• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Graded Response Action Plan to pre-empt pollution in Delhi

Earlier, the authorities would implement the measures only after the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration touched a particular threshold. A ‘finer’ Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the national capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation — will come into effect from October 1 and environment experts believe that advance action this year will lead to lesser incidences of severe pollution. Advertisement Ads by Earlier, the GRAP would come into effect from October 15. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for management of air quality in Delhi-NCR decided to implement GRAP early, considering suggestions from the public and experts that advance action can prevent drastic deterioration in air quality. Under the revised GRAP, curbs can be imposed on polluting activities up to three days in advance based on forecasts. Earlier, the authorities would implement the measures only after the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration touched a particular threshold. This time, restrictions will be based on air quality index (AQI) values. Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Senior Programme Manager, Clean Air Programme, Centre for Science and Environment said, “The pre-emptive action should prevent the sudden deterioration of the air quality unless meteorological conditions become highly unfavorable.” “The agencies should strengthen their baseline level action so that there is no need for emergency measures. They should be able to foresee a contingency and prepare a fool proof plan to deal with it, such as arranging CNG carriers and trucks for continuous supply of essential items,” he said. Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, hoped that advance action would lead to lesser incidences of severe air quality. “Only sustained awareness campaigns and continuous engagement with all stakeholders will resolve the problems such as stubble burning. Action just before the stubble burning period is unlikely to yield good results,” he said. The environment department will be using the new real-time source apportionment system which will help ascertain the contribution of all pollution sources in real time.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Coming soon: Poor air days in Delhi

According to the forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System Thursday, the air quality is likely to be in the ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ category on October 2. Surface winds, mostly coming from the Northwest direction, are likely to be calm in the morning hours of October 1 and 2, the forecast indicates. The withdrawal of the monsoon from Delhi and Punjab earlier this year compared to last year is likely to have an impact on air quality this winter. According to the forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System Thursday, the air quality is likely to be in the ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ category on October 2. Surface winds, mostly coming from the Northwest direction, are likely to be calm in the morning hours of October 1 and 2, the forecast indicates. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which chalks out measures to be taken based on the air quality index (AQI), will kick in from October 1 this year. The AQI has been deteriorating steadily from September 26 onwards when it was 100. The AQI on Thursday was 151, in the ‘moderate’ category. The AQI is likely to deteriorate but will remain in the ‘moderate’ category on Friday, according to the forecast. Last year, the AQI was in the ‘satisfactory’ category on September 29 and 30. Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), said, “Withdrawal of the monsoon means calm wind conditions are likely to start prevailing. This stagnation is also the reason for air quality being in the moderate category now. In the first week of October, the air quality could get into the poor category, which points to moderate deterioration of air quality earlier than last year. Early deterioration of air quality is likely to start due to the earlier withdrawal of the monsoon compared to last year. Had it been a late withdrawal, these conditions would have been in the winter leading to extreme pollution events.” The IMD declared withdrawal of the monsoon from Delhi and Punjab on October 8 last year, a little more than a week later than September 29 this year. Delayed monsoon withdrawal and western disturbances brought rainfall and a ‘good’ AQI day to Delhi in October, on October 18, last year. Anumita Roychowdhury at the Centre for Science and Environment said, “Last year, we saw that because October was a very wet month, a lot of the stubble burning was postponed to early November. This year we have to see whether that will change in any way. It also depends on how early the winter inversion conditions will set in. It’s speculative at this moment.”

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi to enforce anti-air pollution plan from Oct 1: All you need to know

Under the ‘severe’ or Stage 3 category, construction and demolition work, barring those that are essential projects, will be banned. Authorities across the National Capital Region (NCR) can start imposing restrictions under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) to combat pollution from Saturday, though curbs are unlikely to come into effect immediately, with the air quality till at least October 2 forecast to be below the preset threshold for mitigation measures to be introduced. Grap prescribes a list of curbs when air pollution levels in Delhi hit certain trigger points. The restrictions get stricter as the AQI worsens. The updated plan, released by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on July 13, will now take into account the air quality index (AQI) and not just PM2.5 and PM10 as triggers for the curbs. The first lot of measures, which will include a ban on the use of diesel generator sets as a regular source of power supply, under the plan will take effect when the AQI hits 201. Stage 2 is imposed when it is “very poor” (between 301 and 400), stage 3 when it is “severe” (between 401 and 450), and stage 4 when the AQI is in “severe plus” (above 450). Though on the rise, Delhi’s AQI was recorded at 151 (moderate) on Thursday, with forecasts showing AQI is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ range in the next two days, including on October 1. It may get closer to the ‘poor’ category on October 2, with similar chances on October 3, according to the Early Warning System (EWS) in place for forecasting pollution levels, with an improvement in air quality once again expected October 4 onwards. The imposition of restrictions under the three most serious levels of Grap will be pre-emptive instead of after pollution levels have spiked, and will have to be enforced by the CAQM sub-committee at least three days in advance, relying on forecasts made by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Early Warning System, which has been developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Stage 1 or the ‘Poor’ category will invoke a basic list of measures that include agencies carrying out mechanised sweeping and sprinkling of water on roads. Construction and demolition work at sites larger than 500 square metres that have not registered themselves on the state government’s ‘web portal’ will have to be stopped. Under the category, no diesel generator sets can be used as a regular source of power supply, with them being allowed only as a back-up. Stage 2 includes measures such as a ban on diesel generator sets except for those involved in emergency services, along with a ban on coal or firewood, including for tandoors in hotels, restaurants and open eateries. States will also have to consider increasing parking fees, augment public transport and resident welfare groups should provide security staff heaters (to dissuade the use of bonfires). Under the ‘severe’ or Stage 3 category, construction and demolition work, barring those that are essential projects, will be banned. Linear public projects such as highways, roads and pipeline laying work will also be allowed. The other actions include a ban on industries not running on clean fuels, shutting down of brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels. There will also be a ban on mining and associated activities in NCR and state governments in Delhi-NCR can also impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel light motor vehicles (LMVs). However, the most stringent category is Stage IV, with forecasts of the AQI touching 451 or higher, warranting the stopping of entry of trucks into Delhi, a ban on Delhi-registered medium and heavy goods vehicles, a ban on plying of diesel four wheelers in Delhi that are not BS IV or higher, a ban on construction and demolition (C&D) activities including linear projects and state governments may take additional measures such as closure of schools, colleges, educational institutions and plying of vehicles on an odd-even basis. Last year, October recorded six ‘poor’ air days and no ‘very poor’, ‘severe’ or ‘severe plus’ days, with the AQI in the month peaking at 298. To be sure, there were 80 days last year, when the AQI was ‘poor’, 65 when the AQI was ‘very poor’, 20 when it was ‘severe’ and four when it was ‘severe plus’. An official on the CAQM sub-committee on GRAP said the three days forecasts were being monitored and a meeting can be held when there are chances of the AQI reaching ‘poor’. “While measures under the Poor category are enforced automatically, a review meeting will still be held if the AQI is expected to deteriorate. This may happen around October 2 or 3, before rains once again wash away pollutants. For Stage II, there is still some time as AQI is unlikely to reach close to Very Poor any time soon,” said the official. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said this year, GRAP is likely to be more effective, with it relying on forecasting instead of action when AQI has already worsened. “We are also seeing its implementation earlier than normal this year, that is on October 1 instead of October 15 normally. Also, Diwali is much earlier this year, so it is possible November and December may be relatively cleaner,” she says.

• Down To Earth

Explainer: The Increasing Lightning Strikes, Deaths and the Role of Climate Change

As the world warms up, we might see increasing intensities and frequencies of lightning strikes, suggest studies. On September 28, four people, including a woman and her two children, died after lightning struck them in Karnataka’s Yadgir district. Earlier in July, lightning killed 47 people and injured 70 in Madhya Pradesh alone – all in a week’s span. Over the past few weeks and months, there have been numerous reports of deaths caused by lightning. So, is India seeing an uptick in such instances now? And, does climate change play a role here? In simple terms, lightning is a discharge of electricity from a cloud. It takes the form of a long (read more than one kilometer) spark. It occurs when the negative charges at the bottom of a cloud are drawn to the positive charges of the earth, or to the positively charged objects on its surface such as trees, and even, people. The impact of a lightning strike on a person depends on several factors – from the intensity of the current (as per some estimates, this can range from 10,000 to 2,00,000 amperes of current) to what kind of strike it is. Direct strikes, for example, occur when lightning hits an object directly. This is not as common as a ground strike, wherein electricity discharges into and along the ground. While lightning can burn, it can also cause muscle spasms, tear blood vessels, lead to multi-system dysfunction, and instant death. India has been witnessing several deaths caused by lightning over the past few months. People have been struck by lightning while taking selfies atop forts. Between July 4 and 10, lightning killed 47 people and injured 70 in Madhya Pradesh, The Week reported. Authorities said that last week, in a five-day span, 39 people had died in Uttar Pradesh from lightning strikes. Lightning affects livestock and wildlife, too. Cattle are common casualties. On August 3, a shepherd died along with his herd of 50 buffaloes, when lightning struck them in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Seetarama Raju district. Last year, a lightning strike killed a herd of 18 elephants in Assam. According to The Hindu, the state forest department’s autopsy report had revealed that a “strong negative lightning flash with a peak current of 39,000 amperes” had killed them. However, several reports have pointed to an increase in the frequency of lightning strikes in India. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth last year found that India witnessed 18.5 million lightning strikes between April 2020 and March 2021 – a 34% rise as compared to the same period in the previous year. The Annual Lightning Report 2020-21, published by the Lightning Resilient India Campaign (LRIC), also recorded the same increase over these years. (The LRIC is a joint initiative of several institutions, including the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council and the India Meteorological Department, which aims to reduce lightning deaths by 80% in three years.) Meanwhile, some regions have also witnessed a rise in the frequency of lightning strikes. Punjab, for instance, witnessed a whopping 331% increase in lightning strikes as compared to the previous year, according to the Annual Lightning Report 2021. The states that recorded a 100-168% increase include West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar. Is climate change to blame? Many studies have shown that climate change may be increasing lightning frequencies and intensities. In 2014, a study projected an increase in lightning strikes in the US due to global warming. That’s because the atmospheric phenomenon of lightning is linked to climate. The heating of land masses can cause fluctuations in temperature and moisture which can in turn influence atmospheric stability – and thus trigger the birth of thunderstorms. As the world gets warmer due to human activities such as fossil fuel use, the frequency and intensity of lightning strikes over the Indian subcontinent is also likely to increase, according to a recent study by scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. It found an increase in ‘lighting flash density’ – a measure of the frequency of lightning strikes – between 2009 and 2011 over the Indian subcontinent. It also found that as the concentration of aerosols and carbon dioxide increased, lightning flash density did too. Other scientists have also linked the uptick in lightning strikes in India to climate change. Experts, including Sanjay Srivastava, chairman of the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council, told the Associated Press that deforestation, depletion of water bodies and pollution contribute to climate change and in turn, cause an increase in lightning. Taking into account the increase in lightning strikes in the country, the India Meteorological Department began lightning forecasts from 2019. But, while the early warning system has improved, there is a “lack of protocol and mechanism for last mile public notification and interventions”, the Annual Lightning Report 2021 noted. There is also a need for more research on lightning and climate, it added. According to the report, a lightning risk management strategy has to be customised for each state, taking into account seasonality, intensity and frequency of lightning. Lightning microzonation within states can also help in handling the risks posed by strikes, it said. The report’s state risk management analysis shows that states like Odisha and Andhra Pradesh can bring down deaths by almost 70% in a “short time”. The National Disaster Management Authority has also set up a protocol for early warning dissemination on thunderstorm and lightning in July 2021, which also specifies the ideal requisites of such a system including a mechanism to disseminate this information below district level.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

