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Kerala failed to act decisively: Experts

KOCHI: Kerala’s record in responding to natural disasters, be it floods or cyclones, was fairly good till date. But the state administration’s failure in not declaring a health emergency in the affected region after waste piles at Brahmapuram caught fire has raised several pointed questions in the event of similar chemical disasters in future.Unlike health emergencies, a fire at a landfill site is often difficult to extinguish, especially when there is legacy waste. Given that this is not the first fire at Brahmapuram which affected several parts of outer Kochi, the city should have put in place a graded response action plan (GRAP), said experts. GRAP is a set of emergency measures that are implemented in four stages depending on the severity of pollution levels. “Every city should have a GRAP. It is based on the environmental issues, industries or infrastructure that drives the pollution levels. No two cities have the same GRAP. Knowing that landfill fires tend to last longer, based on the air quality index, an action plan should have been rolled out,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of Centre for science and environment and member of national clean air programme’s steering committee. GRAP has a strategy for each air quality index; poor, moderate etc. Under it, communication is sent to the public and affected residential areas by asking people to take precautions like staying indoors, moving away temporarily or going to open spaces. Activist CR Neelakandan said the impact of environmental pollution on public health is never a consideration for the government and the same is reflected in the handling of this situation. One of the fallout of the government’s failure to act on time has led to high levels of anxiety among patients in hospitals besides the physical illness. “Info about short-term and long-term effects of toxic components of fumes emitted has ignited severe concerns and anxiety. No steps were taken to address this emotional dimension. It is unsurprising that a system that failed to view this as a disaster did not do this. There is a need to reach out to people and ease emotional distress,” said senior psychiatrist Dr CJ John. Environmental scientist CM Joy said an environmental-health emergency should have been declared at least on the second day of the fire when huge black smoke had engulfed the city skies.

Project to remotely gather Delhi-Gurugram on-road emission data to be over soon

Officials associated with the pilot project said over 65,000 vehicles have been tested so far with data being gathered from 10 locations in Delhi and Gurugram. Another five locations will soon be equipped with these emission analysing devices, officials said Delhi and Gurugram are for the first time carrying out a remote sensing of vehicles, to gather on-the-spot emission data, and the exercise is expected to be completed by the end of the month, officials said. Officials associated with the pilot project said over 65,000 vehicles have been tested so far with data being gathered from 10 locations in Delhi and Gurugram. Another five locations will soon be equipped with these emission analysing devices, officials said. The pilot has been ongoing since January 2023 and is being executed by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), which aims to gather data from around 100,000 vehicles in order to assess which vehicle types were more polluting and whether pollution under control (PUC) norms were being met or not. The study is being carried out by ICCT in collaboration with the Delhi transport department, the Gurugram administration and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which will further analyse this data for possible policy level changes. Preliminary findings of the study are likely to be released from April onwards, said officials. Amit Bhatt, managing director (India), International Council on Clean Transportation, said the ”dieselgate” or the emissions scandal from 2015 only highlights the fact that while emissions from vehicles during lab testing may be low, on-road emissions could be much higher, thereby necessitating a real-time mechanism to monitor vehicular emissions. In late 2015, auto maker Volkswagen AG admitted that it rigged diesel vehicles and installed a “cheat device” to bypass emissions tests in the United States, with a potential impact on about 11 million vehicles worldwide. “The data once gathered will be analysed from April onwards and we aim to see which vehicle segments, which engine type and which fuel type was releasing the highest amount of gases. It will also indicate if PUC norms are being met or not and whether they need to be made more stringent.” he said. Remote sensing makes use of emission analysers which are installed at the ground-level, often at the level of the exhaust, while devices can also be installed vertically above, making toll plazas an ideal location for such remote monitoring. The technology uses infrared and ultraviolet beams to capture data on gases and pollutants released, which are later compared to emission standards and PUC norms. The study is monitoring pollutants which include nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM), with similar studies already carried out by ICCT in London, Brussels, Jakarta, Paris, Warsaw and Mexico City between 2017 and 2022. Bhatt said both Delhi and Gurugram, the locations chosen primarily included toll plazas, with focus on capturing data on commercial vehicles entering the city. In Delhi, the eight locations covered so far include the DND toll plaza, Dhaula Kuan, Wazirpur, the MCD toll at the Delhi-Gurugram border near Ambience mall, Delhi airport’s terminal-3, the Anand Vihar ISBT, Kashmere Gate ISBT and an MCD toll plaza near north Delhi. In Gurugram, so far, readings have been collected from Sohna road and the Kherki Daula toll plaza. “We aim to cover another five locations, which will be chosen based on factors such as traffic volume and coordination with agencies. We don’t wish to disrupt the traffic flow or cause inconvenience to commuters while installing these devices,” he added. On July 26, 2019, the Supreme Court appointed body Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) had recommended the need for remote sensing technology across NCR, stating while some vehicles may pass PUC checks, technical anomalies and other factors may still make them high emitters. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said at present, there is a need to go beyond PUC norms, which can be done through advanced monitoring systems that track on-road emissions.

Do You Know How Bad Is The Air We Are Breathing? This Is What Recent Pollution Report Reveals

A recent report placed India in the 8th position on the list of most polluted countries in 2022, with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre. Delhi placed four among the cities Regarding the cities, Delhi secured the fourth pace with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 92.6 micrograms per cubic metre, as per the fifth annual World Air Quality Report 2022 by IQAir released on Tuesday. It stood behind Lahore in Pakistan (97.4 micrograms per cubic metre), Hotan in China (94.3 micrograms per cubic metre) and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan (92.7 micrograms per cubic metre). A change in assessment of Delhi Until 2021, Delhi was stuck with the world's most polluted capital title for four consecutive years. But a significant change in assessment was applied this year. The report made a distinction between the capital and the much smaller area of 'New Delhi' with the overall Union Territory.

