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Pollution : New Delhi en plein « airpocalypse »

Souffle court, yeux irrités, toux sèche… pour les habitants de New Delhi, l’arrivée de l’hiver est tristement synonyme de symptômes respiratoires et allergiques dus au « Delhi smog », un brouillard de pollution qui plombe la capitale de novembre à février. L’« airpocalypse », une expression courante chez les habitants de la capitale, est de retour. Depuis janvier 2021, 44 000 personnes seraient mortes des conséquences de la pollution de l’air à New Delhi, affirment Greenpeace Southeast Asia et la société de surveillance de qualité de l’air IQAir. Si aucune donnée liant pollution et mortalité n’a été rendue publique par le gouvernement indien, les études d’organismes indépendants se multiplient, et la qualité de l’air de Delhi est mesurée quotidiennement. Le 4 novembre dernier, le niveau de particules fines (PM2,5) [1], celles qui sont le plus dangereuses pour la santé car assez petites pour pénétrer dans les voies respiratoires, était vingt-cinq fois supérieur au niveau maximum fixé par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé. Depuis, la qualité de l’air de la capitale oscille entre les catégories « pauvre » et « sévère ». Selon le World Air Quality report, New Delhi est la capitale la plus polluée au monde. Plusieurs facteurs sont à l’origine de cet air irrespirable. Chaque année, en novembre, les agriculteurs du Punjab, un État du nord-ouest de l’Inde, brûlent la chaume pour nettoyer les champs après la moisson, et les fumées parviennent jusqu’à la capitale. Cela s’ajoute à un trafic routier intense, dans une ville peuplée par 20 millions d’habitants, et à des émissions industrielles déjà très polluantes. Par ailleurs, la baisse des températures a pour conséquence le stockage des particules fines dans l’atmosphère, rendant le brouillard quasi quotidien en hiver. Le phénomène ne concerne pas seulement Delhi : le nuage de pollution empoisonne toute la plaine indogangétique, du Punjab au Bengal, et est accentué par les émissions de poussières issues du désert du Thar, situé dans l’État du Rajasthan. « Nous n’arrivons pas à respirer » Début novembre, les écoles primaires de la ville ont été contraintes de fermer pendant sept jours. Le télétravail était préconisé et des mesures d’urgence ont été prises par le gouvernement de Delhi, comme l’interdiction de circulation pour les poids lourds transportant des marchandises non essentielles. « Ce ne sont pas des solutions sur le long terme. C’est pareil chaque hiver, et les dirigeants ne pensent pas à l’avenir », commente Licypriya Kangujam, activiste pour le climat. Un constat partagé par Avikal Somvanshi, chercheur au Centre for Science and Environment, à Delhi : « Fermer les écoles permet de protéger les enfants de la pollution routière à laquelle ils sont fortement exposés durant leur trajet pour aller en classe. Mais ça ne résout pas le problème ». « Les gens ignorent que c’est lié à la pollution » Sur les réseaux sociaux, les témoignages affluent : « Nous n’arrivons pas à respirer », « c’est la cinquième fois en trois mois que je tombe malade, mes poumons me brûlent »… Au fil des hivers, la colère et la lassitude s’accumulent chez les Delhiites. « De plus en plus de patients souffrent d’une toux sèche, d’allergies, et de difficultés respiratoires. Chaque année, c’est de pire en pire », déplore Seema Sahu, médecin généraliste à Delhi. « Les gens ignorent que c’est lié à la pollution, ils pensent que c’est un rhume, ou un mauvais virus. Je leur dis : mettez un masque, limitez les sorties, arrêtez de faire du sport dehors. Mais c’est ça la solution ? Confiner les gens chez eux ? La santé mentale des enfants et des plus âgés est également touchée parce que tout cela diminue les interactions sociales », continue-t-elle. Kartik Jaggi, 25 ans, a grandi à Delhi, où il vit actuellement. Depuis Diwali (fête religieuse hindoue ayant lieu fin octobre), il dit tousser, avoir les yeux irrités, un rhume qui ne passe pas.... Et souffrir d’écoanxiété. « Bientôt, Delhi sera inhabitable. J’aimerais quitter la capitale pour une ville plus petite et moins polluée. Quand je pense que ceux qui nous dirigent dépensent des milliers de rupees dans des campagnes électorales, mais ne sont pas capables de pourvoir les espaces publics de purificateurs d’air », souffle-t-il. « La pollution est devenue comme une seconde peau », déplore Ruchika Sethi Takkar, activiste pour le climat. Sa fille est atteinte de diverses maladies respiratoires : « Elle adorait le vélo mais ne peut plus en faire à cause de la pollution. Durant la période de Diwali, nous sommes partis à Goa [sur la côte ouest de l’Inde] pour la protéger mais avons dû revenir pour nos métiers respectifs. » « Nous avons des lois, mais personne ne les applique » Au fil des hivers, plusieurs mesures ont été mises en place par le gouvernement de Delhi pour lutter contre la pollution. Les bus doivent rouler au gaz naturel comprimé, les travaux de construction sont interdits hormis pour des bâtiments d’utilité publique, les usines polluantes ont été déplacées en périphérie de la ville. « La pollution à Delhi a arrêté d’augmenter et s’est stabilisée », affirme Sudhanshu Shekhar, doctorant en géochimie environnementale à la Jawaharlal Nehru University. Mais selon Anumita Roychowdhury, chercheuse au Center for Science and Environment, il faut encore réduire les émissions polluantes de 60 % pour que l’air soit sain. « Le problème est régional, or l’action des gouvernements est locale. La pollution n’a pas de frontière, il faut que les différents États du Nord travaillent ensemble à l’élaboration d’une politique commune. Nous avons des lois, mais personne ne les applique », complète-t-elle. L’absence d’approche régionale mène à des situations ubuesques, dénoncées par Ruchika Sethi Takkar : « Les travaux de construction sont interdits à Delhi, mais à Gurgaon [banlieue du sud de la ville], on construit de nouveaux quartiers, c’est absurde ! » La gestion de la pollution est aussi devenue politique. Le BJP, parti nationaliste hindou dont est issu le premier ministre Narendra Modi, multiplie les critiques à l’égard de la capitale, gouvernée par le parti Aam Aaduri, et rival du gouvernement national, sans agir pour autant. Aucun dirigeant ne veut assumer la responsabilité d’une qualité de l’air devenue mortifère. Inégalités face à la pollution Si la pollution de l’air touche tous les habitants de New Delhi, certains en sont plus victimes que d’autres. Première inégalité : les purificateurs d’air, dont le prix minimum oscille autour de la centaine d’euros. « J’ai des purificateurs d’air partout chez moi, et ai les moyens de payer un traitement médicamenteux onéreux à mon fils, qui est asthmatique. Je suis consciente de mes privilèges », dit Muzna Alvi, Delhiite et mère d’un enfant de cinq ans à la santé fragile. « Avec mon mari, nous songeons à quitter Delhi à cause de la pollution. Nous avons déjà partiellement commencé, et avons passé l’hiver précédent à Goa. » Akbar, 43 ans, est chauffeur de rickshaw depuis une vingtaine d’années. Du matin au soir, il arpente les artères de Delhi à la recherche de potentiels clients et subit les embouteillages monstrueux de la ville ; des journées passées à respirer les pots d’échappement, desquels il se protège au moyen d’un masque chirurgical à l’efficacité incertaine. « Je ne respire pas bien, je tousse constamment. Mais je n’ai pas le choix, il faut bien que je travaille », souffle-t-il entre deux quintes de toux. Pour retrouver un air à peu près respirable, il faudra attendre l’été prochain et l’arrivée de la mousson, pour qu’enfin le brouillard s’estompe. … nous avons un petit service à vous demander. Chaque mois, plus d’un million de personnes font confiance au travail des journalistes de Reporterre pour se tenir informées sur l’urgence écologique. En 2021, plus de 27 000 de ces lectrices et lecteurs ont financé le journal par des dons. Ce soutien permet à Reporterre de rester en accès libre, sans aucune publicité, et totalement indépendant. Contrairement à de nombreux autres médias, Reporterre n’a pas d’actionnaires ni de propriétaire milliardaire. Le journal, à but non lucratif, est libre de toute influence commerciale ou politique. Nous avons la conviction que le ravage écologique est l’enjeu principal de ce siècle. À ce titre, il nous semble que ce sujet doit être mis en avant chaque jour dans le débat public. Les articles, reportages et enquêtes que vous pouvez lire sur le site sont vitaux pour la démocratie, pour la prise de conscience écologique, et pour exiger mieux de nos dirigeants. Tous nos articles sont en accès libre, pour tous. Nous le faisons parce que nous croyons en l’égalité de l’accès à l’information. Ainsi, davantage de personnes peuvent suivre l’actualité de l’écologie, comprendre l’impact du désastre en cours sur la population, et agir. Tout le monde peut bénéficier d’un accès à des informations de qualité, quelle que soit sa capacité à payer pour cela. S’il y a bien un moment pour nous soutenir, c’est maintenant. Chaque contribution, grande ou petite, renforce notre capacité à porter l’écologie au cœur de l’agenda médiatique et politique, et assure notre avenir. Même pour 1€, vous pouvez soutenir Reporterre — et cela ne prend qu’une minute. Si vous le pouvez, soutenez le journal avec un don mensuel. Merci.