GRAP in Delhi-NCR : दिल्ली-एनसीआर में ग्रैप कल से, इस बार किए गए हैं कई बदलाव

GRAP in Delhi-NCR : दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन (ग्रैप) प्लान एक अक्तूबर से लागू होने जा रहा है। बीते वर्ष के मुकाबले इस साल इसे 15 दिन पहले ही लागू किया जा रहा है। इसमें कई बदलावों को भी शामिल किया गया है। दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन (ग्रैप) प्लान एक अक्तूबर से लागू होने जा रहा है। बीते वर्ष के मुकाबले इस साल इसे 15 दिन पहले ही लागू किया जा रहा है। इसमें कई बदलावों को भी शामिल किया गया है। नए नियम में अब तीन दिनों के पूर्वानुमान के आधार पर प्रदूषण करने वाली गतिविधियों पर रोक लगाई जा सकेगी। पहले पीएम 2.5 व पीएम 10 का एक निश्चित स्तर पर पहुंचने पर रोक लगाई जाती थी। ग्रेप में कई बदलाव विशेषज्ञों का दावा है कि समय से ग्रैप लागू होने से प्रदूषण नियंत्रण में मदद मिलेगी। बीते वर्ष के मुकाबले इस साल इसे 15 दिन पहले ही लागू किया जा रहा है। साथ ही इसमें कई बदलाव भी किए गए हैं। नए नियम के मुताबिक, अब तीन दिन के पूर्वानुमान के आधार पर प्रदूषण फैलाने वाली गतिविधियों पर रोक लगाई जा सकेगी। इससे पहले पीएम 2.5 व पीएम 10 का एक निश्चित स्तर पर पहुंचने पर रोक लगाई जाती थी। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इन्वायरमेंट के स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम के वरिष्ठ कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक विवेक चट्टोपाध्याय का कहना है कि जब तक मौसमी परिस्थितियां हवा की गुणवत्ता बिगाड़ने में सहायक नहीं होतीं, तब तक पहले से की की जा रही इस तरह की कार्रवाई से प्रदूषण पर नियंत्रण होना चाहिए। एजेंसियां को अपनी आधारभूत स्तर की कार्रवाई को मजबूत करना चाहिए ताकि आपातकालीन उपायों को लागू करने की जरूरत नहीं हो। इस कड़ी में सीएनजी ट्रक चलाने चाहिए। चार चरणों में वर्गीकृत : ग्रेप को अब वायु गुणवत्ता के चार चरणों के अंतर्गत वर्गीकृत किया गया है। पहले चरण के तहत एक्यूआई 201 से 300 पहुंचने पर खराब, दूसरे चरण में एक्यूआई 301-400 पहुंचने पर बहुत खराब, तीसरे चरण में एक्यूआई 401-450 पहुंचने पर गंभीर और चौथे चरण में एक्यूआई 450 से अधिक पहुंचने पर बेहद गंभीर श्रेणी में रखा जाएगा। केंद्रीय वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग ने अलग-अलग चरणों में प्रदूषण के खिलाफ कार्रवाई की सिफारिश भी की है। केजरीवाल ने एक्शन प्लान किया जारी दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल ने शुक्रवार को राष्ट्रीय राजधानी में वायु प्रदूषण पर अंकुश लगाने के लिए कार्य योजना की घोषणा की। केजरीवाल ने कहा कि सरकार इस साल करीब 5,000 एकड़ में पराली पर पूसा बायो डीकंपोजर का छिड़काव करेगी। दिल्ली सरकार प्रदूषण को रोकने के लिए 233 एंटी-स्मॉग गन और 150 मोबाइल एंटी-स्मॉग गन लगाएगी। सरकार ने एक ग्रीन रूम भी विकसित किया है जिसमें नौ वैज्ञानिक विशेषज्ञ शामिल हैं जो स्थिति की निगरानी करेंगे। सरकार ने आईआईटी-कानपुर के साथ साझेदारी में राउज एवेन्यू में एक सुपरसाइट बनाई है, जो वास्तविक समय में हवा की गुणवत्ता की निगरानी करती है और पूर्वानुमान भी लगाती है। सरकार ने खुले में कूड़ा जलाने पर रोक लगाने के लिए 611 टीमों का गठन किया है और धूल विरोधी अभियान चलाएगी। सरकार ने पटाखा प्रतिबंध को लागू करने के लिए टीमों का भी गठन किया है। उन्होंने कहा कि सरकार एक ई-कचरा पार्क बनाने की भी प्रक्रिया में है, जहां राष्ट्रीय राजधानी से एकत्र किए गए इलेक्ट्रॉनिक कचरे को संसाधित किया जाएगा।

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi Air Pollution: क्या इस बार भी ठंड में घुटेगा दिल्ली का दम? केजरीवाल सरकार ने बनाया ये एक्शन प्लान

Delhi Pollution: केजरीवाल ने कहा, मैं पड़ोसी शहरों से 24 घंटे बिजली देने का अनुरोध करता हूं ताकि डीजल के जेनरेटरों का इस्तेमाल न हो. जैसे कि दिल्ली में उद्योग पाइप से प्राकृतिक गैस का इस्तेमाल करते हैं, उसी तरह अन्य राज्यों को भी ऐसा करना चाहिए. Arvind Kejriwal Pollution Action Plan: मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल ने सर्दियों में दिल्ली में एयर पल्यूशन पर लगाम लगाने के लिए शुक्रवार को 15 पॉइंट्स का एक्शन प्लान पेश किया. केजरीवाल ने कहा कि सरकार के साल 2020 में इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन नीति लाने और 24 घंटे बिजली सप्लाई करने समेत अन्य कदम उठाने से पिछले 4 साल में एयर पल्यूशन का स्तर कम हुआ है. केजरीवाल सरकार उठाएगी ये कदम सरकार इस साल करीब 5,000 एकड़ जमीन पर पराली के निपटान के लिए पूसा जैव-अपघटक का छिड़काव कराएगी. दिल्ली सरकार प्रदूषण पर लगाम लगाने के लिए 233 एंटी-स्मॉग गन और 150 मोबाइल एंटी-स्मॉग गन लगाएगी. सरकार ने एक ग्रीन रूम भी बनाया है, जिसमें नौ वैज्ञानिक विशेषज्ञ होंगे जो खास स्थिति पर नजर रखेंगे. सरकार ने IIT खड़गपुर के साथ एयर क्वॉलिटी पर नजर रखने के लिए राउज एवेन्यू में कंट्रोल सेंटर बनाया है. सरकार ने खुले में कचरा जलाने से रोकने के लिए 611 दल का गठन किया है और वह धूल रोधी अभियान चलाएगी. सरकार ने पटाखों पर बैन लागू करने के लिए भी दलों का गठन किया है. सरकार ई-कचरा पार्क भी बना रही है, जहां दिल्ली से जमा किए गए इलेक्ट्रॉनिक कचरे का निपटारा किया जाएगा. दिल्ली सरकार एयर पल्यूशन से निपटने के लिए एनसीआर के पड़ोसी शहरों, केंद्र और वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) के साथ मिलकर काम करना चाहती है. केजरीवाल ने कहा, मैं पड़ोसी शहरों से 24 घंटे बिजली देने का अनुरोध करता हूं ताकि डीजल के जेनरेटरों का इस्तेमाल न हो. जैसे कि दिल्ली में उद्योग पाइप से प्राकृतिक गैस का इस्तेमाल करते हैं, उसी तरह अन्य राज्यों को भी ऐसा करना चाहिए. विज्ञान और पर्यावरण केंद्र में स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम के वरिष्ठ कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक विवेक चट्टोपाध्याय ने कहा कि हालात बिगड़ने से पहले उठाए गए रोकथाम संबंधी कदम से वायु गुणवत्ता को अचानक खराब होने से बचा जा सकता है, जब तक कि मौसम की परिस्थितियां बिल्कुल प्रतिकूल नहीं हों. ऊर्जा और स्वच्छ वायु अनुसंधान केंद्र के विश्लेषक सुनील दहिया ने उम्मीद जताई कि अग्रिम कार्रवाई से वायु गुणवत्ता के बेहद खराब होने की घटनाओं में कमी आएगी.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

