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Industrial Pollution

As heat cuts power in India's 'coal capital', locals seek fair energy share

Jharkhand is one of India's poorest states and also among its top coal producers, with 150 mines As part of his wedding preparations, Vijay Rajak had a bathroom added to his house so that his wife wouldn't have to walk miles to a lake like other women from his village in the east Indian coal state of Jharkhand. He connected the bathroom tap to a storage tank powered by an electric water pump, but his effort was scuppered by frequent power outages in his village, which have also hit other parts of India amid a heatwave-driven power crisis over the past month. Extreme heat in India pushed up electricity use to unprecedented highs with people cranking up their air-conditioning, causing widespread power cuts since April as utilities scrambled to meet demand amid dwindling coal supplies. Jharkhand locals say the lack of power is unfair on their state, whose coal reserves light up big cities and power the nation's industries. "There is an open-cast coal mine on what was once my land - and yet we don't have power for 10 hours or more," Rajak, 30, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Surunga village in Dhanbad district, India's coal capital. "We have been burning in this pollution for years because of the coal mine, but haven't gained anything. All I wanted was for my wife to feel comfortable and to be able to take a bath at home," he said. K K Verma, managing director of the Jharkhand state power distribution company, JBVNL, attributed the power cuts to local conditions such as thunderstorms and old overhead power lines and conductors that need costly upgrades.As long as Jharkhand gets its full allocation from central power companies, there is no electricity shortage in the state, he noted.Analysts said this dependence is at the heart of the state's power crunch, as national-level generation has been unable to keep up with demand, partly due to severe coal shortages."Jharkhand has not added a single megawatt of power in two decades and has been buying power from thermal plants in other states that have their own priorities," said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director for industrial pollution at the Centre for Science and Environment.The state hopes its two planned thermal coal power plants - one set to start operating in the next six months - will solve its problems.But analysts said that could be a misplaced step when the wider world is moving to renewable energy."On a heating planet, as power consumption is soaring with heatwaves gripping more cities, Jharkhand must plan for its future now," said researcher Yadav, pointing out that the state's current plans will feed rising demand for coal. "Jharkhand has to change its mindset that it is 'coal-rich'. The state's just transition must start now," he added.Diesel dilemmaA socially fair shift to a greener energy model appears to be some way off in most parts of India whose local economies rely on the coal industry.People living in coal-mining hubs battle multiple challenges, from air and water pollution to water scarcity  and poor infrastructure.In Jharkhand, where more than 40 per cent of its 33 million people are poor, power outages are the biggest barrier to development, locals said.According to a 2020 analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, about 80 per cent of households in the state experienced at least one power cut a day, lasting for up to eight hours - twice as long as those recorded in other coal-rich states like Chhattisgarh and Odisha.Uninterrupted power supply has been a poll promise for years, featuring heavily in current campaigns for village council elections, but there has been little progress on the ground, locals said."We are the coal capital and we don't have power. This is like owning a dairy farm and you are not getting even half a litre of milk," said Dhanbad resident Sanoj Singh, who blamed power cuts for losses in his construction business.Generators are in huge demand in Dhanbad, fuelling worries about diesel consumption."A 5kg generator that can power an entire house consumes 1.5 litres of diesel per hour. We know generators cause harmful emissions but how (otherwise) do people survive the heat?" asked Paras Yadav, who rents out generators in Dhanbad.Pandemic pushHousehold power connections in Jharkhand have shot up to 5 million in the past three years from 3 million, thanks to state schemes to electrify rural areas and the return of several hundred thousand migrants from cities during Covid-19 lockdowns, some of whom stayed, officials said.That has boosted power demand, even as a large share of new consumers cannot afford to pay bills.About 2.5 million power connections belong to very poor people in semi-urban and remote villages, where there is high demand from cottage industries but revenue generation is low largely because of billing and payment issues, said officials.Jharkhand - which, like other states including even rich ones, owes billions of rupees in back payments to power generation companies - covered enough of its dues this year to maintain its supply, officials said.Power connections have helped many like Ruby Mahto, 32, a farmer in East Singhbhum district, about 200 km north of Dhanbad.She connected a water pump to a well to irrigate her one-acre farm two years ago, but now has to drag buckets of water with ropes as power cuts have left her pump lying idle."We wait for power all day and the minute we connect the pipe to the pump, the power snaps," she said.Rajak's wife Basanti Kumari, 25, meanwhile, is thankful that her husband's village still has a better power supply than her parents' in the steel manufacturing hub of Bokaro.Yet her days are busier than ever, as she grinds spices on stone and fills water containers for cooking and cleaning before walking over a mile to bathe, unable to use her electrical equipment when the power drops out."It is so hot so we can't even skip taking a bath. I have to be careful with people around. What choice do I have?" she said. Jharkhand is one of India's poorest states and also among its top coal producers, with 150 mines. Coal fuels over 70 per cent of the country's electricity generation - and yet inhabitants of this coal-rich region complain that frequent power blackouts are derailing their lives and work. Jharkhand electricity board officials said the region has sufficient power to meet peak summer demand of about 2,600 megawatts from federal, private and state-owned power utilities.Similar outages were experienced in other parts of India last month when demand peaked, they added.

