Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

Reasons why waste dump locations in Delhi are going up in flames

Non-segregation of waste, lack of non-combustible material layers in landfills and summer heat are some of the causes for starting fires Frequent fires in landfills around cities are a glaring example of the country’s perpetual struggle to manage its refuse and stop illegal dumping of waste. The massive fire at the Bhalswa landfill in north Delhi is just one of the four such incidents reported in the national capital this month. The other three were reported at the Ghazipur landfill site in east Delhi. The Bhalswa landfill site reported 12 fire cases in 2021 and this one is the third this year. The Dadumajra landfill site on the periphery of Chandigarh was also in the news recently for going up in flames. The place has caught fire 486 times in the last 15 years. About 50,000 people live in the close vicinity of Dadumajra and they frequently complain of bad smell and polluted air after the fire. Inefficient garbage processing is at the heart of this ever-increasing problem. India generates about 62 million tonnes of waste annually, states the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change data for 2016. Of this, only about 75% of the municipal waste gets collected and only 22-28% of this waste is processed. The rest ends up in dumps. The Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi, a non-profit, found in 2020 that the country has more than 3,000 mountainous landfills containing 800m tonnes of rubbish. The country’s tallest mountain of rubbish – in Mumbai – is estimated to be 18 storeys high. An official of Chandigarh Pollution Control Board (CPCC) told Mongabay-India that the fires are very common at dumpsites especially during summer because of the methane gas trapped inside. The dumpsite, he added, is a perfect breeding ground for methane due to decomposition of biodegradable or food waste over time and it quickly catches fire when it comes into close contact with anything combustible. Potential of catching fire increases in summer because of high temperatures. The Solid Waste Management Rules issued by the Centre in 2016 state that only non-recyclable, non-biodegradable and non-combustible waste should go to a dumpsite. However, hundreds of tonnes of biodegradable and combustible waste are still dumped at the site every day. The mountains of refuse are a result of years of dumping without segregation and processing. The solution A Delhi fire brigade official suggested using construction waste to create layers of non-combustible materials so that the fire doesn’t spread. “The corporation should dump an inert layer of sand and construction waste after every layer of freshly dumped waste. Such layers act as barriers against the fire,” the official said. Segregation of waste into degradable and non-degradable categories is essential to reduce the load at landfill sites. However, years of government campaigns have yielded little result. Kailash Shishupal, an advocate of sustainable living and a conservationist, says the problem lies with the way we look at waste. “If you ever visit a landfill site do see closely what lies dumped inside. There are so many things which can be easily reused, like old clothes. And then there are many more things that can be recycled like electronic goods, thick plastic, glass, tin etc. Plastic below 50 microns is the real nuisance while leftover eatables paints a shoddy picture of the way we actually treat food, considered equivalent to Lord Brahma,” said Shishupal. Amit Sharma of Chandigarh filed a PIL on Dadumajra in high court last year. He told Mongabay-India that there are only two ways this problem can be handled. First, is to clear whatever quantity of waste is laying in the existing dumpsite, also called legacy waste. Second is to ensure that daily generation of garbage is 100% processed after segregation and it does not pile up on the site. The municipal authorities should focus on prevention, reduction, reuse and recycling. Recent incidents The first significant fire this summer was reported at Ghazjpur on March 28. The fire continued for three days, with thick fumes billowing from the burning grounds into areas of Ghazipur, Kondli, Patparganj, IP Extension, Kaushambi and Khoda in Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Two more blazes were reported at the site on April 10 and April 20. The fire at Dadunajra dumping site in Chandigarh started on April 7, engulfing the surrounding areas in thick smog. Similar incidents were reported at the site last year and enveloped at least half of Chandigarh, hindering visibility and causing respiratory problems. Two days back, a scrapyard in Manesar, Gurugram, caught fire. It is believed that strong winds carried this fire to the nearby slums, where the situation worsened following the explosion of gas cylinders. The incident led to the death of a woman, who was burnt alive, while also injuring five adults and a child.