Delhi : सास लेना हुआ मुश्किल, दुनिया की दूसरी सबसे प्रदूषित राजधानी बनी नई दिल्ली

राजधानी में साफ़ हवा में सांस लेना पाना कफी मुश्किल है और दिल्ली वासियों के लिए ये एक सपना जैसे हो गया है। इसी बीच मंगलावर को एक रिपोर्ट आपके होश उड़ा सकती है।सूत्रों के अनुसार देश की राजधानी दिल्ली दुनिया की सबसे प्रदूषित राजधानियों में दूसरे नंबर पर शूमार हो गई है। इतना ही नहीं दुनिया की सबसे प्रदूषित राजधानियों की लिस्ट में पहले पायदान पर अफ्रीकी देश की चाड की राजधानी अन जामेना है। राजधानी दिल्ली में सांसों पर संकट आपको बता दें आईक्यू एयर ने मंगलवार को ये रिपोर्ट जारी करते हुए यह सभी जानकारी दी। रिपोर्ट में ये भी कहा गया है कि सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों के मामलों में भी दिल्ली चौथे नंबर पर है। पाकिस्तान भी इस लिस्ट में पीछे नहीं रहा है। दुनिया के सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों के मामले में पाकिस्तान का शहर लाहौर पहले नंबर पर रहा। सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों के मामले में राजस्थान का भिवाड़ी तीसरे नंबर पर रहा। रिपोर्ट के अनुसार नई दिल्ली को औसत PM2. 89.1 माइक्रोग्राम प्रतिघन मीटर की सांद्रता के साथ दुनिया की दूसरी सबसे अधिक क्षेत्रीय प्रदूषित राजधानी का दर्जा दिया गया है। रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि इस क्षेत्र में पराली जलाना भी एक महत्वपूर्ण चुनौती है, लेकिन यह दिल्ली के साथ उत्तर भारत के कुछ क्षेत्रों तक ही सीमित है। जानकारी के आधार पर सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, “पहली बार, उन्होंने दो अलग-अलग भौगोलिक इकाइयों यानि दिल्ली और नई दिल्ली पर विचार किया है। नई दिल्ली बाकी दिल्ली की तुलना में थोड़ी साफ है। लेकिन कुल मिलाकर, दिल्ली के लिए अन्य आकलनों में देखी गई गिरावट के रुझान के अनुरूप ही यह निष्कर्ष निकला है। प्रदूषण स्तर अभी भी बहुत अधिक है। दिल्ली में साफ हवा में दिल्लीवासी सांस नहीं ले पा रहे है जोकि आने वाले समय में एक खतरनाक परशानी भी बन सकती है।

Delhi 4th most polluted city, India home to 39 of 50 worst cities

The average yearly PM2.5 reading in India was more than 10 times the upper limit prescribed by WHO, while Delhi’s pollutant levels were more than 18 times what is considered safe. Home to 39 out of the world’s 50 most polluted cities, India was ranked the world’s eighth-most polluted nation in 2022, according to a report by Swiss firm IQAir released on Tuesday, which placed Delhi as the world’s fourth-most polluted city on the planet. The average yearly PM2.5 reading in India was more than 10 times the upper limit prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO), while Delhi’s pollutant levels were more than 18 times what is considered safe. Bhiwadi in Rajasthan retained its position as India’s most polluted city, ranking as the city with the third-worst air in the world, according to the report. The town, 60km southwest of Delhi, was ranked as the world’s most polluted city in the 2021 edition. The World Air Quality Report, 2022, classifies over 7,300 cities across 131 countries and ranked them on the basis of the average recorded annual PM2.5 concentration in micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3). Over 2022, India recorded an annual PM2.5 of 53.3 μg/m3 – recording a marginal improvement from the average of 58.1 μg/m3 logged in 2021. This meant India improved by three ranks in the unenviable list – from the world’s fifth-most polluted country to eighth. To be sure, one nation (Burkina Faso) that fared worse than India in 2022 was among the 14 countries added to the report’s coverage from the year before – in 2021, the report covered 117 nations. Overall, Delhi was the fourth-most polluted city in the world, recording an annual average PM 2.5 concentration of 92.6 μg/m3. Only Lahore in Pakistan (annual average PM2.5 of 97.4 μg/m3, making it the city with the worst air in the world), Hotan in China (94.3 μg/m3) and Bhiwadi (92.7 μg/m3) fared worse than Delhi in the report. Also Read: India 8th in worst air quality, Lahore most polluted city in subcontinent | List WHO’s annual safe limit for PM2.5 is just 5 μg/m3, while the national standards for the country are 40 μg/m3. This means that India’s average score is more than 10 times the WHO guidelines, while Delhi’s PM2.5 reading was more than 18 times that WHO standard. Among major National Capital Region (NCR) cities, Delhi was the most polluted, while Gurugram (70 μg/m3) was the least. Ghaziabad, with an annual average of 88.6 μg/m3, was ranked second-worst, followed by Greater Noida (83.2 μg/m3), Faridabad (79.7 μg/m3) and Noida (78.7 μg/m3). This year, the report makes a distinction in the Indian capital and a much smaller area classified as “New Delhi” within the overall Union territory of “Delhi” was considered among global regional capitals. Based on that, New Delhi ranked as the second-most polluted capital city in the world (89.1 μg/m3) behind only N’Djamena in Chad (89.7 μg/m3). However, if “Delhi” was taken as a whole, it would be the most polluted capital in the world. “Bhiwadi, the most polluted city in the country, saw annual PM2.5 levels of 92.7 μg/m3 and roughly 60% of cities in India included in this report, experienced annual PM2.5 levels of at least seven times the WHO guideline,” said the report. In comparison, as per the 2021 report, 35 out of the 50 most polluted cities in the world were from India, with Bhiwadi the most polluted city globally with an average PM2.5 concentration of 106.2 μg/m3. Interestingly, Ghaziabad (102 μg/m3 in 2021) which was the second most polluted city worldwide in 2021, saw its PM2.5 reading drop to 88.6 μg/m3, making it the 11th worst city, data shows. Avinash Chanchal, campaign manager at Greenpeace India said the findings, particularly 39 out of the top of the world’s most polluted cities being Indian, shows that the air quality in India is in a dire state. “The government needs to take urgent action to reduce air pollution and stricter regulations, particularly on the industrial and vehicular sector are the need of the hour. Additionally, investments in the renewable energy sector in a decentralised manner should be a priority moving ahead.” he said. The PM2.5 data from the report came from both ground-level air quality monitoring stations and low-cost sensors which have been set up by government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and even individual citizens who are contributing to monitoring their local air quality. For the 2022 report, data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,323 locations in 131 countries, territories, and regions was used. Frank Hammes, Global CEO, IQAir said for 2022, more than half of the world’s air quality data was generated by involving communities on the ground. “When citizens get involved in air quality monitoring, we see a shift in awareness and the joint effort to improve air quality intensifies. We need governments to monitor air quality, but we cannot wait for them. Air quality monitoring by communities creates transparency and urgency. It leads to collaborative actions that improves air quality,” states Frank Hammes, Global CEO, IQAir. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says for the first time this year, the report has considered two different geographical units for Delhi – Delhi and New Delhi. “New Delhi is slightly cleaner than the rest of Delhi, but overall, the findings are consistent with the downward trend that has already been noticed in other assessments for Delhi where the air quality is gradually improving. Even then, these PM2.5 levels are very high and require significantly stronger multi-sector action so we can meet both national and international benchmarks.”