Industrial Pollution

As heat cuts power in India's 'coal capital', locals seek fair energy share

As part of his wedding preparations, Vijay Rajak had a bathroom added to his house so that his wife wouldn't have to walk miles to a lake like other women from his village in the east Indian coal state of Jharkhand. He connected the bathroom tap to a storage tank powered by an electric water pump, but his effort was scuppered by frequent power outages in his village, which have also hit other parts of India amid a heatwave-driven power crisis over the past month. Extreme heat in India pushed up electricity use to unprecedented highs with people cranking up their air-conditioning, causing widespread power cuts since April as utilities scrambled to meet demand amid dwindling coal supplies. Jharkhand locals say the lack of power is unfair on their state, whose coal reserves light up big cities and power the nation's industries. "There is an open-cast coal mine on what was once my land - and yet we don't have power for 10 hours or more," Rajak, 30, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Surunga village in Dhanbad district, India's coal capital. "We have been burning in this pollution for years because of the coal mine, but haven't gained anything. All I wanted was for my wife to feel comfortable and to be able to take a bath at home," he said. Jharkhand is one of India's poorest states and also among its top coal producers, with 150 mines. Coal fuels over 70% of the country's electricity generation - and yet inhabitants of this coal-rich region complain that frequent power blackouts are derailing their lives and work. Jharkhand electricity board officials said the region has sufficient power to meet peak summer demand of about 2,600 megawatts from federal, private and state-owned power utilities. Similar outages were experienced in other parts of India last month when demand peaked, they added. K.K. Verma, managing director of the Jharkhand state power distribution company, JBVNL, attributed the power cuts to local conditions such as thunderstorms and old overhead power lines and conductors that need costly upgrades. As long as Jharkhand gets its full allocation from central power companies, there is no electricity shortage in the state, he noted. "Jharkhand has not added a single megawatt of power in two decades and has been buying power from thermal plants in other states that have their own priorities," said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director for industrial pollution at the Centre for Science and Environment. The state hopes its two planned thermal coal power plants - one set to start operating in the next six months - will solve its problems.

Industrial Pollution

FEATURE-As heat cuts power in India's 'coal capital', locals seek fair energy share

* Daily power cuts last over 10 hours in coal-rich Jharkhand * Demand for diesel generators shot up during heatwave * 'Think beyond coal' for a cleaner future, say experts By Roli Srivastava MUMBAI, May 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As part of his wedding preparations, Vijay Rajak had a bathroom added to his house so that his wife wouldn't have to walk miles to a lake like other women from his village in the east Indian coal state of Jharkhand. * Daily power cuts last over 10 hours in coal-rich Jharkhand * Demand for diesel generators shot up during heatwave * 'Think beyond coal' for a cleaner future, say experts By Roli Srivastava As part of his wedding preparations, Vijay Rajak had a bathroom added to his house so that his wife wouldn't have to walk miles to a lake like other women from his village in the east Indian coal state of Jharkhand. He connected the bathroom tap to a storage tank powered by an electric water pump, but his effort was scuppered by frequent power outages in his village, which have also hit other parts of India amid a heatwave-driven power crisis over the past month. Extreme heat in India pushed up electricity use to unprecedented highs https://www.reuters.com/world/india/unrelenting-heat-india-pushes-april-power-demand-record-high-2022-05-02 with people cranking up their air-conditioning, causing widespread power cuts since April as utilities scrambled to meet demand amid dwindling coal supplies. Jharkhand locals say the lack of power is unfair on their state, whose coal reserves light up big cities and power the nation's industries. "There is an open-cast coal mine on what was once my land - and yet we don't have power for 10 hours or more," Rajak, 30, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Surunga village in Dhanbad district, India's coal capital. "We have been burning in this pollution for years because of the coal mine, but haven't gained anything. All I wanted was for my wife to feel comfortable and to be able to take a bath at home," he said. Jharkhand is one of India's poorest states and also among its top coal producers, with 150 mines. Coal fuels over 70% of the country's electricity generation - and yet inhabitants of this coal-rich region complain that frequent power blackouts are derailing their lives and work. Jharkhand electricity board officials said the region has sufficient power to meet peak summer demand of about 2,600 megawatts from federal, private and state-owned power utilities. Similar outages were experienced in other parts of India last month when demand peaked, they added. K.K. Verma, managing director of the Jharkhand state power distribution company, JBVNL, attributed the power cuts to local conditions such as thunderstorms and old overhead power lines and conductors that need costly upgrades. As long as Jharkhand gets its full allocation from central power companies, there is no electricity shortage in the state, he noted. Analysts said this dependence is at the heart of the state's power crunch, as national-level generation has been unable to keep up with demand, partly due to severe coal shortages. "Jharkhand has not added a single megawatt of power in two decades and has been buying power from thermal plants in other states that have their own priorities," said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director for industrial pollution at the Centre for Science and Environment. The state hopes its two planned thermal coal power plants - one set to start operating in the next six months - will solve its problems. But analysts said that could be a misplaced step when the wider world is moving to renewable energy. "On a heating planet, as power consumption is soaring with heatwaves gripping more cities, Jharkhand must plan for its future now," said researcher Yadav, pointing out that the state's current plans will feed rising demand for coal. "Jharkhand has to change its mindset that it is 'coal-rich'. The state's just transition must start now," he added. DIESEL DILEMMA A socially fair shift to a greener energy model appears to be some way off in most parts of India whose local economies rely on the coal industry. People living in coal-mining hubs battle multiple challenges, from air and water pollution to water scarcity https://news.trust.org/item/20210727040048-82ut7 and poor infrastructure. In Jharkhand, where more than 40% of its 33 million people are poor, power outages are the biggest barrier to development, locals said. According to a 2020 analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, about 80% of households in the state experienced at least one power cut a day, lasting for up to eight hours - twice as long as those recorded in other coal-rich states like Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Uninterrupted power supply has been a poll promise for years, featuring heavily in current campaigns for village council elections, but there has been little progress on the ground, locals said. "We are the coal capital and we don't have power. This is like owning a dairy farm and you are not getting even half a litre of milk," said Dhanbad resident Sanoj Singh, who blamed power cuts for losses in his construction business. Generators are in huge demand in Dhanbad, fuelling worries about diesel consumption. "A 5kg generator that can power an entire house consumes 1.5 litres of diesel per hour. We know generators cause harmful emissions but how (otherwise) do people survive the heat?" asked Paras Yadav, who rents out generators in Dhanbad. PANDEMIC PUSH Household power connections in Jharkhand have shot up to 5 million in the past three years from 3 million, thanks to state schemes to electrify rural areas and the return of several hundred thousand migrants from cities during COVID-19 lockdowns https://longreads.trust.org/item/india-coronavirus-migrant-workers-reluctant-return, some of whom stayed, officials said. That has boosted power demand, even as a large share of new consumers cannot afford to pay bills. About 2.5 million power connections belong to very poor people in semi-urban and remote villages, where there is high demand from cottage industries but revenue generation is low largely because of billing and payment issues, said officials. Jharkhand - which, like other states including even rich ones, owes billions of rupees in back payments to power generation companies - covered enough of its dues this year to maintain its supply, officials said. Power connections have helped many like Ruby Mahto, 32, a farmer in East Singhbhum district, about 200 km north of Dhanbad. She connected a water pump to a well to irrigate her one-acre farm two years ago, but now has to drag buckets of water with ropes as power cuts have left her pump lying idle. "We wait for power all day and the minute we connect the pipe to the pump, the power snaps," she said. Rajak's wife Basanti Kumari, 25, meanwhile, is thankful that her husband's village still has a better power supply than her parents' in the steel manufacturing hub of Bokaro. Yet her days are busier than ever, as she grinds spices on stone and fills water containers for cooking and cleaning before walking over a mile to bathe, unable to use her electrical equipment when the power drops out. "It is so hot so we can't even skip taking a bath. I have to be careful with people around. What choice do I have?" she said.