“北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”

十年前，北京和新德里的空气污染水平还“不相上下”。如今，前者已经通过历时数年、耗资数千亿的治理取得重大改善，后者今秋的天气却是一如既往的污浊。 “北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”《纽约时报》日前以此为题报道指出，在很大程度上，这种截然不同的命运归因于政治。中国政府能迅速采取协调一致的行动解决问题，而印度政客则利用污染危机攻击对手。在缺乏政治意愿的情况下，经济利益被优先考虑，印度官员采取的行动有限。 纽约时报》报道截图 《纽约时报》11月22日报道称，随着桔杆焚烧高峰期的到来，自本月初起，新德里已经经历了数周的雾霾，政府不得不暂时禁止柴油卡车通行，关闭学校、工厂和建筑工地，并要求民众居家工作；仍然冒险出门的人戴上口罩也忍不住咳嗽、揉眼。《纽约时报》形容，糟糕的空气甚至能在舌尖上留下苦味。 据美国哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）11月4日报道，印度中央污染控制委员会的数据显示，新德里当天的24小时平均空气质量指数（AQI）超过470，属于空气污染“严重”级别。这也是AQI指数级别中最高的一级。当地时间本周一（21日），新德里的天空呈现出淡蓝色，但根据政府数据，空气质量仍属于“差”，294的指数得分“非常不健康”。 事实上，这样的新闻近来每年都会见诸报端。“每年，德里地区的天空都会因数以百万计汽车产生的污染、周围农场的秸秆焚烧以及农村家庭使用的明火取暖和烹饪而变得刺鼻。每年，居民们都在问为什么什么都没有改变。”《纽约时报》写道。

"北京可以，新德里为何不行？"