India 8th most polluted country in world, Delhi 4th most polluted city

NEW DELHI: India was the world's eighth most polluted country in 2022 with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre, according to the fifth annual World Air Quality Report 2022 by IQAir released Tuesday. In 2021, India was ranked the fifth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 level of 58.1 micrograms per cubic metre. Delhi pollution GFX With an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 92.6 micrograms per cubic metre, Delhi has been ranked the fourth most polluted city in the world after Lahore in Pakistan (97.4 micrograms per cubic metre), Hotan in China (94.3 micrograms per cubic metre) and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan (92.7 micrograms per cubic metre). Track the pollution level in your city Delhi had occupied fourth place globally in 2021 too, with average PM2.5 concentration of 96.4 micrograms per cubic metre. The annual safe limit prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO) is 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Till 2021, Delhi remained the world's most polluted capital for four consecutive years. However, this year, the report makes a distinction between the capital and the much smaller area of 'New Delhi' with the overall Union Territory. Due to this, New Delhi has been ranked the second most regional polluted capital in the world with average PM2.5 concentration of 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre after N'Djamena, Chad (89.7 micrograms per cubic metre). The report said stubble burning is also an important challenge in the region but is an episodic phenomenon confined to a few areas, including Delhi and north India. 39 Indian cities among world's 50 most polluted: Report Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "For the first time, they have considered two different geographical units - Delhi and New Delhi. New Delhi is slightly cleaner than the rest of Delhi. But overall, the finding is consistent with the downward trend noticed in other assessments for Delhi. The levels are still very high and require aggressive and time-bound multi-sector action to meet the clean air benchmark." The latest report said 12 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia were in India. Roughly 60% of Indian cities included in the report experienced annual PM2.5 levels at least seven times higher than the WHO limit. Roychowdhary said the worst affected cities are from north India and Indo-Gangetic plains, where adverse geo-climatic conditions influence pollution concentration. "There are tiny towns in the list that are more affected by regional pollution than local sources, unless there is a concentration of grossly polluting sources. This validates the need for airshed level action to mitigate pollution across the northern region," she added. Avinash Chanchal, campaign manager, Greenpeace India, said stricter regulations on industries and vehicles to reduce pollution is the need of the hour. "Investment in renewable energy in a decentralised manner should be a priority. The government should also invest in 'real' public transportation systems, such as buses and suburban rail, to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads," said Chanchal. Frank Hammes, global CEO, IQAir, said, "In 2022, more than half of the world's air quality data was generated by grassroots community efforts. When citizens get involved in air quality monitoring, we see a shift in awareness and the joint effort to improve air quality intensifies."

We must stand together; people will not forgive opposition: Minister Rajeev

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala industries minister P Rajeev on Tuesday slammed the opposition for its “non-cooperation” on “matters affecting the state” a... Rajeev quoted a Centre for Science and Environment report and said that there are 3,159 landfills in the country with 800 million tonnes of waste. He ... Read more at: https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/we-must-stand-together-people-will-not-forgive-opposition-minister-rajeev-1.8390497

Chirag Delhi flyover closure: Make most of road space, issue alerts, say experts

The Public Works Department had earlier announced a 50-day plan to repair expansion joints on the flyover. In the first phase, from Sunday midnight, the Nehru Place to IIT carriageway was shut for 25 days. Once repaired, the opposite carriageway will be closed for traffic for the next 25 days. Experts on Monday listed a series of measures such installing video screens flashing traffic alerts, deploying additional marshals to manage traffic and using the existing carriageway to facilitate two-way traffic on the Chirag Delhi flyover during the lean hours even as the closure of the elevated road led to snarls on the entire Outer Ring Road stretch. The Public Works Department had earlier announced a 50-day plan to repair expansion joints on the flyover. In the first phase, from Sunday midnight, the Nehru Place to IIT carriageway was shut for 25 days. Once repaired, the opposite carriageway will be closed for traffic for the next 25 days. On Monday, the traffic jams on the flyover extended up to Nehru Place and Kalkaji with thousands of vehicles being funnelled into the narrow road beneath the flyover to be diverted to alternative routes. S Velmurugan, chief scientist and head of traffic engineering and safety division, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), said the particular stretch on Outer Ring Road attracts heavy traffic volume as the area is a hub of commercial, residential, and office complexes. “Currently, the diversions may be in the form of an advisory but the traffic police may have to make it mandatory for vehicles to take the alternative routes to reduce the load on the Chirag Dilli intersection,” he added. Velmurugan added that agencies should explore better utilisation of Mehrauli Badarpur road as well as Sarita Vihar underpass for Saket-bound traffic. Sewa Ram, professor of transport planning in the School of Planning and Architecture, said that traffic police should also explore if the second carriageway (from IIT to Nehru Place) can be used for traffic movement in both direction at the “critical intervals”. “In the morning, the traffic towards Nehru place would be much heavier, but it would be lighter during the evening. After observing the situation for a few days, the agencies can take a call on using the one available carriageway for movement of traffic in both directions depending on demand level,” he added. Experts also stressed that the commuters need to be warned about the situation in real-time and delays while approaching the route by using live signboards, traffic marshals and variable message screens. Prof Ram said that since the Nehru Place to IIT carriageway is closed, the traffic is further like to increase along with the right turning traffic under the flyover. “The entire load of the carriageway has shifted on the surface level while the slip roads are not wide enough. The agencies will have to moderate the incoming traffic at Savitri Cinema, which should be a part of overall site management,” he added. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the long traffic jams observed on Monday shows how inefficient the traffic circulation network was in the area. “All surrounding large neighbourhoods load traffic onto this high capacity corridor, but the street network around the area is inadequate for efficient traffic dispersal. But this is also a reminder of the inordinate delay in scaling up integrated public transport system with efficient last mile connectivity and vehicle restraint measures in the city,” Roychowdhury added. Meanwhile, the local RWAs have demanded urgent interventions. Sanjay Rana, general secretary of Greater Kailash-2 residents welfare association, said the locals are frustrated with the experience on the first day. “Just to exit the Greater Kailash area, we need 45 minutes to 1 hour. We saw that the police was managing traffic even outside Greater Kailash police station. Why do they need 50 days in this age and day to repair the flyover joints?”