Down To Earth

Biodiversity conservation is an absolute impertive today finds new Down to Earth analysis

Details at https://ibgnews.com/2022/05/26/biodiversity-conservation-is-an-absolute-imperative-today-finds-a-new-down-to-earth-analysis/

Director General Office

Capacity for climate change needs knowledge and politics with a difference

ABSTRACT Even after years of understanding of and engagement with the climate problem, our efforts to address the issue remain wholly inadequate. This essay discusses how limitations in our capacities along three dimensions have hampered our abilities to address climate change. First, we have shown limited capacity to navigate the probabilistic nature of knowledge in this domain and the interplay of knowledge and politics. Simultaneously, there also is a widespread lack of attention to marginalized people and communities and issues of inclusivity. Finally, there is limited capacity to integrate data and knowledge from multiple sources, and include the marginalised and their interests, in the climate discussions and action. Capacity-building for climate change needs to increase our ability to act based on knowledge we have today, connect the dots and integrate multiple forms of data and knowledge, and centre the experiences of those who are most marginalised. Only then can our approach to climate change be rooted, as it must be, in the politics of a common and inclusive future. Key policy insights Capacity building must be rooted in an understanding of key dimensions of the climate arena. It is crucial to develop the capability to deal with the probabilistic and disaggregated nature of climate knowledge, and often the politics underlying such knowledge. Overcoming marginalization and lack of inclusivity in climate deliberations and action is essential if we are to move towards an integrated and just approach to climate change action.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi Breathes Cleanest Air In 134 Days

New Delhi: Delhiites enjoyed cleanest air quality day on Tuesday after 134 days with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) being recorded at 89 in the “satisfactory” category. Prior to this, a lower AQI with a reading of 69 was recorded on January 9. Experts said rain and gusty winds helped settle down pollutants. The city has seen just three “satisfactory” days this year so far, two in January and one in February. The last such day was on February 27 when the AQI was 92, while an AQI of 91 and 69 was reported on January 8 and 9, respectively. Air quality has mostly remained in the “poor” and “very poor” categories this year and not a single “good” air day has been reported. The overall AQI was 203 in the “poor” category on Sunday and it improved to 136 in the “moderate” category on Monday. Gufran Beig, founder project director, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), said, “Rain and gusty winds helped in cleaning Delhi’s air quality. There was a significant improvement because rain and moisture in Delhi and neighbouring areas helped wash out both local and regional pollutants.” According to Central Pollution Control Board’s data, air quality was in “poor” to “severe” category for 109 days from January 1 to May 23 this year with an AQI between 201 and 500. However, the number of such days were comparatively fewer during the same period in the previous years. The AQI hovered from “poor” to “severe” category for 92 days in 2021, 54 in 2021, 90 in 2019, 99 in 2018, 111 in 2017 and 127 in 2016 from January 1 to May 23. SAFAR in its bulletin said, “AQI improved significantly to satisfactory with PM10 as the primary pollutant. Dust contributes 61% to PM10. This improvement was due to wet deposition of pollutants by rain. From May 25 to 27, peak wind speed is likely to be 18 kmph causing moderate dispersion and AQI is likely to be within satisfactory or lower end of moderate category due to the likelihood of more rain spells.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “This is a brief respite. This just shows the washout effect of rain. Sustained spell of dry heat and heatwave had elevated dust levels. But emissions from other sources added to the toxicity.”

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

96% Indians breathe hazardous air: Study

At least 200 million in India live in extreme poverty and are exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution, a recent study by World Bank experts estimates, also projecting the country to account for close to 47% of the 2.8 billion people exposed to hazardous quality air.

Urban Lab

97.6% in Maharashtra exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution: Report