十年前，北京和新德里的空气污染水平还“不相上下”。如今，前者已经通过历时数年、耗资数千亿的治理取得重大改善，后者今秋的天气却是一如既往的污浊。 “北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”《纽约时报》日前以此为题报道指出，在很大程度上，这种截然不同的命运归因于政治。中国政府能迅速采取协调一致的行动解决问题，而印度政客则利用污染危机攻击对手。在缺乏政治意愿的情况下，经济利益被优先考虑，印度官员采取的行动有限。 《纽约时报》报道截图 《纽约时报》11月22日报道称，随着桔杆焚烧高峰期的到来，自本月初起，新德里已经经历了数周的雾霾，政府不得不暂时禁止柴油卡车通行，关闭学校、工厂和建筑工地，并要求民众居家工作；仍然冒险出门的人戴上口罩也忍不住咳嗽、揉眼。《纽约时报》形容，糟糕的空气甚至能在舌尖上留下苦味。 据美国哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）11月4日报道，印度中央污染控制委员会的数据显示，新德里当天的24小时平均空气质量指数（AQI）超过470，属于空气污染“严重”级别。这也是AQI指数级别中最高的一级。当地时间本周一（21日），新德里的天空呈现出淡蓝色，但根据政府数据，空气质量仍属于“差”，294的指数得分“非常不健康”。 事实上，这样的新闻近来每年都会见诸报端。“每年，德里地区的天空都会因数以百万计汽车产生的污染、周围农场的秸秆焚烧以及农村家庭使用的明火取暖和烹饪而变得刺鼻。每年，居民们都在问为什么什么都没有改变。”《纽约时报》写道。

ANALYSIS - Unpacking outcomes of UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt

Incorporating loss, damage in COP27 document is big win but experts see gaps from failure to address payment mechanisms, to absence of policy on fossil fuels Setting up a fund for loss and damage at the recent UN Climate Change Conference, or COP27, marked a climax of decades-long demands by small island states and vulnerable countries seeking damages from polluting nations. But experts believe the final document still left big gaps by failing to address the mechanism of payment and not coming out clearly about putting a timeline for the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. The formal agenda also did not include issues like how to keep warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius and how to align global financial flows with climate targets. The document did not mention that global emissions have to peak by 2025, barely three years from now. But a notable factor in the 2022 COP was that fresh from floods, Pakistan’s deft diplomacy unprecedently helped G77 nations put up a united front spurning all allurements from developed nations to press for the incorporation of loss and damage clause. The grouping of developing nations called G77 which had 77 members when it was founded, now has 134 members but is officially still referred to as G77. One of the negotiators, Harjeet Singh, who heads Global Political Strategy, Climate Action Network International, said the unfortunate floods that had affected Pakistan, forced the country to launch a diplomatic blitzkrieg at the conference. “They (Pakistan) had put a lot of capital behind on loss and damage, led the G-77 inside at negotiating tables, and did not allow fractures among developing nations,” he said. Incremental approaches not helping While describing the agreement on loss and damage as a solid achievement that civil society was vouching for during the past three decades, Singh, however, maintained that incremental approaches are not helping to reverse climate change effects. “The COP27 has tackled consequences and not the cause as it did not address the major issue of equitable phase-out of fossil fuels as the environmental activists were pushing for,” he added. Singh said the EU had insisted that only island nations and 46 least developed countries (LDCs) be classified as vulnerable countries, but it was contested. “If you look at India and Pakistan, they are not part of the top 10 vulnerable countries and are not also part of the Climate Vulnerable Forum. We took care that developing countries that are practically vulnerable are not excluded from the list. So that way, who will get money is resolved,” he said. But he agreed that who will pay the money and how much of it is needed and where this fund will be located remains unresolved. He revealed that there was a push at the negotiating table to place the loss and damage fund under the Green Climate Fund, but it received pushback as this fund comes with conditionalities. Global energy continues to depend on fossil fuels to the tune of 80%, not by accident, but because not enough was done to move away from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy, as the Paris COP21 Agreement in 2015 did not mention coal, oil, and gas. Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a leading think tank dealing with environmental issues, said incorporating loss and damage was important but a weak step. “This (loss and damage) issue needs clarity. We have got weak wording. Tomorrow it will be reopened again in terms of who will pay, and who is vulnerable or who is a polluter," said Narain. She further said that a principle that polluters will pay should have been enunciated clearly and a series of future actions should have been put in the document. No attempt to club gas with fossil fuels Further, there was no attempt to club gas in the same league as coal as an emitter under pressure from Europe, which is facing an energy crunch due to the Russia-Ukraine war. The countries in Africa, with 17% of the world population, contributing less than 4% of emissions and not using a carbon budget, should have first right on the gas. Instead, the EU and US insisted on making a difference between the two fossil fuels --coal and gas. The EU is even returning to coal and is issuing gas licenses. She insisted that taking just one step at a time is proving too little and too late. Therefore, the climate conference will go down as one of the worst conferences as it failed to deliver justice to the people of Africa, where it was held, and to the planet. Participating in a webinar arranged by the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research (CPR), another negotiator, Richa Sharma, additional secretary in India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, who was part of the discussions, recalled that putting loss and damage on the agenda was torturous. Before formal negotiations could begin, parties had to agree to the agenda for the meeting. After a mammoth “agenda fight” lasting more than 48 hours, parties agreed to include finance for the loss and damage caused by climate change. It took a continuous stretch of negotiation that went until 5 a.m. local time Nov. 6 to put loss and damage on the agenda as developed countries from Europe to the US were vehemently opposing it, said insiders. Acknowledging that liability and compensation words are absent in the final document, Sharma said it was quite clear that those who share a disproportionate carbon budget have to pay to the fund. She said there were differences among participants and finally a four-year work program was agreed upon. But she said this program can be facilitative and will not dictate new targets. It was decided that it will be non-prescriptive, non-punitive, facilitative, and respectful of national sovereignties. She also contested the impression that COP27 decisions on the mitigation were weaker. Her delegation emphasized that global energy crises should not be just placed in the current geopolitical context but there needs a recognition that large parts of the world are in a continuous state of energy crises, which Europe is feeling only today. Therefore, there is a need for countries to choose from their energy mix scheme and accelerate the clean energy transition. “We had proposed phase down of unabated use of fossil fuels with the developed world taking a lead,” she said. Rule-based order needed Narain, however, pitched the return of a rule-based system that was removed at the 2015 conference in Paris. Further, there is a need to remove China from the G77 as it is now moving on par with the US. “It is not China’s fault, but the removal of a rule-based system has allowed it to remain in the G77 grouping. The rule-based order would have automatically moved the countries to the next level, depending on their incomes, emissions and then asked them to pay for loss and damages,” she said. By 2030, China will be on par with the US on the per capita emission and will occupy the same carbon budget. It is due to this system that China took $100 million from the Green Climate Fund. Shyam Saran, India’s former foreign secretary and prime minister's special envoy for nuclear affairs and climate change, said about $4 trillion per year was required to be invested in renewable energy until 2030 to be able to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Furthermore, the global transformation of the low-carbon economy is expected to require an investment of at least $4 to 6 trillion a year. The implementation plan for developing countries to enable them to deliver on nationally determined commitments needs $5.8 trillion ahead of 2030. Funding is an issue Taking a pessimistic view, he said developed countries, who were supposed to provide $100 billion annually to support climate action from 2015 - 2025 for the transition of energy from fossil fuels, have failed to keep their commitments. “When even a modest fund of $100 billion has not been delivered, what is the hope left to get the huge amount of funds,” he said. During negotiations, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry also took a stand that there was no money to achieve targets. But countering him, Harjeet Singh said there were trillions available to bail out banks, to fight the coronavirus crisis and now to fight the Russia-Ukraine war. “So, money is available, but the US has always blocked money going to poor people who are suffering from climate impacts,” said Singh, who has launched the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to put the issue of fuel on the table. He said the issue of loss and damage has cropped up because of the inaction of the US in the last 30 years, as it was blocking every discussion on the subject. But Saran said that having been through such tortuous negotiations in the past, it looks like the loss and damage issue is a clever ploy by developed countries to use up all the oxygen at the summit and deflect attention from the critical issues, including the repeated failure of developed countries to own up to their historical responsibilities for climate change, their refusal to make deep cuts in their emissions and deliver on commitments to providing adequate finance and technology to enable developing countries to undertake climate action. On this score, the can have been rolled further down the road, he said. *Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu Agency.