TAKEAWAYS FROM ICCT’S RECENT ROUNDTABLE ON LOW- AND ZERO-EMISSION ZONES IN INDIA

The need to transition to a zero-emission on-road vehicle fleet and the various pathways for implementing low- and zero-emission zones in India were the focus of a roundtable hosted by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) in New Delhi on February 13, 2023. The one-day event was moderated by ICCT India Managing Director Amit Bhatt and it brought together a variety of stakeholders who discussed their research and experiences. In the opening presentation, ICCT Executive Director Drew Kodjak shared our research showing that zero-emission vehicles—that is, battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles—are the only way to achieve near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the road transportation sector. He discussed low-emission zones in Brussels and London and talked about the wide-ranging remote sensing initiatives that ICCT has led as part of The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative. Important data was captured in each of the remote sensing campaigns and results were subsequently used in policies in Poland and London. In addition to Mr. Kodjak, the plenary speakers were Surender Singh Yadav, special commissioner of police (traffic), Delhi; Ashish Kundra, principal secretary cum commissioner of the Transport Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi; and Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Center for Science and Environment. The discussion that followed the plenary included representatives from CEEW, Artha Global, ITDP India, HSA Advocates, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Open Philanthropy, TERI, Raahgiri Foundation, WRI India, GIZ, and ICLEI. According to Mr. Kundra, 40% of new two-wheeler sales and 60% of new three-wheeler sales in Delhi were electric in 2022. He also said that Delhi’s target is to install 18,000 public chargers for electric vehicles by 2025. Although there are advancements in electric vehicles, there are limitations in measuring combustion engine vehicles’ real-world emissions under the current pollution under control (PUC) certificate program, he explained. For example, it is possible to get a valid certificate even if the vehicle does not meet the emissions criteria by not inserting the sampling probe into the tailpipe of the vehicle fully, as this dilutes the emissions sample with ambient air. Also, PUC testing is done when the vehicle is idling and its emissions when operating at loaded conditions on the road are not captured. The government is thus partnering with the TRUE Initiative to carry out a remote sensing campaign in the National Capital Region (NCR) to measure the real-world emissions of more than 100,000 vehicles. When talking about creating a comprehensive, long-term plan for a low-emission zone in Delhi, Mr. Kundra said the biggest challenge was to determine which vehicles to target. For example, is the Bharat Stage III car fleet more polluting than the Bharat Stage IV truck fleet? The remote sensing study will help answer this question. Mr. Yadav, the special commissioner of traffic, talked about his experience with enforcement challenges, including the low rate of payment of challans issued by the traffic police in Delhi. Because only about 3% to 4% of these are recovered currently, the efficacy of any future low-emission zones will be threatened if the zones are not strictly enforced. To address the existing lack of enforcement, a proposal has been sent to the central government to link the payment of challans to things like the vehicle’s insurance renewal, PUC certificate, and re-registration. According to Mr. Yadav, low-emission zones should primarily be implemented to improve air quality and public health, and not so much to boost private electric vehicle uptake. He also highlighted congestion and driving indiscipline in Delhi as more challenges to address. In thinking about low-emission zones in the context of the pedestrianization of Chandni Chowk, a project undertaken as part of the redevelopment of the entire Chandni Chowk area, Ms. Roychowdhury said an area-based approach would be more effective in abating vehicular pollution than a street-based approach. She also suggested that pollution hotspots should be identified in cities through a number of monitoring stations. Jaipur, for example, monitors air pollution in 2 km by 2 km zones. Complementary measures like parking restrictions and pricing, congestion management, and road infrastructure development and planning to prevent thoroughfare in Delhi were also suggested by Ms. Roychowdhury. To kickstart the broader discussion that followed the plenary, I presented ICCT’s upcoming work on the legal pathways available in India for implementing low- and zero-emission zones. I talked about five major pathways at the national, state, and city levels. Our work also focused on laws in Maharashtra that empower the state and city governments to implement low- and zero-emission zones without any policy push from the center. Shailendra Kumar from HSA Advocates, which helped ICCT with this study, described multiple provisions in Indian laws that are part of the potential pathways for implementing low- and zero-emission zones in the country. He also talked about the government’s lack of proactive action for abating vehicular emissions and how, historically, the courts have stepped in and directed the government to take action. Other participants discussed some challenges they’ve encountered, and the lack of reliable data was frequently identified as the biggest. Some participants suggested implementing low- or zero-emission zones soon, even if on a smaller scale than is ultimately the goal, to get residents accustomed to such measures. Finding ways to get residents, local businesses, and local institutions to participate in their implementation was also suggested as important for success. Participants further emphasized how important it is that zones be complementary to other measures and policies such as congestion management, parking management, charging infrastructure development, updating building codes, communication, and promoting non-motorized transport and public transport. I’d say the most important takeaway from the roundtable was that implementing low- and zero-emission zones is possible in India using current legal frameworks. Delhi already has many features similar to a low-emission zone with measures like a graded response action plan that’s implemented as an emergency measure whenever the region’s air quality deteriorates, a ban on old petrol and diesel vehicles, and an environmental compensation charge on diesel trucks and light commercial vehicles. There is also Kevadia in Gujarat, which was declared an electric vehicle-only area in 2021; following that, the governing body in Kevadia procured electric three-wheelers and set up charging stations. Many organizations are working on low- and zero-emission zones in Indian cities and ICCT is pleased to host events like these, which can help guide our collective efforts to abate vehicular pollution.