These results were not surprising to experts, who pointed out that Maharashtra, given its size and economy, has for long been one of the worst-affected states due to air pollution Mumbai In a recently published paper by the World Bank Group, Maharashtra has ranked third in the list of most populated sub-national regions globally, with 97.6% of its population exposed to either hazardous or unsafe levels of air pollution, specifically PM2.5 aerosols. The paper -- ‘Air Pollution and Poverty: PM2.5 Exposure in 211 Countries and Territories’, used remote sensing data for aerosol concentration, population numbers from the WorldPop Global High Resolution Population data set (WPGP) and a chemical transport model to ascertain the movement of PM2.5 pollutants. These results were not surprising to experts, who pointed out that Maharashtra, given its size and economy, has for long been one of the worst-affected states due to air pollution. “Maharashtra has the highest number of non-attainment cities in the country as per the National Clean Air Program (NCAP), at 25. These are all rapidly expanding urban centres which are struggling to curb emissions at source, whether due to vehicles, construction and development works, poor waste management, or industries. These cities are regularly recording daily PM2.5 averages in excess of 35ug/m3,” said Sachin Panwar, an independent air quality scientist certified by the Quality Council of India under the union environment ministry. RELATED STORIES Delhis water woes worsen, supplies hit in at least 6 areas | Details here Delhi's water woes worsen, supplies hit in at least 6 areas | Details here Wind speed to reach 90kmph in Delhi-NCR; IMD issues warning for these areas Wind speed to reach 90kmph in Delhi-NCR; IMD issues warning for these areas Char Dham Yatra news: Plastic garbage has piled up… pollution, landslides Char Dham Yatra news: 'Plastic garbage has piled up…' pollution, landslides Women workers stay silent over air pollution issues: NGO survey Women workers stay silent over air pollution issues: NGO survey Rally to mark 8 years of Modi govt among events planned in poll-bound Himachal Rally to mark 8 years of Modi govt among events planned in poll-bound Himachal Fuel prices slashed: Ludhiana BJP leaders hail Centre’s move Fuel prices slashed: Ludhiana BJP leaders hail Centre’s move Daily brief: Over 7 lakh hit in Assam floods, 24 dead, and all the latest news Daily brief: Over 7 lakh hit in Assam floods, 24 dead, and all the latest news Assam floods: Over 7 lakh hit, 24 dead as annual deluge continues to wreak havoc Assam floods: Over 7 lakh hit, 24 dead as annual deluge continues to wreak havoc VM Motghare, joint director (air quality) at the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday despite efforts. A sub-regional officer with the MPCB, seeking anonymity, said, “We have known for a long time that interior Maharashtra is more affected by air pollution because it is industrialising and expanding at a very rapid pace. Also, the winter is much more pronounced in Madhya (central) Maharashtra and Vidarbha, and this makes a big difference in exposure as compared to the Konkan districts, where the coastal effect mitigates exposure. We are planning to install 47 new air quality monitors across the state in the next few weeks, to give us a better idea of where the problem areas are.” Cities Maharashtra has been allotted a total corpus of ₹2,981 crore, at the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission, specifically to address air pollution in the state. The funds are to be utilised by the end of the financial year 2026. Of the ₹2773 crore which the state government plans to spend by the end of FY2025, a clean 80% (or ₹2218 crore) is proposed to be spent on the EV Policy, primarily on electrifying bus fleets in major urban clusters. The balance ₹555 crore are to be spent on local interventions, such as increasing Maharashtra’s air quality monitoring network (3%), implementing dust control measures (8%), and regulating construction (4%), industries (2%), bakeries and crematoria (3%). Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager of the Urban Lab at the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi, said, “The narrative around air pollution in India typically involves north India, but the air in Maharashtra and other parts of the country, like Bihar, can also pose huge health risks. In Maharashtra and Bihar specifically, the problem is a lack of monitoring stations. Most of Maharashtra’s are confined to Mumbai, and many of those have also been installed in the last two years. In Bihar, additional stations have come up only toward the end of last year. Remote sensing data has some limitations, so as we gather more data from the ground, we will be able to see that this problem is no longer limited to Delhi.” SN Tripathi, an atmospheric scientist and professor of civil engineering at IIT-Kanpur, who reviewed the WBG paper at HT’s request, also pointed out this limitation. “They have considered the WHO safe limits and not the standards of respective countries. The Institute for Advanced Study has brought out a working paper arguing that safe limits for air pollution should be an outcome of local geographic and environmental conditions, as well as people’s response to this exposure. Applying a single yardstick may be a bit far fetched. The only way to do it correctly is to have our own studies. If the Indian standards are applied, the paper would show a different picture. However, there is no denial that our cities are not meeting even their own standards, which is about 60ug/m3.” Tripathi also said that it is not surprising for Maharashtra to feature at the top of the list of states. “As part of a study on use of low cost sensors to monitor air quality in Maharashtra, I have noticed that in the winter, several cities are highly polluted, and regularly cross the 60ug/m3 for a large part of the day, sometimes even several days at a stretch. Being a progressive state, Maharashtra needs to increase their effort to combat this and set a model for others,” he said. Hindustan Times had reported in September last year that exposure to PM2.5 is reducing the average citizen’s lifespan by a total of four years in Maharashtra and 3.7 years in Mumbai, according to the updated Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) published by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC). In Pune, exposure to PM2.5 is reducing life expectancy by 4.2 years on an average. Gondia and Bhandara districts in Vidarbha were found to be the most polluted with life expectancy reducing by 5.1 and five years, respectively.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Vehiculele electrice par să fie viitorul transportului în India, dar sunt în continuare probleme