एयर एक्‍सपो 2022: कला प्रदर्शनी के जरिये वायु प्रदूषण को लेकर पैदा की जाएगी जागरूकता

वायु प्रदूषण को दुनिया भर में मानव स्वास्थ्य के लिए बड़े खतरे के रूप में पहचाना गया है. भारत में दुनिया के 10 सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों में से नौ हैं. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत में पीएम 2.5 प्रदूषण के कारण होने वाली मौतों में पिछले दो दशकों में ढाई गुना की वृद्धि हुई है. खोज स्‍टूडियो की पहल कला प्रदर्शनी- डज द ब्‍लू स्‍काई लाय ? का मकसद यह समझना है कि माहौल का जहर इंसानी शरीर और सार्वजनिक जगहों पर कैसे घुल जाता है. ब्‍लू स्‍काई लाय के पहले अंक का नाम एयर एक्‍सपो 2022 है.

भारत में महीनों से भीषण गर्मी पड़ रही है और यह सप्ताह और भी गर्म होने वाला है

इस सप्ताह के अंत तक इस सप्ताह के अंत तक सबसे खराब गर्मी की लहर की आशंका है, जिसमें तापमान उत्तर और उत्तर-पश्चिम भारत के साथ-साथ पाकिस्तान के कुछ हिस्सों में सामान्य से लगभग 10-15 ° F (5-8 ° C) अधिक है। एक अरब से अधिक लोग अत्यधिक गर्मी के संपर्क में आएंगे – दुनिया की आबादी का 10%, के अनुसार स्कॉट डंकनएक गंभीर जलवायु विशेषज्ञ। नई दिल्ली सहित यह क्षेत्र 40 डिग्री सेल्सियस के मध्य से उच्च तापमान का सामना कर सकता है – जिसका अर्थ है कि तापमान 110 से ऊपर और 120 डिग्री फ़ारेनहाइट तक संभव है। दुर्भाग्य से, यह गर्मी नहीं सोएगी। रात में अत्यधिक तापमान हो सकता है जानलेवा रात के घंटों के दौरान कम या कोई आराम नहीं होगा क्योंकि कई क्षेत्रों में न्यूनतम तापमान 86 डिग्री फ़ारेनहाइट (30 डिग्री सेल्सियस) से नीचे नहीं जाएगा। गर्म रातों की लंबी अवधि घातक हो सकती है क्योंकि वे शरीर की दिन की गर्मी से उबरने की क्षमता को सीमित कर देती हैं। यह भारत की आबादी के लिए एक बड़ी समस्या है क्योंकि उनमें से एक बड़ा हिस्सा बिना एयर कंडीशनिंग के रहता है, जो विशेष रूप से बुजुर्गों के लिए जीवन के लिए खतरनाक स्थिति पैदा करता है। भारत के एक शहर, बहमेर में मंगलवार को पहले से ही अधिकतम 45.1 डिग्री सेल्सियस – 113 डिग्री फ़ारेनहाइट – दर्ज किया गया था। उसी दिन, पाकिस्तान के एक स्टेशन ने उत्तरी गोलार्ध में उच्चतम अधिकतम तापमान 116.6 डिग्री फ़ारेनहाइट (47 डिग्री सेल्सियस) दर्ज किया। मैक्सिमिलियानो हेरेराचरम मौसम की घटनाओं में विशेषज्ञ। मार्च के तपते महीने ने तोड़ा तापमान का 122 साल का रिकॉर्ड वर्तमान गंभीर प्रस्फुटन की अगुवाई में, तापमान मार्च और अप्रैल के औसत से लगातार ऊपर था। मार्च 2022 में पूरे भारत में औसत अधिकतम तापमान दर्ज किया गया, जो पिछले 122 वर्षों में सबसे अधिक दर्ज किया गया था भारतीय मौसम विभाग (आईएमडी)। इस वर्ष मार्च के लिए औसत उच्च तापमान 91.58 डिग्री फ़ारेनहाइट (33.10 डिग्री सेल्सियस) था, जो पिछले 2010 के 91.56 डिग्री फ़ारेनहाइट (33.09 डिग्री सेल्सियस) के रिकॉर्ड को तोड़ रहा था। नई दिल्ली, भारत में गर्मी की लहर के दौरान खुद को धूप से बचाने के लिए पानी बेचने वाली एक लड़की छतरी का इस्तेमाल करती है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के अनुसार, 11 मार्च से, गर्मी की लहरों ने 15 भारतीय राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों को प्रभावित किया है, यह कहते हुए कि “राजस्थान और मध्य प्रदेश राज्यों में सबसे अधिक प्रभावित हुए, इस दौरान 25 हीटवेव और गंभीर हीटवेव दिनों के साथ। अवधि।” । ला नीना स्थितियों से जुड़ा दबाव पैटर्न, जो वर्तमान में प्रशांत महासागर पर हावी है, अपेक्षा से अधिक समय तक चला। मैरीलैंड विश्वविद्यालय के एक जलवायु वैज्ञानिक रघु मुर्तोगोड के अनुसार, आर्कटिक से आने वाली गर्म लहरों के साथ, इसने गर्मी की लहरों का निर्माण किया है। मुर्तोगोडी ने कहा कि भारत में वसंत और गर्मियों पर ला नीना का वर्तमान प्रभाव पूरी तरह से अप्रत्याशित है। भारत के मुंबई में दोपहर की चिलचिलाती गर्मी में चलते हुए और पानी पीते हुए दो युवा लड़कियां अपना सिर ढक लेती हैं। अप्रैल और मई, जिसे प्री-मानसून सीज़न के रूप में जाना जाता है, आमतौर पर वर्ष के सबसे गर्म महीने होते हैं जब यह क्षेत्र अंतहीन रूप से पकता है। यह गर्मी गर्मियों के महीनों में बढ़ती रहेगी यदि यह मानसून के मौसम द्वारा प्रदान किए गए बादलों और बारिश के लिए नहीं होती। राहत, हालांकि स्वागत योग्य है, धीरे-धीरे आ रही है। बरसात का मौसमजो भारत में भारी बारिश और ठंडा तापमान लाता है, आमतौर पर जून की शुरुआत में देश के दक्षिणी भाग में शुरू होता है। हालांकि, उत्तर भारत के उन स्थानों पर राहत पहुंचाने में एक महीने से अधिक का समय लग रहा है, जो इस समय भीषण गर्मी का सामना कर रहे हैं। उज्ज्वल पक्ष पर, मॉडल दिखाते हैं कि आईएमडी के अनुसार, मौसमी मानसून वर्षा सामान्य रूप से 99% होने की संभावना है। मानसून इस क्षेत्र के लिए महत्वपूर्ण हैं क्योंकि वे भारत की वार्षिक वर्षा का अधिकांश भाग प्रदान करते हैं, कृषि के लिए सिंचाई में सहायता करते हैं, और प्री-मानसून मौसम के दौरान तीव्र गर्मी की लहरों से राहत प्रदान करते हैं। भारत में गर्मी की लहरें और बढ़ेंगी कई अन्य चरम मौसम की घटनाओं के साथ, परिणामस्वरूप गर्मी की लहरें और अधिक तीव्र हो जाएंगी जलवायु परिवर्तन. एमआईटी में जल विज्ञान और जलवायु के प्रोफेसर अल-फतेह अल-ताहेर ने कहा, “जलवायु परिवर्तन के महत्वपूर्ण शमन के साथ गर्मी की लहरों का भविष्य और भी खराब दिखता है।” जलवायु परिवर्तन पर संयुक्त राष्ट्र निकाय, इंटरगवर्नमेंटल पैनल ऑन क्लाइमेट चेंज (आईपीसीसी) के अनुसार, भारत जलवायु संकट के प्रभावों से सबसे अधिक प्रभावित होने वाले देशों में शामिल है। भारत में मानसूनी वर्षा में परिवर्तन के एक अरब से अधिक लोगों के लिए विनाशकारी परिणाम हो सकते हैं अंतिम आईपीसीसी से वैज्ञानिक रिपोर्ट की स्थिति अगस्त 2021 में, यह “उच्च आत्मविश्वास” के साथ नोट किया गया था कि दक्षिण एशिया में गर्म चरम सीमा बढ़ गई थी, और यह कि अत्यधिक तापमान पर चढ़ने वाले मानव-जनित जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण थे। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है, “भारत में लंबी अवधि के लिए अधिक तीव्र गर्मी की लहरें और उच्च आवृत्ति की उम्मीद है।” किसी भी बदलाव के बिना, पूरे भारत में एक संभावित मानवीय संकट उत्पन्न हो सकता है क्योंकि देश के बड़े हिस्से में रहने के लिए बहुत गर्म होने की संभावना है।