बढऩे लगा है प्रदूषण, पहले ही लागू होंगे उपाय, शनिवार से लागू हो जाएगा जीआरएपी

मानसून की विदाई वाली बरसात थमी तो दिल्ली में प्रदूषण बढऩे लगा है और हवा का स्तर 151 तक पहुंच गया है। वहीं वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए एक 'बेहतरÓ चरणबद्ध प्रतिक्रिया कार्रवाई योजना (जीआरएपी) को एक अक्तूबर से लागू कर दिया जाएगा और पर्यावरण विशेषज्ञों का मानना है कि इस वर्ष अग्रिम कार्रवाई से गंभीर प्रदूषण की समस्या में कमी आनी चाहिए। इससे पहले, जीआरएपी को 15 अक्तूबर से लागू होती रहा है। जीआरएपी दिल्ली और आसपास के इलाकों में हालात की गंभीरता के अनुरूप वायु प्रदूषण रोधी उपाय हैं। दिल्ली-एनसीआर में वायु गुणवत्ता के प्रबंधन के लिए जीआरएपी को जल्द लागू करने के लिए वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) ने जनता और विशेषज्ञों के उन सुझावों पर विचार किया है, जिसमें कहा गया है कि पहले से कार्रवाई करने से वायु गुणवत्ता को बेहद खराब होने से रोका जा सकता है। इससे पहले, अधिकारी प्रदूषक तत्वों पीएम2.5 और पीएम10 के एक विशेष सीमा को छूने के बाद ही उपायों को लागू करते थे। इस बार, प्रतिबंध पीएम2.5 और पीएम10 के स्तर के बजाय वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) की स्थिति पर आधारित होंगे। विज्ञान और पर्यावरण केंद्र में स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम के वरिष्ठ कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक विवेक चट्टोपाध्याय ने कहा कि हालात बिगडऩे से पहले उठाए गए रोकथाम संबंधी कदम से वायु गुणवत्ता को अचानक खराब होने से बचा जा सकता है, जब तक कि मौसम की परिस्थितियां बिल्कुल प्रतिकूल नहीं हों। ऊर्जा एवं स्वच्छ वायु अनुसंधान केंद्र के विश्लेषक सुनील दहिया ने उम्मीद जताई कि अग्रिम कार्रवाई से वायु गुणवत्ता के बेहद खराब होने की घटनाओं में कमी आएगी। उन्होंने कहा, ''हालांकि, केवल निरंतर जागरूकता अभियान और सभी हितधारकों के साथ लगातार संवाद से ही पराली जलाने जैसी समस्याओं का समाधान होगा। पराली जलाने की अवधि से ठीक पहले की गई कार्रवाई से अच्छे परिणाम मिलने की संभावना नहीं है।ÓÓ अधिकारियों ने कहा कि दिल्ली में पर्यावरण विभाग ऐसी प्रणाली का उपयोग करेगा, जो वास्तविक समय में सभी प्रदूषण स्रोतों के योगदान का पता लगाने में मदद करेगा। पंजाब कृषि विश्वविद्यालय में कृषि अभियांत्रिकी विभाग के प्रमुख डॉ महेश नारंग ने कहा कि ''बेहतरÓÓ जीआरएपी और शुरुआती समय में उठाए गए रोकथाम कदमों से पिछले साल दिवाली पर और उसके बाद के दिनों में पराली और पटाखे जलाने के कारण प्रदूषण बढऩे से उत्पन्न वायु गुणवत्ता संकट की पुनरावृत्ति को रोक जा सकता है।

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

हर शहर का हो बेहतर नियोजन

हमारे शहरी नीति निर्माताओं को हमारे शहरी विकास के ऐतिहासिक संदर्भ से अवगत होने की आवश्यकता है. उन्हें समझना होगा कि कांच की इमारतों या ग्रेनाइट का उपयोग हमेशा उपयुक्त नहीं हो सकता है. बीते दिनों दिल्ली और आसपास के इलाकों में भारी बारिश के एक दिन के बाद ही पानी से भरी सड़कें, रेंगते यातायात, टूटे वाहन और घुटनों तक गहरे पानी में चलने वाले नागरिक जैसे परिचित दृश्य देखने को मिले. दो हफ्ते पहले बेंगलुरु में कई जगहों में भारी जलजमाव की स्थिति थी. ऐसी दुखद स्थितियां शहरी नियोजन की कमियों की तरफ इशारा करती हैं. नालियों की बेहतर निकासी क्षमता की कमी और झीलों व नदियों पर ध्यान न देने के साथ शहरी स्थानों को कंक्रीट में बदलने का जोर हर तरफ दिखता है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के अनुसार, बेंगलुरु जैसे शहर ने ईज ऑफ लिविंग इंडेक्स 2020 में क्वालिटी ऑफ लाइफ मेट्रिक के तहत सौ में से 55.67 स्कोर किया, राजधानी होने के बावजूद दिल्ली 57.56 तक पहुंचा, जबकि भुवनेश्वर का स्कोर सिर्फ 11.57 था. एक आदर्श दुनिया में यह स्थिति अस्वीकार्य है. पश्चिम में 1898 में एबेनेजर हॉवर्ड द्वारा चलाये गये गार्डन सिटी आंदोलन ने शहर के केंद्र में काम के माहौल को विकेंद्रीकृत करने की मांग की थी. नतीजतन, शहरों को योजनाबद्ध तरीके से डिजाइन किया गया. ऐसे आंदोलन इस विचार से प्रेरित थे कि कामगारों का जीवन स्तर बेहतर हो. अमेरिका में गार्डेन सिटी पड़ोस की अवधारणा के साथ विकसित हुआ, जहां एक स्थानीय स्कूल या सामुदायिक केंद्र के आसपास आवासीय घरों और सड़कों का आयोजन किया गया तथा यातायात कम करने और सुरक्षित सड़कें प्रदान करने पर जोर था. प्रदूषण और भीड़भाड़ पर नियंत्रण के साथ जैव विविधता बनाये रखने के लिए लंदन में चारों ओर एक महानगरीय हरित पट्टी है. सवाल है कि रिंग रोड और शहरी फैलाव से आगे भारतीय शहरों में ऐसा कुछ क्यों नहीं हो सकता है. पेरिस में ‘15 मिनट सिटी’ का विचार काफी सरल है. इसके तहत हर पेरिसवासी को खरीदारी, कामकाज, मनोरंजन संबंधी जरूरतों को 15 मिनट की पैदल या बाइक की सवारी के भीतर पूरा करने में सक्षम होना चाहिए. इस सक्षमता का मतलब होगा कि वाहनों की आवाजाही काफी कम हो जायेगी. अगले कदम के रूप में पैदल यात्रियों के लिए बेहतर व्यवस्था देने की आवश्यकता है. बेंगलुरु को एक ऐसे शहर के रूप में फिर से डिजाइन क्यों नहीं किया जा सकता है, जहां यातायात की परेशानी न हो. क्या भोजन के लिए 10 मिनट की डिलीवरी के बजाय काम करने के लिए 10 मिनट की पैदल दूरी बेहतर नहीं होगी? प्रत्येक भारतीय शहर में आदर्श रूप से एक मास्टर प्लान होना चाहिए, जिसे एक-दो दशक के अंतराल पर अद्यतन किया जाए. इन योजनाओं में किफायती आवास पर ध्यान जरूरी है. देश में शहरी भूमि उपयोग को बेहतर करने की जरूरत है. सैटेलाइट इमेजरी को देखकर साफ लगता है कि रैखिक बुनियादी ढांचे के साथ धान के खेतों में पसरता जा रहा शहरी विकास अनौपचारिक, अनियोजित और विशाल पड़ोस के साथ खासा बेतरतीब है. सार्वजनिक भूमि उपलब्धता पर विशेष ध्यान देने की जरूरत है. विश्व बैंक के अनुसार, 2050 तक नागरिकों का जीवन स्तर निराशाजनक करते हुए जलवायु परिवर्तन भारत के सकल घरेलू उत्पाद को तीन फीसदी तक कम कर सकता है. भारत के शहरों को अपनी प्राकृतिक तट रेखाओं और नदी के मैदानों की रक्षा कर, अतिक्रमणों को हटाकर भूमि पर बोझ कम करना शुरू करने की आवश्यकता है. बालू के टीलों की रक्षा करना और मैंग्रोव वनों को संरक्षित करना इस लिहाज से बेहद जरूरी होगा. सभी चालू और भावी शहरी बुनियादी ढांचा परियोजनाओं पर जलवायु परिवर्तन के परिप्रेक्ष्य से पुनर्विचार करने की आवश्यकता होगी. हमें शहरपन की भावना को भी स्थापित करना होगा. शायद ऐसा करने का एक तरीका स्पष्ट रूप से अपने निवासियों के लिए 'शहर के अधिकार' (राइट टू द सिटी) का आह्वान करना है. शहरी संसाधनों तक व्यक्तिगत पहुंच सुनिश्चित होना जरूरी है. इसके साथ शहरी विकास को लेकर संस्थागत ढांचे को सुदृढ़ और विकसित करने की दरकार है. फिलहाल देश में स्नातकों के लिए करियर के लिहाज से टाउन प्लानिंग के क्षेत्र में आने का खास आकर्षण नहीं है. शिक्षा से जुड़ी विशेषज्ञ समिति की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत को 2031 तक तीन लाख प्लानर्स की आवश्यकता होगी, जबकि अभी केवल पांच हजार टाउन प्लानर ही हैं. देश में महज 26 ऐसे संस्थान हैं, जो टाउन प्लानिंग से जुड़े पाठ्यक्रम चलाते हैं. ये संस्थान फिलहाल देश को हर साल 700 टाउन प्लानर देते हैं. हमारे शहरी नीति निर्माताओं को हमारे शहरी विकास के ऐतिहासिक संदर्भ से अवगत होने की आवश्यकता है. उन्हें समझना होगा कि कांच की इमारतों या ग्रेनाइट का उपयोग हमेशा उपयुक्त नहीं हो सकता है. यह सवाल भी है कि हमारी ऐतिहासिक वास्तुकला से प्रेरित हमारे शहर स्पष्ट रूप से भारतीय क्यों नहीं दिखते. उत्तर भारत के हर शहर में सार्वजनिक स्थान के रूप में एक बावली क्यों नहीं हो सकती है? दरअसल, हम संगठित निजी संपत्ति द्वारा संचालित शहरी परिदृश्य बना रहे हैं और इस चक्कर में हम अपने शहरों को अधिक मानवीय बनाना भूल गये हैं. (ये लेखक के निजी विचार हैं.)