北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”

观察者网讯）十年前，北京和新德里的空气污染水平还“不相上下”。如今，前者已经通过历时数年、耗资数千亿的治理取得重大改善，后者今秋的天气却是一如既往的污浊。 “北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”《纽约时报》日前以此为题报道指出，在很大程度上，这种截然不同的命运归因于政治。中国政府能迅速采取协调一致的行动解决问题，而印度政客则利用污染危机攻击对手。在缺乏政治意愿的情况下，经济利益被优先考虑，印度官员采取的行动有限。 《纽约时报》11月22日报道称，随着桔杆焚烧高峰期的到来，自本月初起，新德里已经经历了数周的雾霾，政府不得不暂时禁止柴油卡车通行，关闭学校、工厂和建筑工地，并要求民众居家工作；仍然冒险出门的人戴上口罩也忍不住咳嗽、揉眼。《纽约时报》形容，糟糕的空气甚至能在舌尖上留下苦味。 据美国哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）11月4日报道，印度中央污染控制委员会的数据显示，新德里当天的24小时平均空气质量指数（AQI）超过470，属于空气污染“严重”级别。这也是AQI指数级别中最高的一级。当地时间本周一（21日），新德里的天空呈现出淡蓝色，但根据政府数据，空气质量仍属于“差”，294的指数得分“非常不健康”。 事实上，这样的新闻近来每年都会见诸报端。“每年，德里地区的天空都会因数以百万计汽车产生的污染、周围农场的秸秆焚烧以及农村家庭使用的明火取暖和烹饪而变得刺鼻。每年，居民们都在问为什么什么都没有改变。”《纽约时报》写道。

北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”

观察者网讯）十年前，北京和新德里的空气污染水平还“不相上下”。如今，前者已经通过历时数年、耗资数千亿的治理取得重大改善，后者今秋的天气却是一如既往的污浊。 　　“北京在解决其空气污染问题，为何新德里不行？”《纽约时报》日前以此为题报道指出，在很大程度上，这种截然不同的命运归因于政治。中国政府能迅速采取协调一致的行动解决问题，而印度政客则利用污染危机攻击对手。在缺乏政治意愿的情况下，经济利益被优先考虑，印度官员采取的行动有限。 《纽约时报》报道截图 　　《纽约时报》11月22日报道称，随着桔杆焚烧高峰期的到来，自本月初起，新德里已经经历了数周的雾霾，政府不得不暂时禁止柴油卡车通行，关闭学校、工厂和建筑工地，并要求民众居家工作；仍然冒险出门的人戴上口罩也忍不住咳嗽、揉眼。《纽约时报》形容，糟糕的空气甚至能在舌尖上留下苦味。 　　据美国哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）11月4日报道，印度中央污染控制委员会的数据显示，新德里当天的24小时平均空气质量指数（AQI）超过470，属于空气污染“严重”级别。这也是AQI指数级别中最高的一级。当地时间本周一（21日），新德里的天空呈现出淡蓝色，但根据政府数据，空气质量仍属于“差”，294的指数得分“非常不健康”。 　　事实上，这样的新闻近来每年都会见诸报端。“每年，德里地区的天空都会因数以百万计汽车产生的污染、周围农场的秸秆焚烧以及农村家庭使用的明火取暖和烹饪而变得刺鼻。每年，居民们都在问为什么什么都没有改变。”《纽约时报》写道。 当地时间11月6日，印度新德里，车辆在笼罩在浓密的雾霾中的道路上行驶。图片来源：视觉中国 　　不到十年前，北京也有着类似的困扰。但根据北京市政府今年初发布的数据，2021年该市空气质量已首次全面达标，大气环境中细颗粒物（PM2.5）和臭氧（O3）的年均浓度均显著降低。此外，北京去年的空气优良天数达到288天（其中一级优天数为114天），较2013年增加了将近4个月。 　　是什么造成了如此大的差距？究其原因，报道援引专家分析称，在于中印政府制度、富裕程度和民众主要诉求的不同。

