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India's Heatwaves Turn Deadlier With Unusually High Air Pollution Read more at: https://www.bqprime.com/nation/indias-heatwaves-turn-deadlier-with-unusually-high-air-pollution Copyright © BQ Prime

India's air pollution is not just making its winters worse. The nation's summer heatwaves also turned deadlier with higher-than-normal levels of particulate matter. "The summer of 2022 has not only been unusually hot but also uncharacteristically high on particulate pollution, especially north India," the Centre for Science and Environment said in a new analysis. "The summer pollution challenge Read more at: https://www.bqprime.com/nation/indias-heatwaves-turn-deadlier-with-unusually-high-air-pollution Copyright © BQ Prime

India’s Heatwaves Turn Deadlier With Unusually High Air Pollution

India’s air pollution is not just making its winters worse. The nation’s summer heatwaves also turned deadlier with higher-than-normal levels of particulate matter. “The summer of 2022 has not only been unusually hot but also uncharacteristically high on particulate pollution, especially north India,” the Centre for Science and Environment said in a new analysis. “The summer pollution challenge is not limited to megacities or to one specific region; it is a widespread national problem that requires urgent and deliberate action at a national scale.” Air pollution is generally seen as a winter problem when cold weather traps air pollution and smog close to the ground. These conditions are not found during summer as warm air rises and carries pollutants away. That, however, was not the case this year. Seasonal particulate matter 2.5 levels in north, central, east and west India were all higher than the previous summer. North India fared the worst with a 23% increase in average summer pollution, followed by central India at 15.6%. South India saw no change, while northeast India saw average air quality improve between March and May. Another worrying trend noted was smaller towns, and not megacities, are becoming pollution hotspots. Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, Manesar in Haryana, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, Rohtak in Haryana and Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh were the five states with the worst summer air quality this year. Delhi-NCR continued to have the worst regional air. It had 12 of the cities in the top 20 with highest summer pollution levels. The particulate matter 2.5 levels in the NCR region were almost 3 times the average of cities in south India. Aizawl in Mizoram and Gummipondi in Tamil Nadu were the least polluted cities. “This analysis identifies the unique patterns of pollution across all regions and puts a spotlight on a large number of towns and cities that do not get policy attention,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy at CSE. “Summer particulate pollution spikes due to arid conditions, high summer heat and temperature, and more airborne dust particles that travel long distances are compounding the problem from local sources,” she said in a statement. Significant tightening of action is required to control emissions from each pollution source, Roychowdhury said.

Summer Of 2022 Hotter Than Usual; Delhi-ncr Most Polluted In N India

he north Indian summer of 2022 was hotter than usual with an uncharacteristic high air pollution. The levels of PM 2.5 were high across multiple cities and regions, indicating that air is getting fouler across the country. The findings show North India to be the most polluted, with the NCR being the summer pollution hotspot. Private research advocacy Centre for Science and Environment’s air quality tracker recorded these figures from March 1 to May 31, before the rains came in June. CSE said: “Growing desertification has put more dust into the air, and since that dust is also a carrier of toxins from vehicles, industry, power plants, and burning waste, the country needs to combat desertification and improve soil stability to reduce the heat island effect.”

India’s Heatwaves Turn Deadlier With Unusually High Air Pollution

India’s air pollution is not just making its winters worse. The nation’s summer heatwaves also turned deadlier with higher-than-normal levels of particulate matter. “The summer of 2022 has not only been unusually hot but also uncharacteristically high on particulate pollution, especially north India,” the Centre for Science and Environment said in a new analysis. “The summer pollution challenge is not limited to megacities or to one specific region; it is a widespread national problem that requires urgent and deliberate action at a national scale.” Air pollution is generally seen as a winter problem when cold weather traps air pollution and smog close to the ground. These conditions are not found during summer as warm air rises and carries pollutants away. That, however, was not the case this year. Seasonal particulate matter 2.5 levels in north, central, east and west India were all higher than the previous summer. North India fared the worst with a 23% increase in average summer pollution, followed by central India at 15.6%. South India saw no change, while northeast India saw average air quality improve between March and May. Another worrying trend noted was smaller towns, and not megacities, are becoming pollution hotspots. Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, Manesar in Haryana, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, Rohtak in Haryana and Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh were the five states with the worst summer air quality this year. Delhi-NCR continued to have the worst regional air. It had 12 of the cities in the top 20 with highest summer pollution levels. The particulate matter 2.5 levels in the NCR region were almost 3 times the average of cities in south India. Aizawl in Mizoram and Gummipondi in Tamil Nadu were the least polluted cities. “This analysis identifies the unique patterns of pollution across all regions and puts a spotlight on a large number of towns and cities that do not get policy attention,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy at CSE. “Summer particulate pollution spikes due to arid conditions, high summer heat and temperature, and more airborne dust particles that travel long distances are compounding the problem from local sources,” she said in a statement. Significant tightening of action is required to control emissions from each pollution source, Roychowdhury said.