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

द‍िल्‍ली में कल से लागू हो सकते हैं ‘ग्रैप’ न‍ि‍यम, इन सभी उपायों का करना होगा पालन

दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण (Delhi Air Pollution) से निपटने को लेकर केजरीवाल सरकार पूरी तरह से गंभीर है. सर्द‍ियों के मौसम में द‍िल्‍ली-एनसीआर में वायु की गुणवत्‍ता इतनी खराब हो जाती है क‍ि लोगों का घरों से न‍िकलना मुश्‍क‍िल हो जाता है. इसके चलते कई बड़े कदम भी उठाए जाते रहे हैं. इसी कड़ी में अब द‍िल्ली सरकार की ओर से अभी से ही वायु प्रदूषण से न‍िपटने के ल‍िए कड़े कदम उठाए जाने की तैयारी की जा रही है. एचटी में प्रकाशित र‍िपोर्ट के मुताब‍िक बताया जाता है क‍ि वायु प्रदूषण को रोकने और न‍िपटने को सभी एहत‍ियातन कदम उठाने के ल‍िए कल शन‍िवार 1 अक्‍टूबर से राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र (NCR), द‍िल्‍ली में संशोधित ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (ग्रैप) (Graded Response Action Plan) न‍ियमों को लागू क‍िए जाने की संभावना है. इसके तहत सभी जरूरी प्रतिबंध लगने शुरू हो जाएंगे. इस बीच देखा जाए तो ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (Graded Response Action Plan) लागू होने के बाद प्रदूषण फैलाने वाली गतिविधियों को नियंत्रित करने के लिए उन सभी पर कड़ी नजर रखी जा सकेगी. बताया जाता है क‍ि जब दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण का लेवल कुछ ट्रिगर बिंदुओं पर पहुंच जाता है, तो ग्रैप प्रतिबंधों की एक सूची निर्धारित की जाती है और वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) के बिगड़ने पर प्रतिबंध और सख्त हो जाते हैं. वहीं वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (CAQM) की ओर से गत 13 जुलाई को एक अपडेटेड प्‍लान भी जारी क‍िया गया था. इसमें साफ क‍िया गया क‍ि वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक को ध्‍यान में रखा जाएगा न केवल PM2.5 और PM10 को ट्र‍िगर प्‍वाइंट के रूप में प्रत‍िबंधों के ल‍िए अहम माना जाएगा. ग्रैप न‍ियमों की माने तो पहले उपाय के अंतर्गत बिजली आपूर्ति के नियमित स्रोत के रूप में डीजल जनरेटर सेट के उपयोग पर प्रतिबंध लगाया जाता है. यह न‍ियम एक्यूआई लेवल के 201 पर पहुंचने के बाद पर प्रभावी हो जाता है. स्टेज 2 तब प्रभावी होता है जब यह “बहुत खराब” (301 और 400 के बीच), स्टेज 3 “गंभीर” (401 और 450 के बीच) होता है, और स्टेज 4 जब एक्यूआई “गंभीर प्लस” (450 से ऊपर) होता है. जानकारी के मुताब‍िक दिल्ली का एक्यूआई लेवल गुरुवार को 151 (मध्यम) दर्ज किया गया था. वहीं एक अक्टूबर को अगले दो दिनों में एक्यूआई लेवल के पूर्वानुमान के साथ ‘मध्यम’ श्रेणी में रहने की संभावना है. द‍िल्‍ली में प्रदूषण लेवल के बढ़ने की संभावना को देखते हुए संशोध‍ित ग्रैप न‍ियमों को लागू क‍िए जाने की तैयारी है. माना जा रहा है क‍ि प्रदूषण का लेवल 2 अक्‍टूबर को खराब श्रेणी के करीब पहुंच सकता है. पूर्व चेतावनी प्रणाली (ईडब्ल्यूएस) की माने तो 2 अक्टूबर को ‘खराब’ श्रेणी में पहुंचने के बाद अगले द‍िन 3 अक्टूबर को इसी तरह की संभावना जताई गई है. हालांक‍ि 4 अक्टूबर से एक बार फिर से हवा की गुणवत्ता में सुधार होने की उम्मीद जताई जा रही है. ग्रैप न‍ियमों के तहत फेज-1 या प्रदूषण की ‘न‍िम्‍न’ श्रेणी में जो उपाय बताए गए हैं उनमें सड़कों पर मशीनों के जर‍िए साफ-सफाई और पानी का छिड़काव करने वाली एजेंसियां ​​शामिल की गई हैं. वहीं राज्य सरकार के ‘वेब पोर्टल’ पर रज‍िस्‍टर्ड नहीं होने वाली 500 वर्ग मीटर वाली बड़ी साइट्स पर निर्माण व तोड़फोड़ के कार्य पर रोक लगाना शाम‍िल है. वहीं, डीजल जनरेटर सेट को बिजली आपूर्ति के नियमित स्रोत के रूप में उपयोग नहीं करके केवल बैक-अप के रूप में अनुमति दी जाती है. धूल और C&D वेस्ट के लिए गाइड लाइन 500 वर्गमीटर के प्लॉट या इससे प्लॉट पर कंस्ट्रक्शन एक्टिविटी पर रोक नियमों के मुताबिक कचरे को उठाना और निस्तारण बाहर या खुले में कचरा न फैले, खुले में कचरे न जलाए जाएं सड़कों पर मैकेनिकल स्वीपिंग और पानी का छिड़काव जहां भी सीएंडडी वेस्ट पड़ा हो वह प्रापर तरीके से ढका हो कंस्ट्रक्शन साइटों पर एंटी स्मॉग गन आवश्यक ट्रैफिक को चलाने के लिए प्रत्येक चौराहे पर यातायात कर्मी की तैनाती प्रदूषण फलाने वाले वाहनों पर हैवी पैनल्टी लगाई जाए पटाखों के जलाने पर रोक स्टेज 2 AQI 301 से 400 होने पर मैनेनिकल और वैक्यूम बेस्ड स्वीपिंग शहर की सड़कों पर वाटर स्प्रीपिंकल से छिड़काव होटल व रेस्टोरेंट में तंदूर, कोल पर प्रतिबंध इसेंसिएल सर्विस को छोड़कर जनसेट पर रोक पार्किंग फीस को बढ़ाकर ताकि लोग घरों से अपने वाहनो से नहीं निकले मेट्रो , सीएनजी और पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट को बढ़ाया जाए स्टेज 3 AQI 401 से 450 तक होने पर एनसीआर में कंस्ट्रक्शन और डिमोलिशन पर तत्काल प्रभाव से रोक लगा दी जाएगी पीएनजी पर इंडस्ट्री आपरेट कराई जाए न की फ्यूल पर हॉट मिक्सिंग प्लांट से लेकर ब्रिक क्रेक्स प्लांट पर प्रतिबंध माइनिंग एक्टिविटी पर प्रतिबंध हालांकि, सबसे कठोर श्रेणी चरण IV है, जिसमें AQI के 451 या उससे अधिक को छूने के पूर्वानुमान के साथ, दिल्ली में ट्रकों के प्रवेश पर रोक, दिल्ली में पंजीकृत मध्यम और भारी माल वाहनों पर प्रतिबंध, डीजल चार पहिया वाहनों के चलने पर प्रतिबंध लगाना शाम‍िल है. राज्य सरकारों सहित निर्माण और विध्वंस (सी एंड डी) गतिविधियों पर प्रतिबंध, स्कूलों, कॉलेजों, शैक्षणिक संस्थानों को बंद करने और वाहनों को सम-विषम आधार पर चलाने जैसे अतिरिक्त उपाय क‍िया जाना शाम‍िल है.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

New Plan, New Approach To Fight Air Pollution In Delhi From Oct 1: Report

A 'finer' Graded Response Action Plan - a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the national capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation - will come into from October 1 and environment experts believe advance action this year will lead to lesser incidences of severe pollution. Earlier, GRAP would come into effect from October 15. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body established in August 2021, for management of air quality in Delhi-NCR decided to implement GRAP early, considering suggestions from the public and experts that advance action can prevent drastic deterioration in air quality. Under the revised GRAP, curbs can be imposed on polluting activities up to three days in advance based on forecasts. Earlier, the authorities would implement the measures only after the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration touched a particular threshold. This time, restrictions will be based on air quality index (AQI) values rather than PM2.5 and PM10 concentration. Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Senior Programme Manager, Clean Air Programme, Centre for Science and Environment, said: "The pre-emptive action should prevent the sudden deterioration of the air quality unless meteorological conditions become highly unfavorable." "The agencies should strengthen their baseline level action so that there is no need for emergency measures. They should be able to foresee a contingency and prepare a fool proof plan to deal with it, such as arranging CNG carriers and trucks for continuous supply of essential items," he said. Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, hoped that advance action would lead to lesser incidences of severe air quality. "However, only sustained awareness campaigns and continuous engagement with all stakeholders will resolve the problems such as stubble burning. Action just before the stubble burning period is unlikely to yield good results," he said. In Delhi, officials said the environment department will be using the new real-time source apportionment system which will help ascertain the contribution of all pollution sources in real time. The green war room will monitor violations and redress complaints and grievances in keeping with the practice being followed for the last two years. Mahesh Narang, the head of the farm engineering department at Punjab Agricultural University, said the "finer" GRAP and preemptive curbs will prevent a repeat of the air quality crisis seen on Diwali and the following days last year due to the convergence of emissions from farm fires and firecrackers. "Stubble burning peaks in November and Diwali is on October 24. This is a crucial factor. So, it may not lead to a severe situation on Diwali provided all other measures are followed strictly," he said. "The government has provided more machines for the management of stubble this year. We hope for better results," Mr Narang said. GRAP has now been classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450). Under Stage I, the CAQM has recommended strict action against polluting industries, vehicles and biomass burning. The use of coal and firewood, including in tandoors in hotels, restaurants, open eateries; and diesel generator sets, except for emergent and essential services, is banned under Stage II. If the situation turns "severe" (Stage III), authorities will have to enforce a ban on construction and demolition activities in NCR, except on essential projects (like railways, metros, airports, ISBTs, national security/defence-related projects of national importance) and non-polluting activities such as plumbing, carpentry, interior decoration and electrical works. Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels, and mining and associated activities in NCR will also be banned under Stage III. State governments in Delhi-NCR may also impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel light motor vehicles (four wheelers) under Stage III. The measures to be followed in the "Severe Plus" category or Stage IV include a ban on the entry of trucks into Delhi, and on the plying of Delhi-registered diesel-run medium goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the national capital except those carrying essential commodities. The use of four-wheeler diesel light motor vehicles, except for BS-VI vehicles and vehicles engaged in essential services, will also be banned in Delhi and the bordering districts of NCR. Stage IV will also entail a ban on industries running on dirty fuels and on construction and demolition activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission and pipelines. State governments can consider allowing 50 per cent staff to work from home in public, municipal and private offices, and additional emergency measures like closure of educational institutions and the plying of vehicles on odd-even basis etc.