A trash heap turns political hot button

It’s noon on a Tuesday in the middle of November and as is usual for Delhi at this time of year, the pollution levels are high. The sky is overcast and with the birds hovering overhead, walking into Mulla Colony reminds me of the faux film trailer for The Crows Have Eyes III, from the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek. Only, this isn’t a show, and it isn’t funny. The colony is adjacent to the ... Read more at: https://themorningcontext.com/chaos/a-trash-heap-turns-political-hot-button

Wake-up call: Amid Metro vs no Metro debate, Chandigarh adding 120 cars, bikes daily since 2012

According to the ten year data obtained from the Registering and Licensing Authority(RLA), of the total 4,69,544 vehicles added since year 2012, 2,61,298 were motorcycles/scooters and 2,08,246 are cars. Chandigarh, one of the earliest planned cities of the country, is bursting at its seams, having acquired the dubious honour of having more vehicles than its population. And it just gets worse. Data accessed by The Indian Express from the Registering and Licensing Authority of Chandigarh shows that the city is adding 120 cars, motorcycles/scooters vehicles on a daily basis. On an average since 2012, Chandigarh has gone from being City Beautiful, to City Chaotic, having added a total of about 4.70 lakh cars, motorcycles/scooters, without suitably augmenting its roads and infrastructure to cater to the same. The data further showed that even if the debate for having an alternative mode of transport for the city — like a Metro — had been bounced back and forth between various stakeholders and administrators in the last 10 years, the city has seen the addition of more than 2 lakh cars alone, choking its roads. According to the ten year data obtained from the Registering and Licensing Authority(RLA), of the total 4,69,544 vehicles added since year 2012, 2,61,298 were motorcycles/scooters and 2,08,246 are cars. The data also revealed how after 2020, the number of car registrations had seen a massive spike, outdoing the number of new scooters/motorcyles being registered. In 2021, after things started gradually opening up post the Covid lockdown, as many as 20,249 cars were registered in Chandigarh, while just 16,315 motorcycles/scooters got registered, taking the total non transport vehicle registrations to 36,564. The number for 2020, when Covid restrictions were in place, the city added 14,239 cars and 14,973 scooters/motorcycles in all. ADVERTISEMENT This year, till date, at least 38,702 vehicles have already been registered of which 21,466 are cars and 17,236 scooters/bikes. Prior to the Covid period, in 2019, there were 44,072 total vehicles registered, of which 18,231 were cars, and 25,841 were two wheelers. In 2018 too, a total of 45,478 vehicles were registered, of which 17,393 were cars and the remaining were motorcycles/scooters. Prior to this period too, the number of motorcycles/scooters being registered has always surpassed the number of four wheeler registration. In 2017, yet again around 46,562 vehicles were registered, of which 18,126 were cars and 28,436 were scooters/motorcycles. ADVERTISEMENT In 2016 too, the number of cars registered were 17,421 against 26,874 motorycles/scooters while in 2015, the same trend prevailed, with 26,743 motorcycles/scooters being registered against 17,600 cars. In 2014, 2013 and 2012, the number of car registrations were recorded at 17,731, 19,628 and 26,162 respectively, while the corresponding number of motorcycles/scooters registered were 27,718, 24,422, 24,655 respectively. Contacted, the owner of a dealership which deals in second-hand cars said that over the years people had gradually started to lean towards pre-owned vehicles. “The extreme weather conditions that the city witnesses has had a major role to play in this shift. The scorching heat during summers, heavy rains during monsoons and bitter cold during winters has compelled a lot of people to buy cars and pre owned vehicles come at a pocket-friendly price,” he said. He added, “Post Covid, people who otherwise car pooled, purchased their own vehicles. The high cost of two wheelers doesn’t work in their favour. A new bike would cost between Rs 60,000 to Rs 90,000. So, instead people add a little more money and buy a second hand car.” Impact on air pollution ADVERTISEMENT In 2017, in a state environment report, the vehicle density was said to be as high as 878 per 1,000 population and was cited as one of major reasons for the city’s not so good air quality. The Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) in the air was reported to be higher than the permissible limit then, and Sulphur Oxides (SO2), Nitrogen Oxide (N02) were reported to be below the permissible limit — between January 2015 and December 2016. The report then also had cautioned that owing to the steady increase in the number of vehicles every year, the NO2 levels were also rising. In 2018, CSE flagged serious concerns According to a Centre for Science and Environment report in 2018, the use of personal vehicles was the highest in Chandigarh among 14 cities that were analysed on “overall emissions and energy use”, and “per-travel trip emissions”. According to the details of the report, Chandigarh was close to 80 per cent, followed by Lucknow (70 per cent), Ahmedabad (65 per cent) and Jaipur (60 per cent). These numbers were part of a report titled “The Urban Commute”.