Pollution: लोगों का दम घोंट रहा प्रदूषण, छोटे शहर बने नए हॉटस्पॉट, गर्मियों में हालात हुए बद से बदतर

दिल्ली-NCR रीजन अब भी प्रदूषण के मामले में टॉप पर है. दक्षिणी राज्यों के मुकाबले दिल्ली एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का स्तर तीन गुना ज्यादा है. इस वर्ष पिछली गर्मी के मुकाबले प्रदूषण ज्यादा रहा है.

India's Heatwaves Turn Deadlier With Unusually High Air Pollution Read more at: https://www.bqprime.com/nation/indias-heatwaves-turn-deadlier-with-unusually-high-air-pollution Copyright © BQ Prime

India's air pollution is not just making its winters worse. The nation's summer heatwaves also turned deadlier with higher-than-normal levels of particulate matter. "The summer of 2022 has not only been unusually hot but also uncharacteristically high on particulate pollution, especially north India," the Centre for Science and Environment said in a new analysis. "The summer pollution challenge Read more at: https://www.bqprime.com/nation/indias-heatwaves-turn-deadlier-with-unusually-high-air-pollution Copyright © BQ Prime

North India Most-Polluted Region In 2022 Summers: CSE

North India emerged as the most-polluted region in the country in summers this year with Delhi-NCR being the hotspot, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). North India emerged as the most-polluted region in the country in summers this year with Delhi-NCR being the hotspot, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The green think-tank said the average PM2.5 concentration in north India in summers stood at 71 micrograms per cubic metre. It was 69 micrograms per cubic metre in east India, 54 micrograms per cubic metre in west India, and 46 micrograms per cubic metre in central India, it said. Northeast India (35 micrograms per cubic metre) and South India (31 micrograms per cubic metre) were cleaner compared to other regions, it said. In north India, Delhi-NCR was found to be the most-polluted sub-region, with Bhiwadi reporting the highest average PM2.5 concentration of 134 micrograms per cubic metre. Manesar reported an average PM2.5 concentration of 119 micrograms per cubic metre, Ghaziabad (101 micrograms per cubic metre), Delhi (97 micrograms per cubic metre), Gurugram (94 micrograms per cubic metre) and Noida (80 micrograms per cubic metre), it said. PM2.5 summer average of the Delhi-NCR region is almost three times the average of the cities in southern India. The CSE used granular real-time data from the Central Pollution Control Board's portal -- Central Control Room for Air Quality Management for the analysis. The data is captured from 356 official stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) spread across 174 cities in 26 states and Union territories.

Battered by heatwaves and high PM concentration, Delhi emerges as major pollution hotspot in North India