• Sustainable Food Systems

The Hidden Ravages of Tamil Nadu’s Poultry Boom

Namakkal is a regional poultry hub and is also known as India’s ‘egg capital’. Eggs from here and nearby Erode go to various parts of India and are also exported. But around the districts’ poultry farms, there is an off-putting odour, bird feathers and dust are everywhere, and locals are constantly beset by flies. The farms have triggered land-use change, polluted the water, displaced birds and other wildlife, and flouted important health and environmental norms. The improper disposal of dead birds has attracted dogs even as the farms’ overuse of antibiotics as ‘growth promoters’ has fostered antimicrobial resistance. The locals however feel helpless and at the mercy of the farms’ effects because they are owned and run by powerful individuals resistant to change. Namakkal/Erode, Tamil Nadu: Fifty three-year-old Prakash N. is busy tilling his field in Kurumbapatti, a village in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district. In a few days, he will plant shallots here. In the adjoining field, the shallot seeds he sowed a few months ago have already put out their long, slender green arms above the rich, black soil. But there’s a colour here that doesn’t fit. Bright, white specks wriggle over and under the smooth shallot shoots in the steady Aadi monsoon breeze . The specks dance on the black soil. Some flutter their way to my feet. “You’ll find it everywhere here,” Prakash says. Less than 70 metres away is the source of all that fluff: a large poultry farm with nearly ten sheds, each up to 250 metres long, containing around four lakh white egg-laying chicken. Here, in Gayathri poultry farm, chickens are housed in cages neatly stacked one on top of another in up to three tiers. Their feathers land on almost everything in the vicinity: soil, crops, grasses, shrubs and roads. Even you. But the white chicken feathers are the least of the concerns here. Step within a 100 metres of most poultry farms – and fine poultry dust will cake you from head to toe. A strong, musty odour, like soggy cat food that’s gone bad, will hit your nostrils. Even if you get used to the stench or the dust, as you do over a period of time, the flies are impossible to ignore. They are almost everywhere. “Life has become hell here,” says farmer K. Nataraj, as he swats at flies mobbing a vessel of water beside him on the narrow verandah outside his house. He lives next door to another large poultry farm in Kurumbapatti in Namakkal. Namakkal is a poultry hub. Known as India’s ‘egg capital’, this roughly 3,300-sq.-km district is home to an estimated 1,175 poultry farms. Its 1,100-odd poultry farmers own around 4.5 crore egg-laying birds. Their produce – broiler chicken and white-shelled eggs – feeds people across the country. Produce from Namakkal and its neighbouring districts, such as Erode, also finds its way to foreign markets, including countries in the Middle East. But while the poultry industry is a crucial source of livelihood for people in these states and districts, farms have several undesirable environmental and health consequences in their neighbourhood. As part of an investigation, The Wire Science found that these consequences include faecal contamination of nearby open wells, reports of poultry dust, strong offputting smells, a profusion of flies and a swelling population of stray dogs. All these together have made life harder for people living near these farms. Doctors told The Wire Science that dog bites had become more common in some areas – even as a “silent prevalence” of lung cancer could be correlated to the poultry industry (although studies will be required to confirm). The Indian government has issued guidelines and best practices for poultry farms to follow, but state governments haven’t enforced them properly. Monitoring local ecosystems and studying the environmental impacts of poultry farms in more detail, and undertaking environmental surveillance to understand less-known aspects such as antimicrobial resistance or emerging zoonoses, could be the need of the hour as a changing climate and habitat loss increase the risks of diseases spilling over from animals to people. A growing demand for poultry The global demand for meat is increasing. In 2018, the world produced more than 340 million tonnes a year – that’s three-times more than it did 50 years ago. Poultry production grew the highest in this time: 12-fold between 1961 and 2014. According to the US Food and Agriculture Organisation, poultry meat production increased from 9 million to 133 million tonnes globally over the last six decades or so, and egg production rose from 15 to 93 million tonnes. In India, increasing incomes and a growing urban population have led to a higher demand for poultry and meat. Today, the country is the third largest producer of eggs in the world. In 2021, India’s egg production was around 122 billion units, up from some 16 billion units in 1986. India’s most recent livestock census, in 2019, pegged the country’s poultry population at 851.8 million. Between 2012 and 2019, India also recorded a growth of 16.8% in poultry numbers. In 2015, the poultry industry was worth Rs 80,000 crore, dominated by the commercial sector. Around 3 crore small and medium farmers make up the more unorganised backyard poultry sector. According to the 2019 census, this sector grew a phenomenal 46% when compared to the previous census in 2012. In 2019, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and Maharashtra had the highest poultry numbers in the country – but chief among them was Tamil Nadu, with a population of around 12 crore birds. In Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district in particular, the poultry industry has grown in extraordinary fashion. According to an estimate listed in a case study of the Namakkal layer bird industry by scientists at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Namakkal, the poultry population increased from 3 lakh in 1975 to 75 lakh in 1985. Today, the poultry population in the district is approximately 4.5 crore, according to the study. Companies in the district export eggs and egg products to 17 countries in the Middle East and West Africa. Of the 3.08 crore eggs produced every day in Namakkal, around a tenth are now exported to Middle Eastern countries. Erode district also has a swelling poultry population. Per the Development Commissioner of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the population of layer birds in the district increased form 21 lakh in 1996 to 25.5 lakh in 2000. The rise in broiler numbers over this time period has been even greater: more than three-fold from 4.6 lakh to 16.6 lakh. But it seems the staggering growth of the poultry industry in these districts has come at several costs to local communities and the environment. In Namakkal, the proliferation of poultry farms and the expansion of existing ones has changed, and is changing, land-use patterns. The success of poultry farming in the district means the people are converting crop lands to residential areas as well as poultry farms, said K. Jagatheesan, deputy director of agriculture, Namakkal district. For example, in Kurumbapatti, the land on which Gayathri Poultry Farm now stands used to be cropland before, said Prakash N., a farmer. “All of this used to be millet fields,” he said, pointing to the adjacent farm and the fallow land opposite the road. Recent changes in weather – including extreme heat and shifting rainfall patterns – have also ensured that agriculture is more difficult now than it used to be, said Valiyammal S., who cultivates a range of crops, including groundnut, ragi and cotton in Sarkarpalayapalayam in Namakkal. Combined with low market prices, this is also why practising farmers are giving up cultivation, she said. Changes in land cover may seem innocuous but they have several consequences for the local environment. Thanks to the sources of pollution that they create, changes in land use can affect both surface and underground water quality, researchers found in a 2010 study in Maheshwaram, Telangana. They identified poultry farms as one of the many factors causing this deterioration. The conversion of fallow and agricultural land to poultry farms also means more built-up area. And more built-up area means fewer habitats available for birds and other wildlife. That’s because croplands – especially those supporting low-intensity agriculture, meaning the use of fewer pesticides and fertilisers – can also support such biodiversity, as at least one study found in 2016. New poultry farms don’t retain any natural vegetation to minimise the chance of wild birds using the area for roosting or nesting, which can help prevent diseases from spilling over from wild birds to caged chickens. This is in fact a concern that emerged in a case heard and disposed of by the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on August 24 this year. According to guidelines laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), a statutory organisation to control air and water pollution constituted under the Union environment ministry, poultry farm owners are required to develop a “green belt” along the boundaries of poultry farms to lower their air and sound pollution. However, the poultry farm in question – in Rasipuram taluk in Namakkal – didn’t have one. Then again, veterinary and animal husbandry officials who inspected the property didn’t cite the lack of a green belt as a concern because, according to them, roosting wild birds on vegetation within poultry farms could pass infections to chicken. While the National Green Tribunal subsequently ordered that the Rasipuram poultry farm halt operations for other reasons, it suggested that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) – one of the respondents in the case – take immediate but temporary measures to ensure a sufficient green belt until the CPCB could suggest remedial options. The Wire Science reached out to the TNPCB to find out measures being taken; this article will be updated as and when the board responds. The case also touched on the impact of the poultry farm on groundwater in the locality. The petitioner in the case, a local resident near the farm in Rasipuram, had alleged that the poultry farm’s consumption of well-water had lowered the water table and that pollutants from the farm had deteriorated the water’s quality. Falling water While many rural areas in Namakkal and Erode have access to piped water for drinking, poultry farms aren’t allowed to use this water for their operations, farmers – including Bharat K. in Namakkal and Satheesh Ramasamy, whose family runs a small poultry farm near Sivagiri in Erode – told The Wire Science. So poultry farms depend entirely on borewell water for their needs. This spells trouble for the water table, especially in summer, when the water level is already low and the same borewells fuel water-intensive crops such as sugarcane in Erode. This said, there is no limit on the amount of groundwater farms can extract for their use. Poultry farms don’t require a ‘no objection certificate’ to draw groundwater because the government considers it an “allied agricultural activity”. In Namakkal district however, the certificate is mandatory for any purpose other than extracting water for drinking and agriculture. This is because of the 30 revenue firkas in the district, the state government categorised 18 as having an “over-exploited” water table in 2014. A more recent assessment, in 2018, by the Public Works Department found that the water table of 20 of the 30 firkas in Namakkal were “overexploited”. In its August 24 order regarding groundwater extraction by the Rasipuram poultry farm, the National Green Tribunal suggested that the TNPCB account for the availability of groundwater in the area and fix the quantity of water that could be drawn from the well by the farm, to prevent depletion of groundwater in the well. The board hadn’t responded to queries from The Wire Science about the steps being taken in this direction at the time of publishing. Something dark in the water Poultry farms also reduce water quality in several ways. This can happen when farmers dump dead birds in or nearby water bodies, such as ponds, for example. This used to happen in the eri near her fields, Valliyammal said. The 63-year-old cultivates vegetables and cotton in four acres opposite the Pavayeeammal Poultry Farm in Sarkarpalayapalayam. “Chicken die everyday in the farm and they used to dump it in the eri,” she said. “This was a problem because our livestock used to drink this water.” However, the poultry farm owners stopped the practice when locals spoke to them about it, she added. They now dispose of dead birds within their compound. Bharath K., who owns the Pavayeeammal Poultry Farm, confirmed that they bury dead birds in a deep pit inside the compound. This is in line with norms stipulated by the CPCB. Another way poultry farms affect local water bodies is when surface water runoff from farms – containing high concentrations of nitrate from poultry sheds – mixes with water in nearby ponds, lakes or open wells. This is especially a problem during the monsoon, a 2010 study in Maheshwaram, Telangana, found. Researchers pointed to an overall increase in groundwater contamination between 2003 and 2008, due to uncontrolled sewage disposal caused by urbanisation and a growing number of poultry farms. To understand if water bodies near the poultry farms were polluted, The Wire Science collected water samples from five water sources near such farms in Namakkal and Erode. Four of these were open wells located within 300 metres of the farms (cultivating both layer and broiler chicken). One sample was from a borewell within 100 metres of a large layer farm in Namakkal. All four open wells near farms contained varying but significant levels of coliform bacteria (specifically, 80-500 colony forming units, or CFU, per ml of water). Three had varying levels of Escherichia coli (3-200 CFU/ml) as well. The borewell sample, despite being within 100 metres from a large layer farm, didn’t contain any significant levels of coliform bacteria or E. coli. “It’s certainly faecal contamination, especially in view of the fact that the deep borewell is relatively better off,” said Jayshree Vencatesan, managing trustee of the Care Earth Trust, Chennai, who has been studying wetlands for more than two decades. “When surface water shows such a high [level] of E. coli, it’s apparent that recurrent contamination” is the problem. The tests also revealed high concentrations of phosphates and nitrates in some water sources – on par and sometimes higher than levels permitted by the Bureau of Indian Standards in drinking water. These levels indicate “leaching of additives, especially an agri- or animal husbandry kind of residue,” Vencatesan said. “Water is certainly contaminated. [It] must be leading to digestive tract/metabolic disorders by now across the food web.” § Farms and humans While doctors do report the usual digestive-tract-related health concerns in Namakkal, they’ve also been reporting a higher incidence of upper respiratory-tract infections (URIs). Dr Kokila S., a medical officer-in-charge at the Valayapatti Primary Health Centre near Kurumbapatti, said that the incidence of URIs is even higher than that of diabetes and hypertension. Poultry dust – particulate matter from feathers, litter, feed, etc. – can cause several health problems among poultry workers, including respiratory illnesses, studies have found. According to Dr Sudha Selvi, head of general medicine at the Namakkal Medical College and Hospital, the district also has a “silent prevalence” of lung carcinomas, seemingly higher than that in nearby Salem, where she worked previously. But screening such cases to understand the cause is essential to establish a link – if any – between poultry farms, dust and cancer, she added. Dr Kokila also said she also treats many more people with dog and cat bites now than she has in the last five years. The lack of proper disposal of dead poultry and the absence of fences or walls in some farms – which signal non-compliance with CPCB mandates – mean stray dogs often have easy access to poultry, dead or alive. Such access to food can ‘provision’ stray dog populations, independent scientist Chandrima Home, who has studied stray dog populations and their impact on wildlife, told The Wire Science. An increase in dog-bite cases – such as what Dr. Kokila noticed in Valayapatti – could indicate a spike in stray dog populations, according to Home. More bite cases also mean a higher probability of rabies, a viral disease that dogs are known to carry and transmit. Rabies is a big public health concern in India: 35% of the world’s