Parking in Delhi, a perennial MCD poll issue

Delhi has around 20 million residents. It has 17,882km of roads. And it has 13.4 million registered vehicles (including 4.5 million cars), more than the number of vehicles in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai taken together. And, in 2021, on average, 548 vehicles were registered every day in the Capital. Together, the math adds up to one big parking problem. Fights are frequent. Every metropolitan city of note in the world believes it has a parking problem (and some do). Delhi’s response to them is simply: “Let

Kolkata air quality ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’

The sub-index value of PM2.5, fine particulates that can cause a host of critical ailments, shot up to 406 around 2am on November 24 The air quality touched ‘severe’ levels at the monitoring station in the Victoria Memorial and was ‘very poor’ at six other stations in Kolkata between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, the National Air Quality Index showed. The sub-index value of PM2.5, fine particulates that can cause a host of critical ailments, shot up to 406 around 2am on November 24, which falls under the ‘severe’ category. According to the Index, severe air “affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases”. The ‘very poor’ air quality was recorded at the Ballygunge, Jadavpur, Bidhannagar, Rabindra Sarobar, Fort William and Rabindra Bharati University (BT Road) stations. ‘Very poor’ air can cause ‘respiratory illness on prolonged exposure’, according to the Index. PM2.5 was the main contributor to the surge in pollution recorded at all stations, barring Fort William, between 1am and 3am. At the Fort William station, PM10 was the dominant pollutant and the peak was reached around 8pm on November 23. Air quality experts said a graded response action plan (GRAP) prepared by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, and announced on Wednesday, would be inadequate in containing such a sharp rise in air pollution. The 10-point plan includes reducing the number of heavy goods vehicles by 50 per cent, ensuring proper disposal of solid waste and enforcing the ban on burning of biomass and solid waste. A study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in 2019 showed that vehicles contributed 25 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in Kolkata during winter. The study also showed that heavy goods vehicles accounted for 49.5 per cent of the transport sector's contribution to PM2.5 pollution. Mayor Firhad Hakim had met traders, transporters' bodies and labour unions from the Posta, Mechhua and Burrabazar markets in July and spoke about possible locations on the fringes of Kolkata where they could be shifted. The aim was to reduce the entry of heavy goods vehicles into the city. A trader at Posta said there had been no progress on the proposed move. PM2.5 particulates are 2.5 micron or less in size. They are so tiny that they can enter the deepest crevices of the lungs and trigger a number of serious diseases. Doctors have said PM2.5 can impact any human organ. It can go into the terminals of the lungs and get mixed with the blood. Once that happens, PM2.5 can reach any organ. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 can cause lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. The GRAP announced on Wednesday is neither graded nor in tune with the forecasting-based GRAP model being implemented in Delhi, environmentalists said. Air pollution expert Anumita Roy Choudhury from the Centre for Science and Environment pointed out that GRAP needed to be in tune with the pollution level — the higher the pollution level, the more stringent and restrictive the plan has to be. “The current strategy in Bengal is focussed on enforcement of regular measures, but GRAP requires graded and progressive interventions, including stringent actions and restrictive measures, as air quality worsens from poor to very poor and beyond,” Roy Choudhury said. “Since July 2022, Delhi has been following a three-day forecasting-based GRAP,” said Gufran Beig, programme director of the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). SAFAR is a national network of air quality and weather monitoring stations set up under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, a government institute. Bengal does not have an air pollution forecasting system. “We have announced an initial plan and will definitely update according to the requirement," state environment minister Manas Bhuniya said on Thursday.

CSE and DST join hands to develop EV batteries suited for India

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Indian government and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) teamed together to establish a platform that will support the development of new electric vehicle batteries to suit and meet Indian needs and requirements. According to the partners, a white paper outlining the development plan for new battery technologies in India will be written, and then a platform or forum for industry experts and field experts would be established to help the process. Recently, CSE and DST hosted a round table discussion on locally suited EV batteries that are reliable and efficient under the conditions of a hot, humid tropical climate. This was the first in a series of meetings with experts from eminent institutions and representatives from automakers, the battery sector, regulatory agencies, testing organisations, and independent labs specialising in battery chemistries. When it comes to cost, safety, and charging infrastructure, India faces a number of obstacles that hint at gaps in realising the country’s zero-emission aspirations, according to the report. This combined effort of DST and CSE is intended to address the necessary gaps and to establish a platform that will examine, evaluate, and identify technological solutions that are safe, locally possess appropriate supply chain systems, and can be tailored for various kinds of vehicle uses. The round table discussion brought to light the following crucial problems for developing potential future pathways: • Building manufacturing volumes for EV batteries and to make sure the supply chain is in place to advance the paths. • To create paths for battery management and thermal management systems, evaluate the requirements of Indian vehicles and the climatic stress. • Appropriate, cost-effective solutions for two-wheelers • EV battery chemistries specialisation • Requirement of innovation in lithium-ion batteries since they are to remain the standard for a long time, particularly in compact vehicles. • Creation of laws and technical norms to advance the trajectory of batteries. • Pay close eye to the battery’s ageing. • Establishment of rules for the durability and performance of EVs in use. • To design regionally appropriate battery technology paths, databases on performance and safety factors are required. • Battery recycling for used batteries