Why Massive Fires Have Engulfed Landfills of India and the Challenge to Douse These Blaze | Explained

Landfill fires engulf Indian cities: The major reason behind these massive fires at landfill sites is that they are not scientifically planned or designed New Delhi: Firefighting operations are underway at two landfill sites across the nation at present — while Delhi’s Bhalswa landfill site continues to burn even after 36 hours, a thick blanket of smoke engulfed Chennai’s Perungudi dump yard from Wednesday. With plumes of thick smoke billowing out of the garbage sites, people residing nearby areas have complained of difficulty in breathing, itchy eyes, and poor visibility in the surrounding locality. The Bhalswa landfill fire is the second major fire incident at a dump yard that has taken place in the past 30 days. Earlier last week, a fire broke out at the dumping yard at Ghazipur in east Delhi, less than a month after a blaze was reported from the same spot on March 28. The March 28 fire at the Ghazipur landfill site continued to blaze for over 48 hours polluting the atmosphere to its core. Bhalswa landfill fire The massive fire that broke out at the Bhalswa landfill began on Tuesday (April 26) evening. Several videos showed the blaze churning out dense plumes of smoke and turning the sky hazy grey. On Thursday (April 28) morning, even after 36 hours, firefighting operations continued as some areas of the Bhalswa landfill site were still burning. Local residents said on Wednesday the thick smoke was choking them. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The landfill in Bhalswa in the city’s north is taller than a 17-storey building and covers an area bigger than 50 football fields. Perungudi dump yard fire The major fire broke out at Perungudi dump on Wednesday (April 27) afternoon. The fire was spotted by staff in the west of the dum around 12.30 p.m. They attempted to put out the fire but were unable to do so. At 2 p.m, they alerted the fire control room. The smoke spread to 5-km radius. As per reports, birds were seen fleeing the ecologically sensitive spot due to the toxic air. Dadumajra landfill fire On April 5, a fire also broke out at Chandigarh’s Dadumajra dumping ground. The massive fire created a suffocating cloud of smoke engulfing housing localities, causing breathing problems to residents and commuters crossing the section. As per reports, the smoke was so thick that vehicles and commuters were almost invisible and people were facing difficulty passing the road. Ghazipur landfill fire The major fire in East Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill broke out on March 28 and it became a challenge to be doused even after 50 hours, forcing the locals to stay indoors. While no casualty was reported in the blaze, a thick blanket of smoke engulfed the adjoining areas during that time. Approximately 2,000 tonnes of garbage is dumped at the site every day. Even last year, authorities reported four fire incidents at the Ghazipur landfill. And in 2017, a large part of it broke away, crashing onto a road and killing two people. Why landfills are catching fire so frequently these days? Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed serious concern over fire incidents at landfill sites in the national capital and other cities and said that these dumpsites are like “time bombs”. Landfills are the largest source of methane emissions and the presence of any ignitable material at the dumpsite can lead to massive fires amid high amounts of heat that remain undissipated. Methane is highly flammable and plays a large role in the ignition of landfill fires. Because of the methods normally adopted to deposit, compact, and cover waste in landfills, the decomposition of waste is largely anaerobic, which results in the production of large quantities of methane and carbon dioxide. Apart from that, surface fires at dumpsites are also caused by equipment, people smoking on-site, and waste recyclers. “Causes of equipment-related fires include debris trapped under machines, heat from equipment (exhaust pipes) and welding. Informal recyclers also set fires to reclaim metals,” said a DownToEarth report. Atin Biswas, a waste management expert and program director of the municipal solid waste sector at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, “There can be two causes for such fires. First, is the human factor; waste pickers who scavenge the waste may inadvertently start a fire. Second, and the more dominant reason, is methane generation from rotting food waste. Once the pressure of trapped methane gas crosses a threshold, a fire is ignited. That kind of fire is much harder to extinguish as normal fire tenders cannot reach the source of the fire.” Why is it a Challenge to Douse Landfill Fires? The major reason behind these massive fires at landfill sites is that they are not scientifically planned or designed. Atul Garg, the director, of the Delhi Fire Service, said, “Fires at landfills take time to be extinguished owing to several factors, including multiple ignition points, lack of constant water supply, and the danger involved in climbing steep garbage mounds.” He further explained that given the height of garbage, the water the firemen used seeped through slowly into the waste. He said the effort to make the firefighters climb up the mountains of garbage came with the risk of endangering their lives.