Within the NCR, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan reported the highest PM 2.5 average of 134 µg/m³, followed by Manesar (119 µg/m³), Ghaziabad (101 µg/m³), Delhi (97 µg/m³), Gurugram (94 µg/m³) & Noida (80 µg/m³). NEW DELHI: Battered by heatwaves and high Particulate Matter (PM) concentration, Delhi-NCR emerged as a major pollution hotspot in North India this summer, a time of the year, which usually does not see high pollution levels, said a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on Wednesday which was based on a nationwide assessment of summer pollution. Summer this year was not only unusually hot but also uncharacteristically high on particulate pollution, especially in North India. High PM 2.5 levels were observed not just in megacities but in smaller towns and cities as well, said the report. According to the report, North India was the most polluted with Delhi -NCR being the hotspot. Within the NCR, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan reported the highest PM 2.5 average of 134 µg/m³. This was followed by Manesar (119 µg/m³), Ghaziabad (101 µg/m³), Delhi (97 µg/m³), Gurugram (94 µg/m³) and Noida (80 µg/m³), the report states. “The PM2.5 average of NCR region is almost three times the average of the cities in southern India,” it said. The findings have emerged from the analysis of summer air quality undertaken as part of the air quality tracker initiative of the Urban Lab at CSE. However, daily peak pollution levels were found to be the highest in east India 168ug/m3, with cities of Bihar recording the highest levels. North India with 142 µg/m³ summer peak was the second worst in the country. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager at the Urban Lab, said that the average pollution this summer is higher than the previous summer. North India has recorded a staggering 23% increase in seasonal PM2.5 levels compared to the previous summer based on an average of cities that have valid daily PM2.5 concentration data of both summers (1 March to 31 May). “Within the region, NCR was the worst performing sub-region with 25.8% increase in seasonal PM2.5 level. Central India registered an increase of 15.6% while West India (4.2%) and East India (1.8%) registered increase under 5%,” it said. High summer pollution is a result of a combination of pollution from vehicles, industry, power plants, waste burning, and dust sources and wind-blown dust, aggravated by heat and arid conditions. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of CSE, said, “Due to heat conditions and growing desertification, summer months usually see high dust impacts. The dust is also a carrier of toxic substances from combustion sources including vehicles, industry, power plants etc. This requires significant tightening of action to control emissions from each pollution source as well as massive efforts to combat desertification, improve soil stabilisation, green-walling through afforestation, and reduce the heat island effect in cities,” she said.

North India is most polluted, Delhi-NCR region a hotspot: Study

Daily peak pollution highest in Bihar cities North India is most polluted with the Delhi-NCR region being a hotspot according to new data. A national assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has put forth that the Particulate Matter2.5 average in the northern capital region is almost three times the average of cities in southern India. While pollution this summer has been higher than pollution last summer; the highest daily peak of pollution has been recorded in cities of Bihar. It is also interesting to note that it is not the mega cities which are most polluted but smaller cities have become pollution hotspots. Bhiwandi in Rajasthan tops the list. The high level of summer pollution is the result of a combination of pollution from vehicles, industry, power plants, waste burning, and dust sources and wind-blown dust, aggravated by heat and arid conditions. For the study, data from March 1 to May 31 has been considered. Besides the fact that Delhi-NCR is the most polluted, other major findings are that daily peak pollution was the highest in east India, with cities of Bihar recording the highest levels: Summer daily peak PM2.5 levels for east India stood at 168 µg/m³, the highest among all the regions. North India with 142 µg/m³ summer peak was the second worst. West India (106 µg/m³), central India (89 µg/m³), cortheast India (81 µg/m³) and south India (65 µg/m³) also recorded summer peak in excess of 60 µg/m. Within north India, Delhi NCR was found to be most polluted sub-region. The cities of Bihar recorded very high summer PM2.5 averages, with Bihar Sharif reporting the highest summer peak of 285 µg/m³. Katihar (245 µg/m³) and Patna (200 µg/m³) also recorded peak level in excess of 200 µg/m³. Rohtak recorded the highest peak pollution in north India with a 258 µg/m³ daily peak. Another key finding is that north India has recorded a staggering 23 per cent increase in seasonal PM2.5 level compared to the previous summer. Within north India, NCR was the worst performing sub-region with 25.8 per cent increase in seasonal PM2.5 level. Central India registered increase of 15.6 per cent while west India (4.2 per cent) and east India (1.8 per cent) registered increase under five per cent. South India showed no change in the seasonal average but saw a decline of 22 per cent in seasonal peak. Northeast India registered drop in both seasonal average (-12.8 per cent) and seasonal peak (-18.3 per cent). East India was the only region which registered an increase in its seasonal peak compared to last summer. In south India, eight cities show an increasing trend. Kozhikode saw a jump of 76 per cent in summer average and 17 per cent increase in peak. Kochi has the most divergent trend with 55 per cent increase in the summer average but its peak increase by 145 per cent. Other cities with increasing trend in the region are Madikeri, Bengaluru, Puducherry, Amravati, Chikkaballapur, and Thiruvananthapuram. “This analysis identifies the unique patterns of pollution across all regions and puts a spotlight on a large number of towns and cities that do not get policy attention. Summer particulate pollution spikes due to arid conditions, high summer heat and temperature, and more airborne dust particles that travel long distances compounding the problem from local sources,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE.