Ministrul indian al Transporturilor și Infrastructurii, Nitin Gadkari, încearcă să-i convingă pe oameni să cumpere vehicule electrice în schimbul mașinilor cu motoare cu ardere internă. În cadrul unei dezbateri parlamentare organizate recent, acesta i-a asigurat pe membrii adunării că în decurs de doi ani mașinile electrice vor avea același preț cu autovehiculele alimentate cu benzină. „Am preferat o tranziție ecologică a carburantului, iar progresele semnificative privind tehnologia combustibililor curați vor reduce prețul vehiculelor electrice, aducându-le în scurt timp pe picior de egalitate cu mașinile pe benzină”, a declarat acesta. Mașinile electrice pe bază de hidrogen, a căror producție a început în India, reprezintă unele dintre cele mai bune alternative de energie curată folosite în industria auto. Calea către „un viitor electric” Sunt mai eficiente decât vehiculele convenționale cu motoare cu ardere internă și nu produc emisii de evacuare, reducând nivelul de poluare emițând doar vapori de apă și aer cald. Specialiștii sunt de părere că astfel India ar putea salva peste 12 miliarde de euro anual din sumele cheltuite pentru importurile de țiței. Se așteaptă ca trecerea rapidă la vehiculele electrice cu două sau trei roți să reprezinte începutul schimbării. Potrivit NITI Aayog, grupul guvernamental de experți privind ordinea publică, până în 2030, 80% din vehiculele cu două sau trei roți, 40% din autobuze, și 30-70% din mașinile din India vor fi vehicule electrice. Pe scurt, experții din industrie susțin că va fi nevoie de instalarea a 2,9 milioane puncte de încărcare publice pentru cele 102 milioane de vehicule electrice. Cu toate acestea, în drumul ei spre un ecosistem complet electric, India mai întâmpină câteva obstacole inclusiv costuri foarte mari, infrastructura nepotrivită, și lipsa vehiculelor electrice performante care reprezintă motivele trecerii lente la mobilitatea electrică. Lipsa stațiilor de încărcare Una dintre cele mai mari piedici care stă în calea tranziției la vehiculele electrice este lipsa infrastructurii de încărcare. În urma unui sondaj realizat de către Grant Thornton Bharat-FICCI, s-a concluzionat că India ar trebui să amenajeze 400.000 de stații de încărcare până în anul 2026 pentru a răspunde cererii de două milioane de vehicule electrice pe șosele. „În timp ce programul privind mașinile electrice a început să se bucure de atenție la nivel național, nu a reușit încă să ia amploare pe piață”, a declarat Anumita Roy Chowdhury, director executiv al Centrului pentru Știință și Mediul Înconjurător. Conform calculelor sale, în continuare, mai puțin de 1% din mașinile noi vândute sunt electrice, iar programul curent de stimulare trebuie să fie însoțit de obiective de reglementare și o misiune de a obține emisii zero la nivel național pentru a câștiga încredere și a se dezvolta pe piață. Per total, provocările privind rețelele de încărcare nepotrivite, modelele limitate de vehicule electrice disponibile pe piață, nesiguranța referitoare la costul bateriei, în special înlocuirea acesteia, și conștientizarea slabă în rândul consumatorilor, sunt principalii factori care împiedică accelerarea procesului de electrificare. Schimbarea industriei auto Guvernul indian a alocat stimulente pentru un program intitulat „Adoptarea mai rapidă și fabricarea vehiculelor electrice și hibrid în India (FAME)” și a introdus mai multe facilități la nivelul cererii pentru a permite tranziția la vehiculele electrice. De fapt, anumite state și-au stabilit propriile obiective ambițioase în ceea ce privește industria vehiculelor electrice: 18 din 28 de state lucrează la un proiect de lege sau au publicat deja anul. „Vehiculele electrice vor contribui și la reducere importurilor de petrol ale țării și vor proteja piața valutară, ducând autonomia Indiei la un alt nivel”, a declarant recent Piyush Goyal, ministrul comerțului și al industriei. Experții sunt de părere că electrificarea vehiculelor va juca un rol cheie în reducerea emisiilor din sectorul transportului rutier din India și sprijinirea luptei împotriva schimbărilor climatice. După ce India și-a luat în cadrul summitului COP26 angajamentul că va scădea nivelul emisiilor la zero până în 2070 și că va reduce intensitatea emisiilor cu 45% până în 2030 față de 2005, vehiculele electrice ar putea contribui la realizarea acestor obiective și ar putea juca un rol esențial în „povestea energiei verzi”. În sectorul transporturilor, se înregistrează 18% din consumul total de energie al Indiei, reprezentând echivalentul energiei eliberate prin arderea a aproximativ 94 de milioane de tone de petrol (TEP).

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Bogdan Glăvan : Amânarea plății ratelor sau cum ”politica guvernamentală trage un glonț politicii BNR”

Guvernul a aprobat o nouă amânare a plății ratelor la bănci pentru persoane fizice și firme, ca măsură în cadrul programului social Sprijin pentru România...Astfel, cei afectați de inflație vor putea cere o nouă perioadă de grație de nouă luni, cum au avut posibilitatea să facă în timpul pandemiei. Profesorul de economie Bogdan Glăvan crede că situațiile nu se compară : criza din 2020 era temporară, actuala criză s-ar putea prelungi iar cei care vor ”cădea în capcana” guvernului se vor trezi că, în loc de dobânzile negative din prezent vor plăti dobânzi uriașe la credite, cu atât mai mari cu cât o astfel de măsură e inflaționistă și va forța BNR să apese pe accelerație majorând dobânzile mai rapid. Guvernul a venit cu o soluție greșită la o falsă problemă, spune Bogdan Glăvan, precizând că nu există o analiză aplicată din care să reiasă că ar exista un blocaj în plata ratelor la bănci. Mai grav, guvernul nu a calculat impactul pe care măsura îl va avea : ea va genera mai multă inflație, ceea ce îngreunează misiunea BNR și va forța banca centrală să majoreze mai rapid dobânda de politică monetară. Acest lucru va afecta pe toată lumea : pe beneficiarii amânării la plata creditelor, care se vor trezi că vor plăti dobânzi uriașe la finalul perioadei de fgrație, dar și pe restul clienților care vor suporta indirect o nouă înăsprire a politicii monetare. Ascultați însă interviul integral...

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi AQI: दिल्ली में 134 दिनों बाद हवा की गुणवत्ता का स्तर 89, बारिश से धुल गया प्रदूषण