Climate Data: Weathering the Storms

There is an opportunity and need for India -- and the world -- to discuss approaches around reliable climate data collection, scientifically accurate tools for processing, and better climate risk models for predictions. How many disasters are too many disasters? A recent CLIMATE INDIA 2022 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, shows India has witnessed a localized climate disaster almost every day during the first nine months of 2022: precisely 241 of 273 days! These climate disasters have impacted 1.8 million hectares of crop area, demolished 416,667 houses, and resulted in the loss of 2,755 human lives, and approximately 70,000 livestock. A critical question is whether we could have averted or at least mitigated the climate change damage. Can we better prepare to effectively deal with catastrophic climate events? The answer lies partially with ‘Climate Data.’ Focusing on Climate Data Climate data focuses on long-term patterns and provides information about a particular location’s atmospheric conditions, temperature, precipitation, seasonal weather trends, and the probability of an inevitable climate-related disaster happening soon. So, how is this relevant to dealing with climate change, and what are the benefits of climate data? 1. Climate data helps monitor the intensity of extreme climate events Climate data is extremely helpful in checking the increasing intensity and frequency of a climate-related event, probability of damage, price of insurance, and potential homes’ resale values. According to the World Bank, about 35% of India’s population live in flood-prone urban slums. Aqueduct Floods, a tool from World Resources Institute that measures worldwide water-related flood risks, found that “every $1 spent on flood protection infrastructure in India results in $248 in avoided damages and lowers the probability of these areas being flooded by half.” 2. Climate data is necessary for the health sector Air quality continues to worsen in the capital city of Delhi (judged as one of the ‘world’s most polluted cities’). According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the Air Quality Index currently ranges between 450-800 in different parts of the city. This suggests that the 32 million residents are breathing more smog than air. The State of Global Air report 2020 revealed that more than 116,000 infants in India died within a month of birth in 2019 due to air pollution (outdoor and indoor). Additionally, the National Health Portal of India states that from 2030 – 2050, climate change will result in 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, heat stress and diarrhea. For tackling climate-related health issues climate data can surely be a key instrument to support policy, planning and contingency management. 3. Transparency of climate data leads to better long-term investments Regulatory frameworks increasingly emphasize the need for better quality and more transparent climate data. In July 2022, the Reserve Bank of India published a Discussion Paper on Climate Risk and Sustainable Finance and asked lenders to align their climate-related financial disclosures with global norms. It emphasized the uncertainty about the timing and severity of climate financial risk that threatens the soundness and resilience of India’s financial system. 4. Climate data helps in boosting the economy One would be surprised to know that climate data is also becoming one of the parameters to gauge national government creditworthiness. According to Moody’s, heat waves are “credit negative” for a country like India, where long-term credit exposure to physical climate risks is making economic growth more volatile and more likely to experience economic shocks. Challenges with Climate Data Acquiring good quality, reliable climate data presents challenges. Private and public sector users need climate data that is understandable, reliable, and workable. Currently available climate data fairs quite badly on fulfilling what the market needs. Currently, the data is unreliable and too complex from a modelling and interpretation standpoint. Additionally, climate data carries a hefty price tag. The cost of researching, gathering and monitoring data for climate scenario analyses often exceeds a given company’s budget, leaving them unprepared for extreme climate events. Therefore, the climate model is often downscaled to a level that misses the crucial data points. Customized climate data is not an easy endeavor but surely a very profitable one. That means all the effort is currently focused on tailored data for blue-chip companies rather than facilitating government-level decision making. Moving forward Reliable climate data currently comes with a hefty price tag, and open access to such data is still a work in progress. This leads to the argument that wealthier nations are better equipped to mitigate the impact of extreme climate events, given they can afford it. Given that climate events transcend boundaries and can wreak havoc, access to climate data is the need of the hour for countries, companies, and the collective society. The Indian Meteorological Department currently acts as a repository to render weather/climate data and services. A public-private partnership where the climate data is shared via an open governance system is what we all can hope for. There are two differing opinions about how the government should facilitate a thriving climate data ecosystem: either take complete responsibility, which is currently the case or be the primary agency for collection but let the private market be more active in processing and analytics. How this unfolds is still to be seen. There is an opportunity and need for India — and the world — to discuss approaches around reliable climate data collection, scientifically accurate tools for processing, and better climate risk models for predictions.