Victoria Memorial was Kolkata’s pollution capital last winter

Court orders at the time of shifting the Book Fair from the Maidan remain unimplemented 12 years later Air pollution control in Kolkata has turned a full circle in 12 years. During the winter of 2022-23, Victoria Memorial was the most polluted part of Kolkata, with a pollution level that exceeded the national permissible limit by more than 150 per cent, says a report recently published by the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) on the basis of central pollution control board data. In 2010, the Book Fair was moved from the Maidan following a judicial order that aimed to prevent the burgeoning air pollution in the area from damaging the adjacent Victoria Memorial. The shift is considered a watershed moment and a landmark in air pollution control in Kolkata. According to the CSE report, the average PM2.5 level at the British-built memorial between October 2022 and February 2023 was 96 micrograms per cubic metre of air, the highest among the seven points in the city where the central pollution control board recorded air pollution. The ultrafine PM2.5 is one of the most toxic air pollutants that can penetrate deep into the lungs and trigger a series of ailments, including fatal ones. The national PM2.5 limit is 60 micrograms per cubic metre. “Victoria Memorial was particularly problematic in winters. At an annual level, Rabindra Bharati University was the most polluted, but the Memorial overtook it in the winter months,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of the CSE and the report lead. The report found that the Memorial’s pollution has increased in recent times — the average level was below 90 micrograms per cubic metre in the two preceding winters.

Prenditempo dalla recente tavola rotonda dell'ICCT sulle zone a basse e zero emissioni in India

Prenditempo dalla recente tavola rotonda dell'ICCT sulle zone a basse e zero emissioni in India I veicoli a emissioni zero sono l'unico modo per raggiungere emissioni di gas serra quasi zero nel settore dei trasporti su strada. Il direttore esecutivo dell'ICCT, Drew Kodjak, ha condiviso le nostre ricerche che dimostrano che i veicoli a emissioni zero sono l'unico modo per raggiungere emissioni di gas serra quasi zero dal settore dei trasporti su strada. Ha parlato di zone a bassa emissione a Bruxelles e Londra e delle iniziative di telerilevamento di ampio respiro che l'ICCT ha guidato. Oltre a Kodjak, i relatori plenari sono stati Surender Singh Yadav, commissario speciale della polizia (traffico), Delhi; Ashish Kundra, segretario principale e commissario del Dipartimento dei trasporti, Governo del Territorio della capitale nazionale di Delhi; e Anumita Roychowdhury, direttore esecutivo della ricerca e della difesa presso il Centro per la scienza e l'ambiente. Esistono limitazioni nella misurazione delle emissioni reali dei veicoli a motore a combustione nell'ambito dell'attuale programma di certificazione di inquinamento sotto controllo (PUC). Ad esempio, è possibile ottenere un certificato valido anche se il veicolo non soddisfa i criteri di emissione non inserendo completamente la sonda di campionamento nel tubo di scarico. Inoltre, i test PUC vengono effettuati quando il veicolo è in aereo a vuoto e le sue emissioni quando si opera a condizioni di carico sulla strada non vengono catturate. Le zone a basse emissioni dovrebbero essere attuate principalmente per migliorare la qualità dell'aria. La congestione e l'indisciplina alla guida a Delhi sono altre sfide da affrontare. Il prossimo lavoro dell'ICCT sui percorsi legali disponibili in India per l'attuazione di zone a basse e zero emissioni. Il prossimo lavoro dell'ICCT sui percorsi legali disponibili in India per l'attuazione di zone a basse e zero emissioni. Le leggi del Maharashtra autorizzano i governi statali e comunali a implementare zone a basse e zero emissioni senza alcuna spinta politica dal centro. I partecipanti hanno discusso di alcune sfide che hanno incontrato, e la mancanza di dati affidabili è stata spesso identificata come la più grande. Per il successo è stato anche suggerito di trovare modi per coinvolgere i residenti, le imprese locali e le istituzioni locali nella loro attuazione. Delhi ha già molte caratteristiche simili a una zona a basse emissioni. C'è anche Kevadia in Gujarat, che è stata dichiarata una zona di veicoli elettrici solo nel 2021. Molte organizzazioni stanno lavorando a zone a basse e zero emissioni nelle città indiane. L'ICCT è lieta di organizzare eventi come questi per aiutare a guidare i nostri sforzi collettivi per ridurre l'inquinamento dei veicoli.

