a significant challenge to accurately assess compliance with clean air targets and identify areas of non-attainment. The population coverage by the monitoring grid is also deeply insufficient. Around 47 per cent of the Indian population, or around 655 million people, live outside the 50-kilometre radius of the air quality monitoring stations, which means they lack the immediate benefits of real-time monitoring. Only 4 per cent of the population, or around 50 million people, live within the two-kilometre radius of monitoring stations while 15 per cent reside within a two to 10 kilometre radius and around 34 per cent live within a 10-50 kilometre radius. Among the states and Union Territories, only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have achieved full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. In Delhi, 26 per cent of the population resides within a two-kilometre radius of the city’s 40 real-time and 10 manual monitoring stations. Chandigarh has the second-best coverage, with 40 per cent of its population living within the two-kilometre radius of its eight manual and real-time monitoring stations. However, no other state or Union Territory has achieved over 90 per cent population coverage within the 50-kilometre radius. The inadequate monitoring coverage has serious implications for public health and effective policymaking. Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment areas and evaluate the impact of clean air actions. It also impedes the inclusion of more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone under the National Clean Air Programme, the CSE said. PTI GVS GVS NSD NSD

Only 12 per cent of India’s census cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations: CSE

New analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) exposes sad state of air quality monitoring in the country Highlights Number of manual monitoring stations have doubled since 2010; 20-fold jump in number of real time monitoring stations — yet 47 per cent population lives outside the air quality monitoring network; 62 per cent do not have access to daily alerts on local air quality index National monitoring grid is only 6-8 per cent of the recomemnded requirement Less than 200 cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants Most manual monitoring stations do not meet the minimum requirement of 104 days of monitoring a year; real time stations perform better — over 70 per cent meet the minimum data requirement for assessing air quality trends Only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have full population coverage of 100 per cent Distribute regulatory monitors equitably in unmonitored habitations. Adopt hybrid system of air quality monitoring that combines regulatory monitors with standardised air sensors network and satellite monitoring with appropriate protocols for maximum and cost effective coverage of the entire population to assess risk and inform action New Delhi: Of India’s 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12 per cent have air quality monitoring systems. What’s more, only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. This is when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) requires robust air quality monitoring. A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released here today has laid bare this abysmal state of the country’s air quality monitoring network. The analysis points out that this means nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (manual and real time combined), while 62 per cent is outside that of the real time monitoring network.

Plastic crisis

Review effectiveness of single-use ban PLASTICS can take hundreds of years to decompose, leach harmful chemicals that spread into groundwater when disposed of in landfills, and disrupt marine habitats. The single-use plastic bag epitomises a throwaway culture that continues to wreak environmental havoc. More than 70 countries, according to a United Nations paper, have adopted a full or partial ban on single-use plastic items. Many other nations have imposed a charge or tax on it. An expert’s take on the ineffectiveness of the ban in India is a call to rethink strategy. Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain says the ban has to be enforceable to begin with, laying emphasis on understanding where and why plastic is not getting recycled. The world over, only 10 per cent of plastic is being recycled. The industry and the consumer have been disappointingly slow in exploring reusable options. Policy advisers say it is essential that waste procedures continue to transition away from a single-use model. As Narain points to the benefits of integrating the informal sector into the waste management systems, there is much appreciation for the waste-pickers. But for their efforts to collect every piece of recyclable plastic, she says, India would be drowned in waste. A push to the household-level wet and dry waste segregation, a key ranking parameter of the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, is advocated as the way forward. There’s no definitive answer to what’s the greenest replacement for a single-use plastic bag. Alternatives have to be real, sustainable solutions. For a start, reuse whatever bags you have, as many times as you can. Be an active participant in a community-based approach that rewards reduction of waste. Promote composting of kitchen waste. Take that small step but stick to it, marking your rejection of an unsustainable way of living. Others will follow.