Verano de 2022 golpeado por olas de calor, alta contaminación por partículas, calificación CSE

BATHINDA: El verano de 2022 no solo fue inusualmente caluroso, sino también inusualmente alto en contaminación por partículas, especialmente en el norte de India. Se observaron niveles altos de PM 2.5 en varias ciudades y regiones, ya que la contaminación no se ha limitado a unas pocas megaciudades o una región específica, sino que se ha convertido en un problema nacional generalizado. Esto es según el análisis de calidad del aire de verano realizado como parte de la iniciativa de seguimiento de la calidad del aire por el laboratorio de la ciudad el Centro de Ciencias y Medio Ambiente (CSE). Para el análisis se han tenido en cuenta los días de verano del 1 de marzo al 31 de mayo, ya que durante el mes de junio habían caído lluvias en varias regiones. A medida que la disponibilidad de datos de calidad del aire en tiempo real ha mejorado en varias regiones con la expansión de los sistemas de monitoreo de la calidad del aire, se ha vuelto posible evaluar las diferencias regionales y comprender las tendencias regionales únicas. “Este análisis identifica los patrones de contaminación únicos en todas las regiones y destaca una amplia gama de ciudades que no reciben atención política. La contaminación por partículas de verano aumenta debido a las condiciones secas, el calor y la temperatura altos del verano, y más partículas de polvo en el aire que viajan largas distancias, lo que agravando el problema de fuentes locales”, dice Anumita Roychowdhury, Directora Ejecutiva, Investigación y Promoción, CSE. “Esta iniciativa de seguimiento de la calidad del aire ha ayudado a evaluar la calidad del aire en el verano para realizar comparaciones entre pares dentro de cada región y comprender las diferencias interregionales necesarias para informar la acción política. Varias regiones experimentaron una alta contaminación por partículas debido a que las condiciones de las olas de calor también fueron generalizadas e intensas”. dice Avikal Somvanshi, gerente senior de programas en Urban Lab. Este análisis de datos se basa en datos granulares en tiempo real disponibles públicamente (promedio de 15 minutos) del portal en línea oficial de la Junta Central de Control de la Contaminación (CPCB), Sala de control central para la gestión de la calidad del aire. Los datos se capturan de 356 estaciones oficiales bajo el Sistema de Monitoreo Continuo de la Calidad del Aire Ambiental (CAAQMS) repartidas en 174 ciudades en 26 estados y territorios de la Unión. Según los hallazgos, el norte de la India es el más contaminado, con Delhi-NCR como el punto crítico de contaminación del verano. El PM2.5 promedio de verano para el norte de la India fue de 71 µg/m³, el más alto entre todas las regiones. East India, con un promedio de verano de 69 µg/m³, fue el segundo peor. Las Indias Occidentales (54 µg/m³) y la India central (46 µg/m³) también registraron un acceso estival de 40 µg/m³. Noreste de la India (35 µg/m³) y el sur de la India (31 µg/m³) fueron más limpias en comparación con otras regiones. La contaminación máxima diaria fue más alta en el este de la India, y las ciudades de Bihar registraron los niveles más altos. Resultó que la contaminación promedio este verano fue más alta que el verano anterior. El norte de la India ha registrado un asombroso aumento del 23 por ciento en los niveles estacionales de PM2.5 en comparación con el verano anterior, según un promedio de ciudades que tienen datos válidos de concentración diaria de PM2.5 para ambos veranos. Las ciudades más pequeñas dominan la lista más contaminada para este verano. El camino a seguir: dice Roychowdhury: “En general, se espera que la contaminación estacional sea muy variable debido al impacto de la contaminación local y regional y las influencias meteorológicas y climáticas que deben informar la formulación de políticas. Debido a las condiciones secas y cálidas y la creciente desertificación, Los meses de verano suelen ser testigos de grandes impactos de polvo. Sin embargo, el polvo también es portador de sustancias tóxicas de fuentes de combustión, incluidos vehículos, industrias, plantas de energía y quema de desechos. Si bien es necesario investigar la naturaleza local de este problema en todas las regiones , esto requiere un esfuerzo significativo para controlar las emisiones de todas las fuentes contaminantes, así como un esfuerzo masivo para combatir la desertificación, mejorar la estabilización del suelo y las paredes verdes a través de la forestación y reducir el efecto de isla de calor en las ciudades”.