Waste-to-energy plants face several challenges in Bengaluru

In 2017, 3Wayste– a French firm–submitted a proposal to the Government of Karnataka (GoK) and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to implement an integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management project at Chikkanagamangala. Using the company’s proprietary, patented waste-to-energy technology, the plant would generate electricity from processing MSW, i.e refuse derived fuel (RDF), converting the existing MSW-processing plant to an incineration-based WTE plant. The plant was intended to process 500 tonnes of mixed waste (300 tonnes supplied by the BBMP, and 200 tonnes from other sources). 3Wayste proposed to process refuse-derived fuel (RDF) to generate 9.2 MW of power. After 3Wayste received the required departmental clearances, the GoK issued an order on March 8 2018, to put the plan in motion to convert their MSW plant into a WTE plant. However, the process was embroiled in conflict as residents in Electronic City (where the plant was located) protested against the “misguided attempts at scientific waste management.” “Before the plant was set up, the government made a lot of promises that the plant would use technology that would prevent the stench from emanating, but none of them have materialised,” says Venkatesh Guru, a resident from Chikkanagamangala. While leachate has to be disposed of properly through rajakaluves or stormwater drains, residents say the plant has disposed of it at the Chikkanagamangala lake, which is located a kilometre away from the plant. “The lake is completely polluted now. We keep protesting, but they find ways of using the local police to intimidate and shut us up,” says Venkatesh, adding that the residents do not believe the WTE plant will benefit them in any way. The resistance from local communities remained, despite 3Wayste saying in its initial proposal that it would “implement a state-of-the-art odour and dust control system”, and ensure that the BBMP would transport waste in covered trucks. The plant would also require a license from the Pollution Control Board due to the smell it would emanate. In November 2020, the state Urban Development Department withdrew the consent issued on the grounds that the company failed to deliver on its promises. “The company was asking for too many concessions. Also, over the last one-and-a-half years, the firm did not show interest in establishing the plant,” the report quoted Sarfaraz Khan, the then-Joint Commissioner of the Solid Waste Management division, BBMP. Budgetary push and Western rationale Domestic waste contains hydrocarbons that “can be converted into electricity using thermoelectric and anaerobic digestion plants” through a combustion process that produces pollutants as well as green gases, according to Science Direct in 2021. It argues that converting waste to watts, energy and value-added chemicals is “the way forward for long-term sustainability.” The paper refers to the United States Energy Policy embracing WTE technology and endorsing it as a renewable process to generate energy while also meeting Net Zero targets. According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2021, 28 million tonnes of combustible MSW were burnt to produce 13.6 billion kWh of electricity. India’s own Net Zero plans are equally – if not more – ambitious. As per the revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) that reaffirms the country’s commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement, India has ambitiously voiced its long-term plan of reaching net zero by 2070. Hitching on the WTE bandwagon and eager to devise technocratic solutions to the country’s waste generation and disposal problems, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) website says that the total estimated energy generation potential from urban and industrial organic waste in India can amount to approximately 5,690 MW. Further, early last year, as part of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scientific processing of waste through WTE plants, which, along with other methods received a budgetary impetus of Rs.1,765 crore. Read more: Why residents are worried about the upcoming Waste-to-Energy unit in Chikkanagamangala The notion of WTE plants as a silver bullet solution to address Bengaluru’s waste management problem, as well as a way to increase renewable energy production in the city, trickled down to the level of the urban local bodies (ULBs) by 2020, when the municipal authority kicked off the installation of five (six, as of 2022) waste-to-energy plants around the city, based on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The Hindu quotes the then law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy apprising the legislative assembly of how these plants would be elemental in facilitating the scientific disposal of solid waste. He was quoted saying that the plants would begin generating power after two years. The first plant costing Rs.260 crore, which came up in Ramanagara’s Bidadi, will have the capacity to process 600 metric tonnes (MT) of waste daily and generate 11.5 kilowatts (KW) of power. While this seems good on paper, it is a challenging feat to achieve especially in South Asian countries where the composition of waste is different. In a 2019 article in Citizen Matters, author Deepu Chandran states that WTE plants require waste with high calorific value and low moisture content to generate electricity. This means only non-biodegradable, non-recyclable waste is preferred, unlike the mixed waste in India sent to these plants. “One of the major challenges is waste segregation: the feedstock or the waste that has to be fed into the technology has to be in the right form,” says Dr Suresh NS, a research scientist at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP). In the context of Bengaluru and other major cities, segregation isn’t happening at the source (by citizens in households) and neither is segregated waste being fed into the plants as it should be, claim the experts. Waste collection in Bengaluru “WTE conversion processes have the potential to reduce 160 million tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions (and) is expected to cater to 2% of electricity by 2030,” mentions a paper detailing the conversion of waste to energy for a sustainable future. This sounds promising, but may prove to be a tall order, especially for a country like India with a differential composition of waste and the lack of an efficient source or ward-level segregation mechanism. Author BP Naveen in his 2021 comprehensive review of the waste management nexus in Bengaluru, admits that the city “doesn’t have any logical treatment strategy facilities for solid waste.” Visualisation of dump sites in and around the city boundaries Author BP Naveen spatially locates the unauthorised (illegal or unapproved) dump sites in and around the city boundaries. Pic: Naveen BP/Science Direct The reviewer says, as per the current handling of waste disposal, BBMP oversees 30% of municipal solid waste and administers 70% of the MSW action. The waste per every 1,000 households, is first collected on wheelbarrows or auto tippers to a collection point and is then transported to landfills or waste treatment centres via lorries or compactors. “Once the waste has been collected and transported, it still has to be segregated. Biodegradables and plastic fractions can be utilised for converting it into useful products such as composting, bio methanation (biogas production), liquid fuels, and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for heat and power generation,” he says, reiterating that segregation still remains as a primary challenge. Pushkara SV, a senior consultant at Indian Institute for Human Settlements, agrees. “Only non-recyclable dry waste/RDF fraction of the waste should be sent to these WTE plants. Organic waste has to be sent to composting or bio-methanation plants, eight of which are operated in the city by BBMP, the corporation’s Solid Waste Management officials say. Across the state, 139 MW biomass projects have been installed as of December 2021. Waste consisting of organic material generally has more moisture and less calorific value and hence should not be sent to waste to energy projects for them to operate efficiently.” Plenty of challenges Still, despite these challenges, data obtained by Citizen Matters from the office of Rakesh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, state Urban Development Department, reveals that as of October 6 2022, six plants are in the works in Bengaluru. With a lease period ranging from 20-30 years, the plants have the capacity to process mixed and wet waste and to produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) that can generate anywhere between 2-14 MW. The MNRE has mentioned that 216 WTE plants have been set up across the country with an aggregate capacity of 370.45 MW equivalent. Karnataka has 11 WTE plants with an installed capacity of 14.6MW. Data visualistaion of the WTE plant located around Bengaluru. With the dots signifying the volume of waste, here are the locations of the WTE plants in association with the BBMP, as per data obtained from the office of Rakesh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, GoK. Pic: Anusha Bellapu But in Bengaluru, none of the WTE plants is currently operational. “There were companies who came forward to spearhead the installation and while they were in various stages of progress, none of them has materialised yet,” says a senior official from the Solid Waste Management division, BBMP, on the condition of anonymity. To elaborate, he says “the companies would enter into Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), but then demand the revision of power purchase agreements (PPAs), hence stalling or thwarting the operationalisation of these plants,” the official adds. Sometimes, he mentions, the companies pull out because they haven’t found the right investors or sometimes the deals go sour because they ask for tipping fees, which they would charge to BBMP. “We have to protect the BBMP’s interests as well,” the official states. Citizen Matters reached out to Satarem (whose plant is proposed to come up in Kannehalli) and 3Wayste for comment but did not receive a response. An attractive form of renewable energy? A notification by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), dated December 2022, states that India’s total installed capacity of non-fossil sources is 172.72 GW. However, Binit Kumar Das, Deputy programme manager of Renewable Energy at CSE, points out that the 2030 targets don’t clarify the electricity generation specifically from non-fossil fuels. “Karnataka is in the fourth position when it comes to renewable energy, we have 16GW of installed capacity,” says the Managing Director of of KREDL, KP Rudrappiah. As per the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy 2022-2027, he says the state has committed to adding 10 GW more during the policy period and hopes this will increase to 20GW by 2030. MD of KREDL, KP Rudrappiah. Karnataka’s installed capacity of renewable energy is 16 GW, says MD of KREDL KP Rudrappiah. Pic: KREDL/Twitter The impetus for renewable energy is clear, when one considers that electricity tariffs were revised thrice in 2020 alone, as Citizen Matters earlier reported. The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), which is responsible for setting the tariffs, attributed these revisions to “the steep increase in coal prices” and due to “an increase in the variable cost of thermal stations.” In a notification dated 2016, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) publicised the Solid Waste Management Rules (2016) and mentions that the Ministry of Power through appropriate mechanisms shall “decide tariff or charges for the power generated from the waste to energy plants based on solid waste.” The rules also mention the explicit or compulsory purchase of power generated from such plants by distribution companies. Further, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources is tasked with creating infrastructure that will facilitate the plants and provide them with appropriate subsidies or incentives. Officials at KPTCL were unavailable for comment. According to Rudrappiah, GoK’s New Industrial Policy 2020-25 outlines the kind of incentives that KREDL offers for the installation of these plants. “We do not provide capital subsidies, but offer waivers on concession fees, etc,” he says, to enable the development of WTE plants. However, the situation on the ground is more complex. “While Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) buys power from the plants, the BBMP is expected to oversee the end-to-end operations like transporting of waste, segregation, etc,” says Pushkara, adding that the shortfalls of operations costs incurred in power generation through waste have also to be absorbed by the BBMP. According to Atin Biswas, the Programme Director of the Municipal Solid Waste Unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), this makes the plants economically unviable. “When the plants are contracted to private entities, the municipal corporation is tasked with funding the collection and transportation of waste as well as providing tipping fees for plant operators.” “Unlike in developed countries, the Indian urban local bodies are failing to dedicate adequate funding for waste processing. The waste processing plants generate little revenue, but they should not be expected to make profits,” Pushkara points out. Yet in his view, the BBMP is hoping that these WTE plants will generate some revenue. He says the plants can only generate approximately 25-35% of the operating costs, depending on the scale of operations. According to him, the shortfalls should be paid out by the urban local bodies (ULBs). For now, and for the foreseeable future, it appears that energy generated from these plants will be more expensive than other forms of renewable energy. Read more: How Bengalureans can generate rooftop solar power in their homes Questions on economic viability In terms of the power purchase agreements between the companies and the plants, “the cost (of energy purchase) for wind or solar is close to Rs.2-4/kWh, which is similar to the rate of power purchased from coal power plants (Rs.2-3/kWh). But for WTE, the cost of power generation is higher which is Rs.6-8/kWh” says Suresh. KREDL confirms that the tariff at which power is being supplied from the plants is Rs.7.1/kWh, while that of solar is lesser by Rs.5. “This is due to the high capital cost, high operating and maintenance costs, low calorific value and additional fuel required to burn the waste,” explains Binit. Wind energy farms Solar and wind remain the front runners in Karnataka’s Renewable energy generation. Pic: Shruti Morabad, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons Unlike coal power plants, Suresh claims, WTE plants cannot be boosted to a large scale. “They can be replicated to a few megawatts plants at a maximum, but more than that is not feasible, especially given feedstock availability,” he says. The availability of input or feedstock when it comes to these plants would be a challenge and other sources like solar and wind do not have this problem. Because the capacity of the plants is limited, the cost of energy generation is higher, Suresh clarifies. According to Binit, while the installed capacity of renewable energy sources across India is 168 GW, WTE’s share is only 250MW. “While there are WTE projects in the pipeline, (energy generated) from them is minimal compared to solar and wind sources, and hence we are not dependent on them for meeting our (renewable energy) targets,” says KP Rudrappiah. Still, Binit maintains: “We need to understand that despite its small contribution, WTE plants are required in a well-designed energy mix.” Although solar and wind power are major contributors, there are resources that the WTE plants can tap into to realise their potential, he states. Deepu Chandran contributed to this article. This story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.