annual human deaths due to dog-mediated rabies occur here alone. While Tamil Nadu reportedly became the first state to have implemented a state-wide, multisectoral rabies control initiative in 2004, including ensuring the availability of anti-rabies vaccines, the state continues to report a not-insignificant rabies deaths. DTNext reported that over eight months in 2022, the state has already recorded 18. The number of stray dogs has also increased in their localities, several residents near poultry farms said. Nataraj K. and his family have noticed such a spike in Kurumbapatti, where they live. He said they lost 10 of their goats in the last year to strays. Nataraj’s animals weren’t insured and he doesn’t expect to receive compensation from the animal husbandry department. There are no studies on the environmental consequences of proliferating dogs and their links to poultry farms in Namakkal or Tamil Nadu at large. But the dog menace that residents of Tamil Nadu have complained about is similar to what Abi Tamim Vanak and his colleagues have been observing in Baramati in Pune, Vanak told The Wire Science. Baramati has registered a big increase in the number of small poultry farms in the last decade, Vanak, a scientist at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru, said. The lack of a proper disposal mechanism for dead birds has meant farmers stuff dead birds in sacks and toss them in the countryside, he said – “hundreds of birds, daily”, across a 100 sq. km landscape. Thus, the numbers of dogs roaming the countryside – as opposed to strays in villages or those owned by farmers – has shot up. “We’ve seen up to 60 dogs in one place,” said Vanak, who studies the impact of stray dog populations on wildlife. This in turn has affected Baramati in two ways. First, when people poison dogs, they inadvertently kill wildlife too. Farmers sometimes lace poultry carcasses with pesticides, Vanak said, and jackals, hyenas and foxes also prey on poultry waste in the area, killing them in sizeable numbers. Second, a surge in the dog population could increase human-wildlife conflict. Baramati and its surrounding areas are home to sugarcane fields that leopards are known to use. And for leopards, dogs are easy prey, so they often track the canines and potentially come closer to human settlements in the Baramati countryside, Vanak said. Public health The threats that feral dogs living near poultry farms pose doesn’t stop there, however: it could have deeper implications on public health as well. A 2014 study found evidence of avian influenza virus infections (specifically, H5N1 and H9N2) in dogs living next to live poultry markets in China. This could have been due to indirect contact between dogs and poultry, such as through aerosol and faecal transmission, or directly, through the consumption of dead bird carcasses. Both stray dogs and stray cats may already be immunocompromised due to poor diets and open wounds, among other reasons, making them more susceptible to cross-species pathogen transmission. They could thus increase the risk of the emergence and transmission of novel influenza A viruses and threaten both veterinary and human health, the study warned. Periodically surveilling dogs near poultry farms can be a crucial early warning system to track novel viral spillovers, the scientists suggested. But forget tracking dogs’ viral loads, however: there’s barely any data on the population of stray dogs in these areas to begin with. No Central or state departments keep a tab of stray dog numbers or their population growth, Home said. There’s also no surveillance of another crucial aspect in this system: antibiotics. Poultry farmers use antibiotics – ideally meant only for sick chicken – in rampant fashion. The drugs work here as a ‘growth promoter’, enabling the chicken to grow to weigh as much as 2.2 kg in their short life span of 35-42 days, according to a senior veterinary doctor and animal health expert who didn’t wish to be named because they could get into trouble at their workplace for talking about this. One 2018 report found that farmers even use colistin, a ‘last resort’ antibiotic that doctors administer to people only if their infections are resistant to most other antibiotics. At present, Tamil Nadu farmers’ antibiotics of choice are ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, especially for broiler chicken, per the animal health expert. Both are second-generation antibiotics that should ideally be used only to treat bacterial infections in chicken. According to the expert, using these drugs as ‘growth promoters’ helps advance harvest time by a week, allowing farmers to harvest broilers as soon as Day 35. Like in every natural system, the drugs pass through the chicken and into the rest of the food web – including to humans. It also seeps into the water and soil, such as when farmers use excreta from chicken treated with antibiotics as manure. Such continuous exposure to antibiotics can also encourage bacteria to become antibiotic-resistant, rendering future treatment of infections much more challenging. And of course, the more common these antibiotic-resistant superbugs become in the environment, the more at risk people also will be. “In India, the environmental dimension of [antimicrobial resistance] is yet to be realised,” said Indumathi M. Nambi, a professor at IIT Madras who studies environmental antimicrobial resistance. There are no published studies of environmental antimicrobial resistance caused specifically by poultry farms in Namakkal, Erode or other poultry-growing districts in Tamil Nadu or even South India. But in Maharashtra’s Baramati, Vanak and his team have reported that the soil in and around poultry farms has high concentrations of antibiotic residue. Here, antibiotics reside in agricultural fields as well. According to findings by Vanak et al., soon to be published, antibiotics fed to poultry show up in the birds’ faecal matter, which the farmers then sell locally as manure. Other farmers purchase it for their vegetable farms and other fields. Ultimately, antibiotics fed to poultry can easily find their way into humans when they consume food crops grown on poultry manure. In fact, in Tamil Nadu, farmers use the birds’ excreta extensively as manure in their fields. The manure also crosses state borders: poultry-farm owners in Namakkal and Erode sell the substance to farms in Kerala and Karnataka, where farmers apply it as manure in coconut orchards, rubber plantations and vegetable fields, poultry farm owner Bharat K. told The Wire Science. The use of poultry manure could thus be introducing antibiotic-resistant microbes in these states as well. However – and again – there have been no studies yet to confirm this. Studies worldwide have made this association very clear. According to one review, agricultural soils are a “major sink” for antibiotics and of antimicrobial resistance caused by livestock farming. In India as well, a 2017 study by the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, reported that the unsafe disposal of poultry litter and waste in agricultural fields caused multi-drug resistant bacteria to proliferate in and around poultry farms in four states in North India. Bacteria isolated from soil and poultry litter samples here were also resistant to 10 of the 13 antibiotics researchers tested them against. § Our poultry needs But for all these environmental and health effects, India needs its chickens and eggs for both economic growth and to improve public health. The poultry industry is a crucial source of livelihoods and income for farmers in several states, and plays a big part in empowering women in rural areas. At less than 100 rupees per kg for chicken meat, and Rs 4-6 per egg, both animal products are also a critical source of cheap protein for India, where protein consumption levels are lower than the prescribed limits and where the risk of protein deficiency ranges from 6% to 42%. Nutritionists have in fact argued that for India to achieve an “enhanced dietary quality” in the coming decades, it needs to shift from a “cereals-only focus, to stronger investment in pulses, dairy and egg production”. Ensuring protein availability can go hand-in-hand with sustainability. The Indian government issued guidelines to regulate the operations of poultry farms in 2015. Under these guidelines, poultry farms with more than 1 lakh birds need to obtain ‘consent to establish’ and ‘consent to operate’ from the respective State Pollution Control Boards or the Pollution Control Committee under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, among others. The guidelines also regulate odour and solid waste management. Based on an order of the National Green Tribunal in 2020, the CPCB updated these guidelines in August 2021. With this, farms with more than 25,000 birds also had to obtain clearances from the respective state boards and committees. In December 2021, in response to a plea by animal welfare activist Gauri Maulekhi four years earlier, the tribunal noted that poultry farms with 5,000-25,000 birds also pollute and couldn’t be left unregulated. So the CPCB updated its guidelines in January 2022 to mandate such poultry farms to obtain all levels of clearances as well. The last two updates also provided specific directions vis-à-vis the farms’ locations. They had to be at least 500 metres away from residential areas to spare local residents from the smells and the flies, and at least 100 metres from rivers, canals and other sources of drinking water, to avoid contamination. A layer egg farm in Sarkarpalayapalayam. Photo: Aathira Perinchery/The Wire Science kkxx Poultry waste below a layer farm in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu. Poultry farmers sell this as manure to other districts and states. Photo: Aathira Perinchery/The Wire Science Enforcement, monitoring, accountability There are rules in place. Yet India is – and states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are – going wrong. Experts are agreed that for both people and the environment, the most important thing is for the guidelines to ensure poultry farms adhere to environmental norms to be implemented better. For example, the Gayathri Poultry Farm in Kurumbapatti has several measures in line with the CPCB guidelines. They include biosecurity measures for poultry production as issued by World Organisation for Animal Health – like a vehicle tyre dip that prevents infections from entering or exiting the farm. On the other hand, the Pavayeeammal Poultry Farm in Sarkarpalayapalayam, which houses more than a lakh birds like Gayathri Poultry Farm – does not. According to the TNPCB – as specified in the Rasipuram case heard by the green tribunal – the board has issued instructions to district environmental engineers (DEEs) to prepare an inventory of poultry farms, ensure they are brought under the “consent mechanism” and that they follow the CPCB guidelines of January 2022. The Namakkal DEE had already issued show cause notices to 436 farms in 2021 for not obtaining consent from the TNPCB. The Wire Science contacted both the TNPCB as well as the Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department of the state for their comments but didn’t receive a response. Indeed, implementation of the guidelines, as well as developing systems to regularly monitor local ecosystems, is crucial, according to Vencatesan. “Monitoring is absolutely critical, especially during summer, when concentration [of pollutants] spikes,” she said. She added that it might be a good idea to weave such a mandatory monitoring system into law, so that it becomes enforceable at the state-level as well. Accountability is crucial as well. Many small and medium-sized poultry farms follow a “decentralised” model of management, in Vanak’s words. Large companies like Suguna Food Pvt. Ltd. and Baramati Agro Ltd. supply poultry farmers with the chicks and all the feed they need to grow the birds on. That, for instance, is how most farms in Erode in Tamil Nadu and Baramati in Maharashtra work. The farmers are responsible for meeting all the other requirements: space, water, labour, medicines. This model may benefit farmers but this is exactly where environmental compliance goes for a toss, Vanak alleged. There is little accountability: the responsibility to adhere to mandatory guidelines to prevent pollution falls squarely on the shoulders of farmers, who don’t usually follow it because there are no audits. Disease surveillance in farms should be important and perhaps mandated because India along with China and some Southeast Asian countries are hotspots of emerging infectious diseases, Home added. This in turn throws the spotlight back onto the dogs – which can spread several viruses, including distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis and rabies. “While domestic dogs may still recover from distemper, for wild carnivore populations [Indian foxes and jackals, e.g.], this will be a death knell that surely reiterates the need for better disease surveillance.” Addressing some core issues such as the ease of getting antibiotics over the counter can help tackle the concern of antimicrobial resistance, said Raman Muthusamy, a former project manager of the One Health Poultry Hub, a UK-based project that explores the effects of rapid poultry expansion and the attendant risk of diseases. “We need to bring in a prescription audit, ensure proper veterinary medical records are in place and follow up on vets.” We’ve also failed, and “miserably” at that, to raise awareness among farmers as well as pharmaceutical shop employees and veterinary practitioners about the problems that such rampant use of antibiotics in poultry can cause, Muthusamy added. “There are ways and means to restrict the use of antimicrobials. It may be a tough task when it comes to implementation, but that’s where the state and the Centre have to take responsibility as regulators,” he explained. India’s National Action Plan on Antibiotic Resistance ended in 2021 – but “progress under the plan has been far from satisfactory,” Kamini Walia, a scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, wrote last year. “Too many players, missing governance mechanisms and absence of funding have been recognised as key impediments to the effective rollout of action plans in other countries as well.” Similarly, boundaries in science ought to disappear if we want to make progress on antimicrobial resistance, Nambi, the IIT Madras professor, said. Doctors and environmentalists should keep talking to each other instead of working in silos, as should experts in the fields of veterinary medicine, fisheries and agriculture. Such a ‘One Health’ approach – as the WHO recommends – is important, she added. If antibiotics that worked well 10 years ago don’t anymore, we should know why. “If [doctors] are seeing trends in resistance, they should document it.” Lived realities The documentation that exists but is being ignored right now pertains to the plight of the people living near the poultry farms. In their lived realities, antimicrobial resistance and pathogens jumping from one species to the next are far from the top of the problems list. The top spots are occupied by swarms of flies, obnoxious odours and drifting dust – and of course about making just enough to get by. Their quality of life is poor overall, and they blame the poultry farms for it. A young mother who lives next door to Nivetha Hatcheries in Kasaba Pasur, Erode, doesn’t let her toddler play outside the house. “Stench, flies, dust, everything is a problem here,” her neighbour told me. I asked the neighbour for her name; she refused. The farm’s owners are from the same village, rich, belong to the dominant caste, and are influential. “There’s nothing we can do,” she said. A sense of helplessness hangs in the air around these poultry farms – much like the stench wafting from there. The least privileged, who live right next door to these farms, are the worst-affected. Landed farmers like Nataraj K. in Kurumbapatti are ready to speak out without fear, but the daily-wage workers near Supreme Farm in Poondurai Semur, in Erode, hold their tongues. Many, like that woman, even refuse to share their names fearing retaliation by the farm owners. Fifty-year-old Nanjamma’s shack is within 20 metres of the farm. Flies attempted to settle on both our bodies as we chatted. “The fly menace is so bad that we are not even able to eat food properly,” she said. Her waving hand chased away a few of the insects, even as others bore down in their place. Have they complained to local authorities to take action? They don’t bother, she said. “We know that they won’t do anything. And they will target us if we complain about the farm owners. We are just resigned to our fate.”