उत्तर भारत 2022 की गर्मियों में देश का सबसे प्रदूषित क्षेत्र रहा : सीएसई

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने अपने नये विश्लेषण में कहा है कि 2022 की गर्मियों में उत्तर भारत देश का सबसे प्रदूषित क्षेत्र रहा और उसमें दिल्ली-एनसीआर का क्षेत्र प्रमुख रहा। पर्यावरण से जुड़े थिंक टैंक ने कहा कि गर्मियों में उत्तर भारत में प्रदूषकारी तत्व पीएम2.5 की मात्रा 71 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर दर्ज की गई। सीएसई ने कहा कि पूर्वी भारत में यह 69 माइक्रोग्राम, पश्चिमी भारत में 54 माइक्रोग्राम और मध्य भारत में 46 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रहा। उसने बताया कि पूर्वोत्तर भारत में यह 35 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर और दक्षिण भारत में यह 31 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर दर्ज किया गया। उत्तर भारत में दिल्ली-एनसीआर सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित रहा। इस दौरान भिवाड़ी में पीएम2.5 की मात्रा सबसे ज्यादा 134 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रही। मानेसर में पीएम2.5 की मात्रा 119 माइक्रोग्राम, गाजियाबाद में 101 माइक्रोग्राम, दिल्ली में 97 माइक्रोग्राम, गुरुग्राम में 94 माइक्रोग्राम और नोएडा में 80 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर दर्ज की गई। दिल्ली-एनसीआर में गर्मियों में पीएम2.5 की मात्रा दक्षिण भारत के शहरों के मुकाबले करीब तीन गुना ज्यादा रही।

North India most-polluted region in 2022 summers: CSE

NEW DELHI: North India emerged as the most-polluted region in the country in summers this year with Delhi-NCR being the hotspot, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The green think-tank said the average PM2.5 concentration in north India in summers stood at 71 microgram per cubic metre. It was 69 microgram per cubic metre in east India, 54 microgram per cubic metre in west India, and 46 microgram per cubic metre in central India, it said. Northeast India (35 microgram per cubic metre) and South India (31 microgram per cubic metre) were cleaner compared to other regions, it said. In north India, Delhi-NCR was found to be the most-polluted sub-region, with Bhiwadi reporting the highest average PM2.5 concentration of 134 microgram per cubic metre. Manesar reported average PM2.5 concentration of 119 microgram per cubic metre, Ghaziabad (101 microgram per cubic metre), Delhi (97 microgram per cubic metre), Gurugram (94 microgram per cubic metre) and Noida (80 microgram per cubic metre), it said. PM2.5 summer average of Delhi-NCR region is almost three times the average of the cities in southern India. The CSE used granular real-time data from the Central Pollution Control Board's portal -- Central Control Room for Air Quality Management for the analysis. The data is captured from 356 official stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) spread across 174 cities in 26 states and Union territories.

Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition

Supertech Limited’s twin towers to be demolished. UPPCB has concerns about the environmental impact. ADVERTISEMENT Home News Environment Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition Supertech Limited’s twin towers to be demolished. UPPCB has concerns about the environmental impact. Sadhika Tiwari Updated: 24 Aug 2022, 6:27 PM IST Environment 6 min read Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition i Share Share Share Share Share Comments On February 7 the Supreme Court had ordered the demolition of 100 metre tall, 40 storied, Supertech Limited’s illegal twin towers, which were constructed in violation of building bylaws. After the date being changed several times, the Supreme court on August 12 said that the demolition will finally happen on August 28, 2:30 PM. In case the weather conditions are not conducive or there are any technical delays, the SC has given until September 4 for the demolition. The demolition will now be done with a controlled explosion. However, there are major concerns regarding the environmental impact even a controlled explosion would have specially on the nearby buildings. The biggest concern for the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), is the dust cloud that is likely to rise up post the demolition, and experts are worried about how this may affect the air quality in the surrounding locality. “Because a large amount of concrete will be blasted, there certainly will be a high concentration for PM10 for a few days. PM 2.5 levels will be impacted, but more PM 10 will be released. Because it is concrete, coarser particles are going to be emitted more.” Dr Sachchida Nand Tripathi, Senior Professor of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur ADVERTISEMENT Home News Environment Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition Supertech Limited’s twin towers to be demolished. UPPCB has concerns about the environmental impact. Sadhika Tiwari Updated: 24 Aug 2022, 6:27 PM IST Environment 6 min read Dust Pollution A Concern; Say Experts On Noida Twin-Tower Demolition i Share Share Share Share Share Comments On February 7 the Supreme Court had ordered the demolition of 100 metre tall, 40 storied, Supertech Limited’s illegal twin towers, which were constructed in violation of building bylaws. After the date being changed several times, the Supreme court on August 12 said that the demolition will finally happen on August 28, 2:30 PM. In case the weather conditions are not conducive or there are any technical delays, the SC has given until September 4 for the demolition. Also Read Noida Supertech Demolition: What Are the Evacuation Guidelines For Neighbours? Noida Supertech Demolition: What Are the Evacuation Guidelines For Neighbours? ADVERTISEMENT The demolition will now be done with a controlled explosion. However, there are major concerns regarding the environmental impact even a controlled explosion would have specially on the nearby buildings. The biggest concern for the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), is the dust cloud that is likely to rise up post the demolition, and experts are worried about how this may affect the air quality in the surrounding locality. “Because a large amount of concrete will be blasted, there certainly will be a high concentration for PM10 for a few days. PM 2.5 levels will be impacted, but more PM 10 will be released. Because it is concrete, coarser particles are going to be emitted more.” Dr Sachchida Nand Tripathi, Senior Professor of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur Also Read Supertech Twin Towers Demolition: ‘No Fly Zone’ for Drones in Noida on 28 August Supertech Twin Towers Demolition: ‘No Fly Zone’ for Drones in Noida on 28 August ADVERTISEMENT SOPs Must to Minimise Environmental Impact More than 3,500 kg of explosives will be used to bring down the 40-storey towers located in Noida Sector 93A. These towers are taller than Delhi's Qutub Minar and will become India's highest structures ever to be demolished. Edifice Engineering announced that they intend to create a controlled explosion and the area surrounding the site will be closed off with 225 tonnes of wired mesh made of galvanised iron and geo-textile approximately 110-km in length. The surrounding community--Emerald Court and ATS Village, both societies will be covered in similar geo-textile cloth. Evacuation plans have been made for the people in these societies and those even further than the immediate blast impact range. Residents in neighbouring societies have been asked to evacuate by 7 am the same day. "This demolition is happening at such a scale for the first time and for sure our practices will fall short. Because these practices are for planned gradual work. They are not meant to take care of such a catastrophe that we are now looking at." Rajneesh Sareen, Programme Director, Sustainable Buildings and Habitat Programme, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi While Edifice Engineering seems to be sticking as closely as possible to the guidelines provided for dust mitigation and control, we will only be able to see the impact of this event and the adverse effects that will follow post the demolition, say experts.

ट्विन टॉवर गिरते ही दिल्‍ली-NCR में बढ़ेगा प्रदूषण, नोएडा में लंबा रह सकता है असर, CSE विशेषज्ञ बोले