Air quality worsened fastest in B'luru in winter: CSE study

The quality of air deteriorated the fastest in Bengaluru and Chennai among six megacities of the country for the winter period of October 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023. Track the pollution level in your city The peak winter pollution was also the worst in the Karnataka capital and Hyderabad in the last four years, according to an analysis by the Urban Lab at Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The analysis by CSE researchers Anumita Roychowdhury, Avikal Somvanshi and Sharanjeet Kaur revealed that while Delhi's poor winter air quality draws all the eyeballs, the rising pollution in Bengaluru and other megacities do not get adequate attention. Delhi, Kolkata-Howrah, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai were the cities whose PM2.5 data was analysed. Air Kolkata and Mumbai are the most polluted after Delhi. "When PM2.5 level of the current winter is compared with the average for the previous three winters, Bengaluru and Chennai's performance is the worst as their winter air is 15% more polluted than the average of their previous three winters," it noted. This analysis was based on real-time data available from the currently working air quality monitoring stations, and covered 106 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) in Delhi (40 stations), Kolkata (7), Howrah (3), Mumbai (21), Hyderabad (14), Bengaluru (12), and Chennai (9). The citywide average -the average of all city stations that have been functional for the defined study period-was used for comparative analysis. Delhi with the winter average PM2.5 of 151 g/m³ remains the most-polluted megacity by a large margin, but it has shown improvement over the past few years. 68% higher than average On January 27, 2023, the daily PM2.5 level in Bengaluru hit 152 g/m3 which was the highest 24-hour PM2.5 average recorded in the city since 2019. Similarly, Hyderabad registered its highest 24-hour PM2.5 average since 2019 this winter when on February 23, 2023 its daily average reached 97 g/m3, the analysis said. The peak daily value this winter for Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai was not as high as their previous winter peaks but still in the "very poor" AQI category. Peak winter pollution was the lowest in Delhi in four years. When PM2.5 peak level of the current winter is compared to the average for previous three winters, Bengaluru's performance works out to be the worst as its winter peak was 68% higher than the average of its previous three winter peaks. Similarly, Chennai's winter peak was 28%, and Hyderabad's 8%. Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai had lower peaks compared to the average of previous three winter peaks at 23%, 15% and 7%, respectively.