• Urban Lab

Monsoon retreats, but Delhi may get rain next week

NEW DELHI: Delhi's monsoon season ended on Thursday, with the IMD declaring the system's withdrawal from the capital. However, the city could still get some rain soon as a low-pressure developing in the Bay of Bengal is likely to bring wet weather into the region between October 3 and 6, reports Kushagra Dixit. The monsoon's withdrawal came four days later than IMD's "normal" retreat date from Delhi of September 25. The season of highly uneven rainfall ended in Delhi with an overall 19% deficit since June 1, just within the "normal" range of 20% deviation (plus or minus) from the long period average. Till September 15, Delhi had logged a massive deficit of around 39%, which reduced significantly following five-six days of incessant rain from September 19. Late monsoon withdrawal augurs well for air quality From the date of the monsoon's arrival in Delhi on June 30 till its withdrawal on Thursday, the city recorded just two heavy rain days at its base weather station, Safdarjung. "The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan," said a statement from IMD on Thursday. The current normal date for the start of the monsoon withdrawal from the country, beginning from western Rajasthan is September 17. dee However, another wet spell in Delhi-NCR could be round the corner. "There are chances of a cyclonic circulation creating a low-pressure area in Bay of Bengal due to the remnants of typhoon Noru. There is also a possibility that the low-pressure system will move towards central India by the first week of October and this may induce rain in Delhi, UP, Delhi, eastern Rajasthan, parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand," said Mahesh Palawat, deputy chairperson, meteorology and climate change, Monsoon retreats, but Delhi may get rain next week TNN | Sep 30, 2022, 04.41 AM IST Monsoon retreats, but Delhi may get rain next week NEW DELHI: Delhi's monsoon season ended on Thursday, with the IMD declaring the system's withdrawal from the capital. However, the city could still get some rain soon as a low-pressure developing in the Bay of Bengal is likely to bring wet weather into the region between October 3 and 6, reports Kushagra Dixit. The monsoon's withdrawal came four days later than IMD's "normal" retreat date from Delhi of September 25. The season of highly uneven rainfall ended in Delhi with an overall 19% deficit since June 1, just within the "normal" range of 20% deviation (plus or minus) from the long period average. Till September 15, Delhi had logged a massive deficit of around 39%, which reduced significantly following five-six days of incessant rain from September 19. Late monsoon withdrawal augurs well for air quality From the date of the monsoon's arrival in Delhi on June 30 till its withdrawal on Thursday, the city recorded just two heavy rain days at its base weather station, Safdarjung. Congratulations! You have successfully cast your vote "The southwest monsoon has withdrawn from Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan," said a statement from IMD on Thursday. The current normal date for the start of the monsoon withdrawal from the country, beginning from western Rajasthan is September 17. dee However, another wet spell in Delhi-NCR could be round the corner. "There are chances of a cyclonic circulation creating a low-pressure area in Bay of Bengal due to the remnants of typhoon Noru. There is also a possibility that the low-pressure system will move towards central India by the first week of October and this may induce rain in Delhi, UP, Delhi, eastern Rajasthan, parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand," said Mahesh Palawat, deputy chairperson, meteorology and climate change, Skymet. IMD officials said they were monitoring the movement of the low-pressure system. "We will be in a better position to say how much impact it will have in northwest India around October 1-2. There are, however, chances of a western disturbance leading to incursion of moisture from Arabian sea, which will bring in easterly winds," said R K Jenamani, senior IMD scientist. Delhi received 516.9mm rainfall during the monsoon season at Safdarjung, about half the amount it received in the last monsoon. Ayanagar churned the highest rainfall at 571.5mm, followed by northern Ridge at 559.5mm, Palam at 548.7mm and Lodhi Road at 515.5mm. "Though the monsoon was deficient (shortfall higher than 20%) until the end of the second week of September, the last two weather systems leading to rain made up for the larger deficiency. However, Delhi still has a deficit of 19%, which is just within the normal range, bordering on deficient rainfall," Palawat said. While weather analysts consider the date of withdrawal to be "almost normal" as it's just four days behind the normal date, air quality experts look at it as a good sign for better ventilation before the onset of winter. "It's good that the monsoon withdrawal occurred a bit early compared to last year. In the case of monsoon persisting till October, there is a drop in temperature with moisture levels relatively high, resulting in an inversion layer. This is a recipe for high pollution," said Avikal Somvanshi, air quality expert and programme manager at Centre for Science and Environment. An "inversion layer" forms when cold air is trapped at the Earth's surface below a layer of relatively warm air. It leads to air pollutants getting trapped close to the surface due to poor ventilation.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Finer' plan to fight air pollution to come into force from Oct 1