Rajokri Lake: From wasteland into model lake in just a year

Rajokri Lake, located near the Delhi-Gurugram border till 2017 was a dying water body that had suffered years of toxic abuse. Domestic wastewater and sewerage from the adjoining semi-urban settlements of Rajokri village were channelled through open drains into the lake, which became a breeding ground for communicable diseases. As one resident of the area said, “It was hell living here. But today, we have a park where children play and an open gym”. In what had become a hub for anti-social elements, “it is now safe for women to venture out anytime,” added the resident. The transformation was the result of four years of effort of two individuals, Ankit Srivastava, a graduate of IIT Bombay in Environmental Engineering and Advisor to Delhi Jal Board, and architect Mriganka Saxena, who saw a potential for change under all the filth. Teaming up with the Delhi Jal Board, along with the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) the two transformed the Rajokri water body into Delhi’s first-ever decentralised sewage system. The lake area today is 9,446 square metres of redeveloped public space, with a water body of 2,000 square metres which is now fed with treated effluents, which earlier were its primary pollutants. Gravel-based walking pathways around the lake double up as rainwater harvesting channels. “The entire place was nothing but a sewerage pond,” said Hardeep, a student of class XII who has been residing in the colony adjoining the lake for over 10 years. “But now the water body has been made into a lake with trees planted and a children’s park and gym”. One major problem, however, remains. “The garbage dump located just outside the park emanates a lot of stink and something needs to be done about it,” says Hardeep. As did several residents who have become regular visitors to the park. The park’s security guard Suresh has been ensuring its maintenance as well as that of the tank that cleans the sewage flowing into the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Inspiration to do more Srivastava and Saxena’s success in the transformation of the water body has given huge impetus to the Delhi government’s ambitious initiative, called ‘’City of lakes”, to rejuvenate old water bodies in and around Delhi. Being implemented by the DJB in the plan’s first phase, 250 water bodies and 15 lakes have been identified for transformation. “A 20-acre lake will be built here with the treated water,” state water minister and DJB chairperson Satyendar Jain tweeted in January. He was visiting Timarpur village in North East Delhi, where the DJB is constructing a sewage treatment plant (STP). “The ‘City of Lakes’ project was launched on December 24, 2018, by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who approved Rs 376 crore for the rejuvenation of 159 lakes in Delhi and Rs 77 crore towards the creation of two mega lakes at Rohini in North West Delhi and Nilothi in West Delhi. Reviving traditional water bodies Lake revival also includes the planting of trees and providing appropriate infrastructure to create public spaces. In Dwarka and Rajokri, these rejuvenated lakes are providing much-needed green public spaces for residents. The completed projects include Hauz Khas lake, Bhalswa Lake, Smriti Van (Kondli), Smriti Van (Vasant Kunj), Tikri Khurd Lake and Najafgarh Jheel, which have led to an increase of up to two metres in groundwater levels. “The City of Lakes project has two focus areas – lakes and water bodies,” said Srivastava. “Besides, we are trying to use the old and historic drains, canals and minors, from where we can recharge water. Also, we have got the NOC from Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to take over its 550 water bodies, while tenders have been floated for 350 water bodies and work on 50 of them is nearly over.” As many as ten water bodies in the national capital would be declared wetlands by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The identified water bodies are: Sanjay Lake, Hauz Khas Lake, Bhalswa Lake, Smriti Van (Kondli), Smriti Van (Vasant Kunj), Najafgarh Jheel, Welcome Jheel, Daryapur Kalan, Sultanpur Dabas, Poth Kalan (Sardar Sarovar Lake), says a report by the Delhi Parks and Gardens Society. The goal is to revive all the traditional water bodies in Delhi. “As we had no model of holistic revival to follow, we created our model,” said Srivastava. The Rajokri project was taken up as a pilot project in 2017. “Here, we created an artificial lake with treated water and even built an amphitheatre.” Rajokri Lake is better known as Chhath Ghat which attracts a large number of people for performing the puja and devotees are now able to safely take a dip in the clean lake. The amphitheatre doubles up as Chhath Ghat for public and religious gatherings. In the last few years, the Delhi government has undertaken various lake rejuvenation efforts spearheaded by the DJB, IFCD and several citizen groups. In most cases, after some initial resistance from residents, the localities in the vicinity of these water bodies are cooperating with the authorities. Manoj Misra who is the Executive Director of the PEACE Institute Charitable Trust and Convenor, and head of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, the Yamuna Forever Campaign said such projects like converting water bodies into lakes are always welcome as long as “there is no concretisation and it is done ecologically. Merely converting them into lakes is only for tourism and not a restoration.” However, he felt that “if local people feel happy, it is okay but whether it is good for nature or not, one cannot say.” Focus on Rajokri “This Rajokri project had to both enhance the landscape of the area and also benefit the people on a long-term basis,” says Saxena who did the landscaping of the surrounding areas. “Hence the design was strategized in a manner that the structure could easily be maintained by the surrounding communities. Additionally, there were many environmentally responsible and sustainable guidelines that we were following under the guidance of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). From doing the green landscaping with native plant species to creating percolation pores for groundwater recharge, many elements were added to enhance the value of the project.” As regards the garbage dump located on the periphery of the wall running around the Rajokri lake whose stink pervades inside the well laid out park, she said it was indeed unfortunate and “it has to be flagged and there is a need to clear it.” Srivastava said that in Rajokri, the original plan did not have any provision for a Chhath ghat. However, they got inputs from the nearby communities that celebrate Chhath Puja, who said they want a small bifurcation of the water body exclusively for their religious activities. So a small, natural wall was constructed in the water body which cost around Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakh. Once the water body was completed, the residents around the lake took responsibility for its maintenance. The rejuvenation plan was in two parts. One, construction of a wetland system and two, landscape, civil, electrical and horticulture work including maintenance for five years. The work was based on a scientific wetland system with active biodigesters (SWAB), as opposed to the standard approach of chemical treatment. Creating wetlands The lakes rejuvenation project is primarily aimed at creating reservoirs to stop urban flooding and prevent choked drainage. The government also wants to enhance the aesthetic value of the landscape by ecologically reviving it and restoring the local flora and fauna. As Sushmita Sengupta, Senior Programme Manager, at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said, “If they are going into the health of the water bodies, it is a really good initiative. If it can improve the quality of water, while also looking at groundwater recharge and flood mitigation, it would be good.” While appreciating the Delhi government project of converting these water bodies into lakes, she felt that “there should be regular monitoring of the quality of water in these places and (the authorities should) ensure that the water doesn’t contain any odour or is not contaminated. Besides, the monitoring of these water bodies should be made public.” According to DJB officials, villages had stopped getting adequate water due to rapid urbanisation. This is why rejuvenating water bodies are looked at as a solution to create a buffer zone to store, recycle, and reuse rain and wastewater. DJB has also set up separate budgets for water bodies and lakes. According to officials, DJB has approved Rs 1-1.5 crore per acre for each water body, inclusive of operational and maintenance costs. For lakes, it is Rs 1-1.5 crore. For example, for the 60-acre Rohini Lake, the government has allocated Rs 64 crore. “Initially, the plan appeared to be a difficult task,” said Dr Rakesh Kumar, an Officer on special duty, at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). “It was after successful pilot projects like the one in Rajokri, we thought of planning. The lake rejuvenation process will raise groundwater levels. Following which, locals will start depending on treated water from the water bodies, instead of supply from the government.” Kumar added a note of caution though. “Protecting a water body by building boundary walls around it acts as a death knell,” he added. “The lakes will dry and die, like the Roshanara and Shahdara lakes, currently being restored.”