हैदराबाद, बेंगलुरु में चरम शीतकालीन प्रदूषण देखा गया https://jantaserishta.com/local/telangana/hyderabad-bengaluru-saw-peak-winter-pollution-2120347

हालांकि देश के सभी महानगरीय शहरों को सर्दियों के प्रदूषण के खतरों से जूझना पड़ता है, हैदराबाद और बेंगलुरु में पिछले चार वर्षों में अन्य मेगासिटी की तुलना में इस सर्दी में 1 अक्टूबर से 28 फरवरी के बीच प्रदूषण का उच्चतम स्तर देखा गया है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की अर्बन लैब ने इसका खुलासा किया, जिसने नई दिल्ली की तुलना में पांच मेगासिटी- कोलकाता-हावड़ा, मुंबई, चेन्नई, हैदराबाद और बेंगलुरु में पीएम2.5 के रुझान का विश्लेषण किया। प्रतिकूल मौसम संबंधी स्थितियों और वायुमंडलीय परिवर्तनों के कारण सर्दियों के मौसम को व्यापक रूप से वर्ष का सबसे प्रदूषित समय माना जाता है। विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि उलटा, मौसम, हवा की दिशा में बदलाव, परिवेश के तापमान में मौसमी कमी और देश भर में फैला प्रदूषण सभी इसमें योगदान करते हैं। इस सर्दी में, सर्दियों के दौरान हैदराबाद का औसत PM2.5 स्तर 59 µg/m³ था, जो 24 घंटे के मानक 60 µg/m³ से ठीक नीचे आता है। हालांकि, इस साल 23 फरवरी को, शहर ने 2019 के बाद से अपना उच्चतम 24 घंटे का पीएम2.5 औसत दर्ज किया, जिसका दैनिक औसत 97 µg/m³ था। हैदराबाद के प्रदूषित स्थानों में, चिड़ियाघर पार्क में उच्चतम मौसमी औसत 71 µg/m³ था। पी कृष्णा रेड्डी, अंतर्राष्ट्रीय सूचना प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान- हैदराबाद (IIIT-H) में डेटा विज्ञान के प्रोफेसर, जिन्होंने कम लागत वाले वायु निगरानी सेंसर पर काम किया, ने TNIE को बताया, "उच्च निर्माण गतिविधि, जीवाश्म ईंधन जलाने से होने वाला वाहन प्रदूषण, अधूरा हैदराबाद में PM2.5 के उच्च स्तर के लिए कंक्रीट की सड़कें और कचरा जलाना प्राथमिक योगदानकर्ता हैं। इन प्रदूषण स्तरों का सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य पर महत्वपूर्ण प्रभाव पड़ता है, जिससे फुफ्फुसीय रोग, दिल का दौरा और अन्य जानलेवा समस्याएं होती हैं। चूँकि हवा मानव अस्तित्व के लिए एक प्राथमिक आवश्यकता है, यह लोगों के ऊर्जा स्तर और जीवन शैली को भी प्रभावित करती है।” उन्होंने सुझाव दिया कि वाहनों पर प्रदूषण जांच नियमित रूप से की जानी चाहिए और पुरानी बसों, लॉरियों और अन्य चार पहिया वाहनों का उपयोग कम किया जाना चाहिए। ठीक धूल को रोकने के लिए उचित सड़क रखरखाव भी आवश्यक है, उन्होंने कहा, अधिकारियों को यह सुनिश्चित करना चाहिए कि औद्योगिक प्रदूषण पर्यावरण में कण पदार्थ को जारी नहीं करता है। कृष्णा ने जोर देकर कहा कि प्रदूषण को नियंत्रित करने के लिए बहु-अनुशासनात्मक दृष्टिकोण की आवश्यकता होती है और नागरिक समाज और प्रशासन को हैदराबाद की बढ़ती आबादी को स्वच्छ हवा प्रदान करने की दिशा में काम करना चाहिए।

‘Hyderabad, Bengaluru saw peak winter pollution’

HYDERABAD: Although all metropolitan cities in the country have to grapple with the dangers of winter pollution, Hyderabad and Bengaluru have witnessed the highest peak pollution levels this winter, between October 1 and February 28, as compared to other megacities over the past four years. This was revealed by the Urban Lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which analysed PM2.5 trends in five megacities — Kolkata-Howrah, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru — in comparison to New Delhi. The winter season is widely regarded as the most polluted time of the year due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and atmospheric changes. Inversion, weather, wind direction shifts, seasonal decreases in ambient temperature and pollution entrapped across the country all contribute to this, experts say. This winter, Hyderabad’s average PM2.5 level during winter was 59 µg/m³, which falls just below the 24-hour standard of 60 µg/m³. However, on February 23 this year, the city recorded its highest 24-hour PM2.5 average since 2019, with a daily average of 97 µg/m³. Among the polluted locations in Hyderabad, Zoo Park had the highest seasonal average of 71 µg/m³. P Krishna Reddy, a data science professor at the International Institute of Information Technology- Hyderabad (IIIT-H), who worked on low-cost air monitoring sensors, told TNIE, “High construction activity, vehicular pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, incomplete concrete roads and garbage burning are the primary contributors to the high levels of PM2.5 in Hyderabad. These pollution levels have a significant impact on public health, leading to pulmonary diseases, heart attacks and other life-threatening problems. Since air is a primary requirement for human survival, it also affects people’s energy levels and lifestyles.” He suggested that pollution checks on vehicles should be conducted regularly and the use of old buses, lorries and other four-wheelers should be reduced. Proper road maintenance is also essential to prevent fine dust, he said, adding that authorities should ensure that industrial pollution does not release particulate matter into the environment. Krishna emphasised that controlling pollution requires a multi-disciplinary approach and civil society and administration must work towards providing clean air to Hyderabad’s growing population.