A 'finer' Graded Response Action Plan -- a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the national capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation -- will come into from October 1 and environment experts believe advance action this year will lead to lesser incidences of severe pollution. Earlier, GRAP would come into effect from October 15. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body established in August 2021, for management of air quality in Delhi-NCR decided to implement GRAP early, considering suggestions from the public and experts that advance action can prevent drastic deterioration in air quality. Under the revised GRAP, curbs can be imposed on polluting activities up to three days in advance based on forecasts. Earlier, the authorities would implement the measures only after the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration touched a particular threshold. This time, restrictions will be based on air quality index (AQI) values rather than PM2.5 and PM10 concentration. Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Senior Programme Manager, Clean Air Programme, Centre for Science and Environment, said: "The pre-emptive action should prevent the sudden deterioration of the air quality unless meteorological conditions become highly unfavorable." "The agencies should strengthen their baseline level action so that there is no need for emergency measures. They should be able to foresee a contingency and prepare a fool proof plan to deal with it, such as arranging CNG carriers and trucks for continuous supply of essential items," he said. Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, hoped that advance action would lead to lesser incidences of severe air quality. "However, only sustained awareness campaigns and continuous engagement with all stakeholders will resolve the problems such as stubble burning. Action just before the stubble burning period is unlikely to yield good results," he said. In Delhi, officials said the environment department will be using the new real-time source apportionment system which will help ascertain the contribution of all pollution sources in real time. The green war room will monitor violations and redress complaints and grievances in keeping with the practice being followed for the last two years. Dr Mahesh Narang, the head of the farm engineering department at Punjab Agricultural University, said the "finer" GRAP and preemptive curbs will prevent a repeat of the air quality crisis seen on Diwali and the following days last year due to the convergence of emissions from farm fires and firecrackers. "Stubble burning peaks in November and Diwali is on October 24. This is a crucial factor. So, it may not lead to a severe situation on Diwali provided all other measures are followed strictly," he said. "The government has provided more machines for the management of stubble this year. We hope for better results," Narang said. GRAP has now been classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450). Under Stage I, the CAQM has recommended strict action against polluting industries, vehicles and biomass burning. The use of coal and firewood, including in tandoors in hotels, restaurants, open eateries; and diesel generator sets, except for emergent and essential services, is banned under Stage II. If the situation turns "severe" (Stage III), authorities will have to enforce a ban on construction and demolition activities in NCR, except on essential projects (like railways, metros, airports, ISBTs, national security/defence-related projects of national importance) and non-polluting activities such as plumbing, carpentry, interior decoration and electrical works. Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels, and mining and associated activities in NCR will also be banned under Stage III. State governments in Delhi-NCR may also impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel light motor vehicles (four wheelers) under Stage III. The measures to be followed in the "Severe Plus" category or Stage IV include a ban on the entry of trucks into Delhi, and on the plying of Delhi-registered diesel-run medium goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the national capital except those carrying essential commodities. The use of four-wheeler diesel light motor vehicles, except for BS-VI vehicles and vehicles engaged in essential services, will also be banned in Delhi and the bordering districts of NCR. Stage IV will also entail a ban on industries running on dirty fuels and on construction and demolition activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission and pipelines. State governments can consider allowing 50 per cent staff to work from home in public, municipal and private offices, and additional emergency measures like closure of educational institutions and the plying of vehicles on odd-even basis etc. PTI GVS RCJ

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

New Plan, New Approach To Fight Air Pollution In Delhi From October 1: Report

Delhi Pollution: In Delhi, officials said the environment department will be using the new real-time source apportionment system which will help ascertain the contribution of all pollution sources in real time. A 'finer' Graded Response Action Plan - a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the national capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation - will come into from October 1 and environment experts believe advance action this year will lead to lesser incidences of severe pollution. Earlier, GRAP would come into effect from October 15. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body established in August 2021, for management of air quality in Delhi-NCR decided to implement GRAP early, considering suggestions from the public and experts that advance action can prevent drastic deterioration in air quality. Under the revised GRAP, curbs can be imposed on polluting activities up to three days in advance based on forecasts. Earlier, the authorities would implement the measures only after the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration touched a particular threshold. This time, restrictions will be based on air quality index (AQI) values rather than PM2.5 and PM10 concentration. Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Senior Programme Manager, Clean Air Programme, Centre for Science and Environment, said: "The pre-emptive action should prevent the sudden deterioration of the air quality unless meteorological conditions become highly unfavorable." "The agencies should strengthen their baseline level action so that there is no need for emergency measures. They should be able to foresee a contingency and prepare a fool proof plan to deal with it, such as arranging CNG carriers and trucks for continuous supply of essential items," he said. Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, hoped that advance action would lead to lesser incidences of severe air quality. "However, only sustained awareness campaigns and continuous engagement with all stakeholders will resolve the problems such as stubble burning. Action just before the stubble burning period is unlikely to yield good results," he said. In Delhi, officials said the environment department will be using the new real-time source apportionment system which will help ascertain the contribution of all pollution sources in real time. The green war room will monitor violations and redress complaints and grievances in keeping with the practice being followed for the last two years. Mahesh Narang, the head of the farm engineering department at Punjab Agricultural University, said the "finer" GRAP and preemptive curbs will prevent a repeat of the air quality crisis seen on Diwali and the following days last year due to the convergence of emissions from farm fires and firecrackers. "Stubble burning peaks in November and Diwali is on October 24. This is a crucial factor. So, it may not lead to a severe situation on Diwali provided all other measures are followed strictly," he said. "The government has provided more machines for the management of stubble this year. We hope for better results," Mr Narang said. GRAP has now been classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450). Under Stage I, the CAQM has recommended strict action against polluting industries, vehicles and biomass burning. The use of coal and firewood, including in tandoors in hotels, restaurants, open eateries; and diesel generator sets, except for emergent and essential services, is banned under Stage II. If the situation turns "severe" (Stage III), authorities will have to enforce a ban on construction and demolition activities in NCR, except on essential projects (like railways, metros, airports, ISBTs, national security/defence-related projects of national importance) and non-polluting activities such as plumbing, carpentry, interior decoration and electrical works. Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers not operating on clean fuels, and mining and associated activities in NCR will also be banned under Stage III. State governments in Delhi-NCR may also impose restrictions on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel light motor vehicles (four wheelers) under Stage III. The measures to be followed in the "Severe Plus" category or Stage IV include a ban on the entry of trucks into Delhi, and on the plying of Delhi-registered diesel-run medium goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the national capital except those carrying essential commodities. The use of four-wheeler diesel light motor vehicles, except for BS-VI vehicles and vehicles engaged in essential services, will also be banned in Delhi and the bordering districts of NCR. Promoted Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com Stage IV will also entail a ban on industries running on dirty fuels and on construction and demolition activities in linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, over bridges, power transmission and pipelines. State governments can consider allowing 50 per cent staff to work from home in public, municipal and private offices, and additional emergency measures like closure of educational institutions and the plying of vehicles on odd-even basis etc.

• Director General Office

Angela Merkel vem a Portugal para anunciar e entregar o Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade

A antiga chanceler alemã é a nova presidente do júri do prémio, no valor de 1 milhão euros, atribuído anualmente pela Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Angela Merkel virá a Portugal no próximo dia 13 de outubro para anunciar o vencedor deste ano do Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade e para entregar o mesmo. Os dois eventos realizam-se na Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, em Lisboa. A conferência de imprensa de anúncio do vencedor está marcada para as 11h30 e a cerimónia de entrega do Prémio acontecerá às 18h00. A Presidência do Júri do Prémio Gulbenkian Humanidade foi o primeiro cargo aceite por Merkel desde que cessou funções como chanceler em dezembro de 2021. Angela Merkel sucede no cargo a Jorge Sampaio, que foi presidente do júri desde a sua primeira edição. O Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade foi instituído pela Fundação com o propósito de distinguir pessoas, grupos ou organizações de todo o mundo que se têm evidenciado na mitigação e adaptação às alterações climáticas. Traduz uma das missões centrais da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian: apoiar o desenvolvimento sustentável, promovendo o bem-estar e a qualidade de vida de grupos vulneráveis da população, em equilíbrio com a proteção ambiental e a prosperidade económica. Entre as potenciais áreas de reconhecimento do Prémio, estão as que possam contribuir parareduzir ou remover emissões de gases de efeito de estufa; as ações para aumentar a resiliência das pessoas e do ambiente aos impactos das alterações climáticas; e ainda a mobilização de recursos financeiros, públicos ou privados, para acelerar a descarbonização da economia. O Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade foi atribuído pela primeira vez, em 2020, à jovem ativista sueca Greta Thunberg, que decidiu distribuir o montante por vários projetos ambientais e humanitários no Sul Global. No ano passado, o Prémio foi atribuído ao Pacto de Autarcas para o Clima e Energia — a maior aliança global para a liderança climática das cidades, sendo constituída por mais de 10 600 cidades e governos locais de 140 países, incluindo Portugal. O montante do Prémio Gulbenkian foi utilizado para apoiar a Transição Energética e a resiliência climática em África, tendo sido financiados projetos de grande dimensãoem cinco cidades no Senegal (fornecimento de água potável) enuma cidade nos Camarões (desenvolvimento de soluções de eficiência energética). Sobre o júri Presidido por Angela Merkel com a vice-presidência de Miguel Bastos Araújo (geógrafo, Prémio Pessoa 2018) o júri integra personalidades como Hans Joachim Schellnhuber (Fundador e Diretor Emérito do Instituto Potsdam de Pesquisas sobre o Impacto Climático), Johan Rockström (Diretor do Instituto Potsdam de Pesquisas sobre o Impacto Climático e Professor de Ciências do Sistema Terrestre na Universidade de Potsdam), Miguel Arias Cañete (antigo Comissário Europeu da Energia e Ação Climática), Rik Leemans (Diretor do Grupo de Análise de Sistemas Ambientais, Universidade de Wageningen), Runa Khan (Fundadora e Diretora Executiva da ONG Friendship e Presidente da Global Dignity Bangladesh), Sandra Díaz (Bióloga, Professora de Ecologia na Universidade Nacional de Córdoba e membro da Royal Society) e Sunita Narain (Diretora do Centro de Ciência e Ambiente em Deli e Editora da revista Down To Earth)

• Climate Change and Green Economy

Why Denmark is offering $13 mn in ‘loss & damages’ climate funding to developing countries

Denmark became 1st country to make 'historic pledge' at UNGA last week, in bid to help compensate for the vastly disproportionate consequences of global emissions. New Delhi: Denmark — the first country to make such a move — will donate $13 million in “loss and damages” to developing countries vulnerable to the effects of climate change, in a bid to compensate for the vastly disproportionate consequences of global emissions. Denmark made the “historic” pledge on 20 September, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The commitment came months ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) to be held in Egypt from 6 to 18 November. “It is grossly unfair that the world’s poorest should suffer the most from the consequences of climate change, to which they have contributed the least,” said Danish development minister Flemming Møller Mortensen. He added that with this new agreement, Denmark is “putting action behind words and working across civil society, authorities, the private sector and experts to solve one of the biggest challenges of our time”. But what can $13 million do to address problems of this scale? Pakistan alone incurred economic losses to the tune of $18 billion as a result of the floods that have ravaged the country this year. Estimates suggest that the floods displaced more than 330 lakh Pakistanis and washed away over 80 lakh acres of crops. Avantika Goswami of Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment told ThePrint that the pledge is a good start in terms of “setting a precedent for other wealthy countries to also open up their wallets and correct historic wrongdoing”.