नई दिल्‍ली. नोएडा में बनी सुपरटेक ट्विन टावरों (Super Tech Twin Towers) को गिराए जाने का दिन नजदीक आ गया है. इसके लिए इमारतों में विस्‍फोटक लगाने की प्रक्रिया भी पूरी कर ली गई है. 28 अगस्‍त को इन दोनों टावरों को ध्‍वस्‍त कर दिया जाएगा. भारी मात्रा में पैदा होने वाली धूल और मिट्टी के प्रदूषण से बचने और इमारत गिरने के दौरान सुरक्षित रहने के लिए आसपास की इमारतों में रहने वाले लोगों को भी एक दिन के लिए वहां से हटाया जाएगा. हालांकि पर्यावरण विशेषज्ञों की मानें तो मसला सिर्फ एक दिन की धूल-मिट्टी का नहीं है बल्कि इमारतों के गिरने से पैदा हुआ वायु प्रदूषण (Air Pollution) कई दिनों तक परेशान करेगा. इतना ही नहीं इस ध्‍वस्‍तीकरण से न केवल ट्विन टावर (Twin Tower) के इलाके में रह रहे लोगों को पर्यावरण प्रदूषण संबंधी दिक्‍कतें झेलनी पड़ेंगी, बल्कि पूरे दिल्‍ली एनसीआर में प्रदूषण (Pollution in Delhi-NCR) का स्‍तर बढ़ने का अनुमान है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के क्‍लीन एयर कैंपेन प्रोग्राम मैनेजर अविकल सोमवंशी कहते हैं कि ट्विन टावर को गिराने का काम वैसे तो पूरे नियम-कानूनों के अनुसार हो रहा है. ध्‍वस्‍तीकरण के दौरान होने वाली धूल के लिए वहां ऑटोमैटिक वाटर स्प्रिंकलर के साथ वाटर टेंडर मौजूद रहेंगे. इसके अलावा लोगों की सुरक्षा से लेकर बचाव के लिए हर चीज का ध्‍यान रखा जा रहा है लेकिन भारत में पहली बार इतनी बड़ी इमारतें विस्‍फोटकों से गिराई जा रही हैं, इसका असर दिल्‍ली-एनसीआर की हवा में दिखाई देगा. जब भी कोई छोटा मकान बनता है या छोटी इमारत ढहाई जाती है तो हफ्तों तक उस इलाके में धूल और मिट्टी फैल जाती है जबकि ये तो 100 मीटर से भी ज्‍यादा ऊंची और काफी बड़ी दो इमारतें हैं. अविकल कहते हैं कि यह एक अच्‍छी बात है कि इन इमारतों को इस मौसम में गिराया जा रहा है. जबकि हवा भी चल रही है और बारिश का भी मौसम है. अगर इमारतें गिरने के बाद बारिश (Rain) हो जाती है तो यह काफी अच्‍छा होगा. इससे उड़ती धूल, प्रदूषण के बड़े और छोटे कण बैठ जाएंगे. हवा में कम घुटन और प्रदूषण होगा और यह आसपास रहने वाले लोगों के लिए बेहतर होगा लेकिन अगर बारिश नहीं होती और तेज हवा चलती है तो ये मिट्टी के कण उड़कर दूर तक जाएंगे. यह निश्चित ही ट्विन टावर के आस-पास रह रहे लोगों को भी परेशान करने के अलावा दूर-दराज तक हवा में मौजूद रहेंगे और प्रदूषण को बढ़ाएंगे. इससे पूरा अनुमान है कि दिल्‍ली-एनसीआर के प्रदूषण स्‍तर में इजाफा होगा और खासतौर पर नोएडा की वायु गुणवत्‍ता पर असर देखा जा सकेगा. अविकल कहते हैं कि छोटी इमारतों में प्रदूषण को रोकने के लिए कई चीजें की जाती हैं. धूल पर पानी डालने के अलावा उस एरिया को हरे कवर से ढका जाता है लेकिन यह ज्‍यादा बड़ी बिल्डिंग हैं, उसके लिए इतनी ज्‍यादा सुरक्षा करना काफी मुश्किल है और फिर ऊपर से वह विस्‍फोट के माध्‍यम से गिराई जा रही है. लिहाजा इमारतों में विस्‍फोट के बाद जब तक पूरा मलबा उस जगह से साफ नहीं हो जाएगा. तब तक जैसे-जैसे हवा चलेगी, परेशानी होगी. केरल में टावर गिरने पर बढ़ा था प्रदूषण वे कहते हैं कि केरल के कोच्चि और मराडु में चार टावर गिराई गई थीं. उस जगह से मलबा हटाने में दो महीने से भी ज्‍यादा का समय लगा था. इससे वहां की वायु में प्रदूषण पांच गुना तक बढ़ा हुआ देखा गया था. वायु गुणवत्‍ता में आई इस खराबी का खामियाजा वहां के लोगों को स्‍वास्‍थ्‍य संबंधी परेशानियों के रूप में झेलना पड़ा था. नोएडा की ट्विन टावरों से भी काफी ज्‍यादा मलबा निकलेगा, जो एक से दो महीनों में जाकर पूरी तरह साफ होगा, ऐसे में वहां आसपास रहने वाले लोगों के लिए भी यह एक चुनौती से कम नहीं है. हालांकि काफी हद तक चीजें मौसम और हवा की गति पर निर्भर करेंगी.