दिल्ली एनसीआर में हुई बारिश से दिल्ली के प्रदूषण स्तर में काफी सुधार हुआ है. इसके साथ ही हवा की गुणवत्ता का स्तर 89 दर्ज की गई है, दिल्लीवासियों ने 134 दिनों के बाद मंगलवार को साफ हवा ली है. दिल्ली में हुई बारिश से गर्मी से काफी राहत मिली है, इसके साथ ही प्रदूषण भी धुल गया है. दिल्ली एनसीआर में सोमवार और मंगलवार को हुई बारिश और तेज हवाओं ने मौसम के साथ हवा भी साफ कर दी है. मौसम विभाग के अनुसार दिल्लीवासियों को 134 दिन बाद साफ हवा मिली है, क्योंकि दिल्ली का एयर क्वालिटी इंडेक्स 89 दर्ज किया गया है. मतलब दिल्ली की हवा अब संतोषजनक कैटगिरी में है. इससे पहले 9 जनवरी को 69 AQI दर्ज किया गया था, मौसम विशेषज्ञों ने कहा कि बारिश और तेज हवाओं ने प्रदूषण को साफ करने में काफी मदद की है. दिल्ली में लंबे समय से प्रदूषण का लेवल काफी बढ़ रहा था, लेकिन इस बारिश ने प्रदूषण को पूरी तरह से धो डाला है. इस साल दिल्ली में केवल तीन संतोषजनक दिन देखे हैं, जिसमें दो जनवरी में और एक फरवरी में हवा का स्तर साफ रहा और फिर आखिरी दिन 27 फरवरी को था जब एक्यूआई 92 था. सिस्टम ऑफ एयर क्वालिटी एंड वेदर फोरकास्टिंग एंड रिसर्च (सफर) के संस्थापक परियोजना निदेशक गुफरान बेग ने कहा कि बारिश और तेज हवाओं ने दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता को साफ करने में मदद की. इसके साथ ही दिल्ली और आस-पास के इलाकों में बारिश और नमी ने स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय प्रदूषकों को साफ कर दिया है. वहीं केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के आंकड़ों के अनुसार इस साल 1 जनवरी से 23 मई तक 109 दिनों के लिए वायु गुणवत्ता "खराब" से "गंभीर" श्रेणी में थी. इस दौरान एक्यूआई 201 और 500 के बीच था. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा यह एक राहत है, लगातार शुष्क गर्मी और लू के थपेड़ों से धूल का स्तर बढ़ गया था. इसके साथ ही मौसम विभाग का अनुमान है कि अगले सात दिनों के बीच अधिकतम तापमान 40 डिग्री से नीचे ही रहेगा. दिल्ली के सफदरजंग मौसम केन्द्र में दिन का अधिकतम तापमान 32.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस रिकॉर्ड किया गया जो कि सामान्य से सात डिग्री कम है.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

96% भारतीय सांस लेते हैं खतरनाक हवा में: अध्ययन | भारत की ताजा खबर Continue reading at https://careermotions.com/96-%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%B9

भारत में कम से कम 200 मिलियन अत्यधिक गरीबी में रहते हैं और वायु प्रदूषण के खतरनाक स्तरों के संपर्क में हैं, विश्व बैंक के विशेषज्ञों के एक हालिया अध्ययन में अनुमान लगाया गया है कि देश में खतरनाक गुणवत्ता वाली हवा के संपर्क में आने वाले 2.8 बिलियन लोगों में से 47% के करीब है। . रिपोर्ट पिछले साल जारी विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन की नई थ्रेसहोल्ड के आधार पर पहले अनुमान प्रस्तुत करती है कि कितने लोग खराब हवा के संपर्क में हैं। थ्रेसहोल्ड 5 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति क्यूबिक मीटर हवा (ug/m3) से ऊपर अल्ट्रा-फाइन PM2.5 कणों की सांद्रता को असुरक्षित और 35ug/m3 को खतरनाक के रूप में पहचानते हैं – खतरनाक हवा के संपर्क में मृत्यु दर में 24% से अधिक की वृद्धि हुई है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि कुल मिलाकर, भारत के अनुमानित 1.39 अरब लोगों में से 1.33 अरब (96%) खतरनाक हवा में सांस लेते हैं। इनमें से, “202 मिलियन से अधिक” लोग वे थे जो $1.9 से कम के दैनिक वेतन पर जीवन यापन करते थे ( ₹145) – या अत्यधिक गरीबी में। दुनिया का अधिकांश हिस्सा डब्ल्यूएचओ के ‘सुरक्षित’ मानक को पूरा नहीं करता है, वैश्विक आबादी का 96.4% 5ug/m3 से ऊपर PM2.5 एकाग्रता के साथ हवा के संपर्क में है। लेकिन यह खतरनाक स्तर का जोखिम है, जिसमें से अधिकांश भारत और चीन जैसे मध्यम आय वाले देशों के लोगों में है, जो अधिक खतरनाक है। और इनमें सबसे अधिक जोखिम अत्यधिक गरीबों को है। “उनके लिए, समान वायु प्रदूषण स्तर उच्च आय वाले परिवारों की तुलना में अधिक गंभीर स्वास्थ्य जोखिम होने की संभावना है। कम आय वाले जनसंख्या समूहों में, शारीरिक और बाहरी श्रम के उच्च अनुपात का मतलब है कि उन्हें प्रदूषकों के बढ़ते जोखिम और सेवन का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। स्वास्थ्य देखभाल प्रावधान की पहुंच, उपलब्धता और गुणवत्ता के मामले में बाधाएं गरीब लोगों में वायु प्रदूषण से संबंधित मृत्यु दर को और बढ़ाती हैं, ”रिपोर्ट, एक नीति शोध कार्य पत्र – विश्व बैंक की आधिकारिक रिपोर्टों से अलग है। भारत में विशेषज्ञों ने सहमति व्यक्त की। “यह सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य के लिए दोहरा बोझ है। पोषण और स्वास्थ्य के निम्न स्तर के कारण गरीब आबादी अधिक असुरक्षित है। उनके पास अंतर्निहित बीमारियों की एक श्रृंखला है जो उनके जोखिम को बढ़ाती है। उनके पास जहरीले वायु प्रदूषण का भी अधिक जोखिम है क्योंकि वे उन क्षेत्रों में रहते हैं जहां वायु प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बहुत कमजोर है। इसलिए, कारकों का एक संयोजन उनके जोखिम को बढ़ाता है और उन्हें स्वास्थ्य प्रभावों के प्रति अधिक संवेदनशील बनाता है, ”अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी, कार्यकारी निदेशक, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट ने कहा। इसलिए, रॉय चौधरी ने कहा, “गरीबों के लिए अनुपातहीन रूप से उच्च जोखिम को कम करने के लिए वायु प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए एक पर्यावरण न्याय ढांचे पर चर्चा की जा रही है”। जबकि रिपोर्ट इनडोर वायु प्रदूषण में नहीं गई, एक दूसरे विशेषज्ञ ने इसे एक और महत्वपूर्ण जोखिम के रूप में चिह्नित किया। “स्वच्छ ईंधन तक पहुंच न होने से गरीब लोगों का खतरनाक वायु प्रदूषण के लिए जोखिम बढ़ जाता है। उज्ज्वला योजना तो है, लेकिन हम जानते हैं कि अधिकांश ग्रामीण परिवार ईंधन भरने की लागत वहन करने में सक्षम नहीं हैं और स्वतंत्र रूप से उपलब्ध ठोस बायोमास ईंधन पर निर्भर हैं, ”सुनील दहिया, सेंटर फॉर रिसर्च ऑन एनर्जी एंड क्लीन एयर के एक विश्लेषक ने कहा।

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

India looks to electric vehicles as the future of transport, but problems remain

Indian Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is trying to encourage people to buy electric vehicles instead of vehicles powered by carbon-based fuels. During a recent parliamentary debate, he assured law makers that electric cars will only cost the same as petrol cars within two years. “I have favoured a green transition in fuel while rapid strides in green fuel technology will reduce the cost of electric vehicles (EVs), bringing them on a par with petrol-run vehicles in a short time,” he said. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), powered by hydrogen, are one of the best clean energy alternatives used in vehicles, whose manufacturing has begun in India. Road to an electric future They are more efficient than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles and produce no tailpipe emissions, reducing pollution levels while only emitting water vapour and warm air. Observers believe this could potentially allow India to save on crude oil imports worth over 12 billion euros annually. Rapid adoption of two- and three- wheelers EVs is expected to lead the way to this transition. According to NITI Aayog, the government's apex public policy think tank, by 2030, 80 percent of two and three-wheelers, 40 percent of buses, and 30 to 70 percent of cars in India will be electric vehicles Simply put, industry experts maintain this would mean 102 million EVs that would need deployment of 2.9 million public chargers. However, the country's road to a fully electric ecosystem still has a few hurdles including high cost, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of high performing EVs which are reasons for the slow adoption of electric mobility. No charge One of the biggest impediments to EV adoption is the lack of charging infrastructure. According to a poll conducted by Grant Thornton Bharat-FICCI, India would require to set up 400,000 charging stations by 2026 to meet the demand from two million EVs on the road. “While the electric vehicle programme has begun to receive policy attention at the national and state level, it has not yet been able to catalyse the market to build scale,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director at Centre for Science and Environment. Indian court rejects demands to unlock sealed chambers of Taj Mahal Indian curry loses its tang as Ukraine war puts cooking oil on backburner In her reckoning, EVs are still less than one percent of the new vehicle sales and the ongoing incentive programme needs to be backed by a regulatory target and zero emissions mandate at the national level to build confidence and scale in the market. Overall, the challenges of inadequate charging networks, limited EV models in the market, uncertainty around the battery cost especially battery replacement, and weak consumer awareness are some of the key factors that are impeding accelerated electrification. Auto industry shake-up The Indian government has allocated incentives to a scheme, Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) and has introduced several supply and demand side incentives to facilitate the switch to EVs. In fact, some states have also set their own ambitious EV targets: 18 out of 28 states have either a draft policy in place or have already notified one. “EVs can help achieve not just that but also help reduce the country's oil imports and preserve foreign exchange, taking India to the next level of self-reliance,” said Piyush Goyal, the minister of commerce and industry recently. Experts believe that vehicle electrification is bound to play a pivotal role in emission reduction from India's road transportation sector and supporting the fight against climate change. With India's commitments at the COP26 summit to achieve net-zero emissions status by 2070 and lower its emission intensity by 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, EVs could help realize these goals and play a pivotal role in its green narrative. The transport sector accounts for 18 percent of total energy consumption in India which translates to an estimated 94 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) energy.

Urban Lab

India's Savage Heat Exacts Heaviest Toll on Those Working Outdoors

Pradeep Kumar can earn nearly eight dollars a day selling the traditional Indian drink with cumin and lemon that he makes at his cart in a popular market in New Delhi — supposed to cool the body, the beverage has been much in demand in recent months as north India reeled under a brutal heat wave. But on some days, he says he could not summon up the energy to set up his cart as the punishing temperatures took a heavy toll on those working outdoors. “I am exhausted every night after standing under the sun. Sometimes I fall sick due to the heat and then I need to rest for a few days,” said Kumar. “Once I could not come for a week.” It is not surprising — while temperatures are normally high in May and June, the heat spell began unusually early this year. Temperatures in March shattered a 122-year record, April was the hottest month on record in north and central India and this month the mercury has topped 45 degrees Celsius on several days. In a city where tens of thousands work as construction labor, rickshaw pullers, hawkers or at pavement stalls, many like Kumar have lost income due to the weekslong searing heat. Although temperatures eased Monday, the respite is likely to be brief. India suffers the highest loss of productivity in the world due to extreme heat — it lost more than 100 billion hours of labor every year between 2001 and 2020, costing the country billions of dollars, according to a study published in Nature Communications by Duke University. The heat waves are a huge health hazard — most of those working outdoors cannot heed a government advisory to avoid being out between noon and 3 pm on hot days. “Heat strokes are the second biggest natural force which is killing people in India after lightning,” said Avikal Somvanshi, senior program manager of Urban Lab at the Center for Science and Environment citing government data. “In fact, more than 20,000 people have died in last 20 years because of heat stroke and over half of them are men aged between 30 to 60 who are working outdoors. This is not just exhaustion or discomfort. It is actually killing people.” The impact is worsened by what is called the “heat-island effect” — the concentration of concrete buildings and roads that leads to much higher temperatures in city centers compared to suburban or rural areas. Divyanshu Pratap, who has come to New Delhi from his village to work at a pavement stall for the first time, has experienced it firsthand. “When I am standing and the sun blazes on my head, I get dizzy spells. Then I feel weak and fall down,” he said. “It was also hot in my village, but nothing compares to this.” Homes in densely packed urban slums provide little respite at night — not only are they unbearably hot, but the situation is worsened by the long power outages that India has experienced this year as the intense heat triggered higher demand. The situation for these workers could worsen in the coming years as studies warn that climate change will make such heat waves even more frequent. A recent analysis by Britain’s Met Office said that record-breaking temperatures in northwestern India and Pakistan have become 100 times more likely due to climate change. Scientists said that heat waves could happen every three years whereas such extreme events would be expected only every 300 years in the absence of climate change. “Extreme climate events will become increasingly normal if we continue to see inaction in bringing down global temperatures,” said Abinash Mohanty at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water in New Delhi. “Cities will face the brunt of climate extremities — Delhi might have more severe heat waves, while others like Mumbai may face flooding if we do not put in more aggressive climate action.” The Health Ministry last month issued an advisory to employers asking them to install temporary shelters and limit hours for new workers. Several cities in India have put in place a Heat Action Plan that focuses on raising public awareness and reserving beds in hospitals for victims of heat stroke. “This does not stop the exposure. It is like an emergency response to a tragedy that has already happened,” pointed out Urban Lab’s Somvanshi. “As far as adaptation, mitigation, or building resilience to this heat, no concrete plan has been made in India. Even globally, governments are just coming to recognize that rising temperatures pose a big challenge.” Those involved in manual labor face the grimmest situation. Virendra, a rickshaw puller ferries customers over short distances of about two kilometers but keeps a look out for a tree to sit under after the ride is over. “It is unbearably hot. My throat keeps getting parched and I worry that I will fall sick,” he said. “It takes much more energy to ride the rickshaw in summer.” Although the work is hard, Virendra said he has no choice — he makes more money as a rickshaw puller than he would doing unskilled labor.