North India most-polluted region in 2022 summers: CSE

North India emerged as the most-polluted region in the country in summers this year with Delhi-NCR being the hotspot, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The green think-tank said the average PM2.5 concentration in north India in summers stood at 71 microgram per cubic metre. It was 69 microgram per cubic metre in east India, 54 microgram per cubic metre in west India, and 46 microgram per cubic metre in central India, it said. Northeast India (35 microgram per cubic metre) and South India (31 microgram per cubic metre) were cleaner compared to other regions, it said. In north India, Delhi-NCR was found to be the most-polluted sub-region, with Bhiwadi reporting the highest average PM2.5 concentration of 134 microgram per cubic metre. Manesar reported average PM2.5 concentration of 119 microgram per cubic metre, Ghaziabad (101 microgram per cubic metre), Delhi (97 microgram per cubic metre), Gurugram (94 microgram per cubic metre) and Noida (80 microgram per cubic metre), it said. PM2.5 summer average of Delhi-NCR region is almost three times the average of the cities in southern India. The CSE used granular real-time data from the Central Pollution Control Board's portal -- Central Control Room for Air Quality Management for the analysis. The data is captured from 356 official stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) spread across 174 cities in 26 states and Union territories. PTI GVS TDS TDS

Namibia says it will not replace the cheetahs India rejected as part of translocation project

Namibia has said it has no intention of replacing the three cheetahs that the Indian government rejected on the grounds that the animals were bred in captivity and would not be able to hunt, in an “unfortunate” blow to India’s ambitious translocation project. Namibia’s environment and forest ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda told The Independent on Tuesday the country cannot provide any more wild cats to India for its “Project Cheetah” as its own population of the species is limited. India’s ambitious plan to repopulate its extinct cheetah population suffered the setback as Namibia, one of the partner countries from where the animals were to be translocated, shot down the claims that the cheetahs were captively bred. “We deny such allegations and claims given by India. The cheetahs are not captive animals. They were captured when they were young and were exposed to hunting,” Mr Muyunda said in a statement. Namibia has no intention to give other cheetahs to replace the three rejected ones, he added. Mr Muyunda also termed the rejection “unfortunate” and said it was the Indian government that had handpicked the cheetahs that it later rejected. “It’s unfortunate that India is rejecting these cheetahs. As the government, we were not involved in the selection of the cheetahs earmarked for India, this was done between the Indian government and a nonprofit organisation called Cheetah Conservation Fund of Namibia in Otjiwarongo,” Mr Muyunda explained. The ministry was assured by the fund that the cheetahs were not captive, he added. The cheetahs that are to be sent to India are currently being quarantined in Namibia for their rehabitilation at the Kuno wildlife sanctuary located in India’s central Madhya Pradesh state. The rejected ones will be reintroduced back to the wild in Namibia amid concerns about monitoring, according to a local report. One concern over the project has been the already existing population of leopards, which experts have said could complicate the ambitious intercontinental project as the top two apex predators would be forced to compete for territory. Officials have also been using two elephants to locate and tranquilise leopards at the Kuno sanctuary to avoid the competition for territory, reported Delhi-based nonprofit Centre for Science and Environment’s environmental magazine Down To Earth. Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala, the dean of the Wildlife Institute of India and one of the experts overseeing the conservation initiative, pointed out that the three selected cheetahs “were not able to catch wild prey”, reported The Times of India. Fewer cheetahs coming into the country could possibly mean a further delay in the implementation of the rehabilitation project. India’s federal environment and forest ministry had formally announced the launch of the project last month to “establish a viable cheetah metapopulation in India that allows the cheetah to perform its functional role as a top predator”. India and Namibia had signed a memorandum to this effect in July to bring back the cheetah into India, seven decades after the wild cats went extinct due to hunting. A similar agreement has been signed by South Africa as well. The Independent has reached out to India's environment minister Bhupender Yadav for comment.