Urban Lab

India's Savage Heat Exacts Heaviest Toll on Those Working Outdoors

Pradeep Kumar can earn nearly eight dollars a day selling the traditional Indian drink with cumin and lemon that he makes at his cart in a popular market in New Delhi - supposed to cool the body, the beverage has been much in demand in recent months as north India reeled under a brutal heat wave. But on some days, he says he could not summon up the energy to set up his cart as the punishing temperatures took a heavy toll on those working outdoors. "I am exhausted every night after standing under the sun. Sometimes I fall sick due to the heat and then I need to rest for a few days," said Kumar. "Once I could not come for a week." India's Extreme Heat Extracts its Heaviest Toll from Those Working Outdoors please wait Embed share India's Extreme Heat Extracts its Heaviest Toll from Those Working Outdoors Embed share The code has been copied to your clipboard. width px height px Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The URL has been copied to your clipboard No media source currently available 0:00 0:02:56 0:00 It is not surprising - while temperatures are normally high in May and June, the heat spell began unusually early this year. Temperatures in March shattered a 122-year record, April was the hottest month on record in north and central India and this month the mercury has topped 45 degrees Celsius on several days. In a city where tens of thousands work as construction labor, rickshaw pullers, hawkers or at pavement stalls, many like Kumar have lost income due to the weekslong searing heat. Although temperatures eased Monday, the respite is likely to be brief. India suffers the highest loss of productivity in the world due to extreme heat - it lost more than 100 billion hours of labor every year between 2001 and 2020, costing the country billions of dollars, according to a study published in Nature Communications by Duke University. The heat waves are a huge health hazard - most of those working outdoors cannot heed a government advisory to avoid being out between noon and 3 pm on hot days. "Heat strokes are the second biggest natural force which is killing people in India after lightning," said Avikal Somvanshi, senior program manager of Urban Lab at the Center for Science and Environment citing government data. "In fact, more than 20,000 people have died in last 20 years because of heat stroke and over half of them are men aged between 30 to 60 who are working outdoors. This is not just exhaustion or discomfort. It is actually killing people." A young man has a mid-afternoon bath to cope with the severe heat that gripped India in recent weeks. (Anjana Pasricha/VOA) A young man has a mid-afternoon bath to cope with the severe heat that gripped India in recent weeks. (Anjana Pasricha/VOA) The impact is worsened by what is called the "heat-island effect" - the concentration of concrete buildings and roads that leads to much higher temperatures in city centers compared to suburban or rural areas. Divyanshu Pratap, who has come to New Delhi from his village to work at a pavement stall for the first time, has experienced it firsthand. "When I am standing and the sun blazes on my head, I get dizzy spells. Then I feel weak and fall down," he said. "It was also hot in my village, but nothing compares to this." Workers at pavement stalls in a busy market have no place to shelter from the heat. (Anjana Pasricha/VOA) Workers at pavement stalls in a busy market have no place to shelter from the heat. (Anjana Pasricha/VOA) Homes in densely packed urban slums provide little respite at night - not only are they unbearably hot, but the situation is worsened by the long power outages that India has experienced this year as the intense heat triggered higher demand. The situation for these workers could worsen in the coming years as studies warn that climate change will make such heat waves even more frequent. A recent analysis by Britain's Met Office said that record-breaking temperatures in northwestern India and Pakistan have become 100 times more likely due to climate change. Scientists said that heat waves could happen every three years whereas such extreme events would be expected only every 300 years in the absence of climate change. "Extreme climate events will become increasingly normal if we continue to see inaction in bringing down global temperatures," said Abinash Mohanty at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water in New Delhi. "Cities will face the brunt of climate extremities - Delhi might have more severe heat waves, while others like Mumbai may face flooding if we do not put in more aggressive climate action." At this pavement stall, a worker rests as temperatures in May crossed 45 degrees celsius. (Anjana Pasricha/VOA) At this pavement stall, a worker rests as temperatures in May crossed 45 degrees celsius. (Anjana Pasricha/VOA) The Health Ministry last month issued an advisory to employers asking them to install temporary shelters and limit hours for new workers. Several cities in India have put in place a Heat Action Plan that focuses on raising public awareness and reserving beds in hospitals for victims of heat stroke. "This does not stop the exposure. It is like an emergency response to a tragedy that has already happened," pointed out Urban Lab's Somvanshi. "As far as adaptation, mitigation, or building resilience to this heat, no concrete plan has been made in India. Even globally, governments are just coming to recognize that rising temperatures pose a big challenge." Those involved in manual labor face the grimmest situation. Virendra, a rickshaw puller ferries customers over short distances of about two kilometers but keeps a look out for a tree to sit under after the ride is over. "It is unbearably hot. My throat keeps getting parched and I worry that I will fall sick," he said. "It takes much more energy to ride the rickshaw in summer." Although the work is hard, Virendra said he has no choice - he makes more money as a rickshaw puller than he would doing unskilled labor.

Urban Lab