J&K among top five states witnessing heatwaves; environmentalists blame climate change [details]

Events of the heatwave are going to increase in the coming years. Climate change has a part to play in making this heatwave hotter and more likely the spell in coming years will increase. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is among the five top states of India which is witnessing heatwaves and the situation in these regions is worsening with every passing day. The early heat waves of 2022 that began on March 11 have impacted 15 Indian states and Union territories as of April 24, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This data was analyzed by Down To Earth. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have suffered the most among the states, with 25 heatwave and severe heatwave days each during this period. Himachal Pradesh recorded 21 heatwaves, Gujarat 19, and Jammu and Kashmir 16. According to data shared by the Centre for Science and Environment after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been the most affected by heatwaves this year - with 21 heatwave and severe heatwave days. One anomalous point in the IMD's data is that the weather agency has officially declared only one heatwave day for Odisha, even though temperatures higher than 40 degrees Celsius was recorded across the state on April 24. A heatwave happens when the temperature of a place crosses 40-degree Celsius in the plains, 37-degree Celsius in coastal areas, and 30-degree Celsius in the hills. The weather agency declares a heatwave when a place registers a temperature that is 4.5 to 6.4-degree Celsius more than the normal temperature for the region on that day. If the temperature is over 6.4-degree Celsius more than normal, the IMD declares a 'severe' heatwave. Impact of the heatwave in hilly areas According to CSE, the unlikely impact of the current heatwaves would occur in the Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand which are not used to heatwaves and are not well adapted to the extreme temperatures. "One major impact in these regions would be on the accelerated melting of glaciers due to extreme temperatures which are the main source of water for the people living there", the report said. Arizona desert Wikimedia It is the impact of climate change As J&K is witnessing an unprecedented increase in temperature during the last two years, environmentalists have blamed changing climate for the same. In the first week of April this year, the temperature of Srinagar and Jammu was also the same. "It is a matter of concern as the temperature is increasing in the areas which usually witness pleasant weather in April," said Dr Vivak M. Arya, a scientist working in the field of climate change and natural resource management at Agriculture University, Jammu. He said that the heatwave is largely due to human-induced activities. "Events of the heatwave are going to increase in the coming years," Dr Arya said, adding, "Climate change has a part to play in making this heatwave hotter and more likely the spell in coming years will increase." India wheat crop Reuters Rabi crops impacted by heatwave According to CSE report agricultural yields were badly impacted due to the heatwave. "The wheat crop in the current rabi season in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh has been impacted by heatwaves. Many farmers have reported losses between 20 and 60 percent in these states", the report said. This happened because the heat waves were early this year and the temperatures affected the wheat plants during their growth stage, leading to shriveled grains which fetch lower prices in the market, resulting in losses. "To reduce agricultural losses due to heatwaves, heat-tolerant varieties of wheat need to be developed. Similarly, heat-resistant varieties of other rabi crops also need to be developed", the report said.

भारत में खतरनाक होती जा रही है हीट वेव, कब सोचेंगे हम

हीट वेव्स स्वास्थ्य, कृषि और पानी की उपलब्धता पर प्रभाव डालती हैं. इनका एक दूसरे पर गहरा प्रभाव होता है. मौसम हमें सीधे तौर पर कड़ी चेतावनी दे रहा है कि ‘सुधरो’! इस साल गर्म हवाओं के जो आंकड़े सामने अब तक आए हैं वह हमसे बुनियादी परिवर्तन की अपेक्षा रख रहे हैं. यदि जलवायु परिवर्तन के इस विषय पर गंभीरता से कुछ सोचा न गया तो जिस ‘विकास’ के लिए सब कुछ किया जा रहा है वह बेमानी हो जाएगा. मौसम हमें सीधे तौर पर कड़ी चेतावनी दे रहा है कि ‘सुधरो’! इस साल गर्म हवाओं के जो आंकड़े सामने अब तक आए हैं वह हमसे बुनियादी परिवर्तन की अपेक्षा रख रहे हैं. यदि जलवायु परिवर्तन के इस विषय पर गंभीरता से कुछ सोचा न गया तो जिस ‘विकास’ के लिए सब कुछ किया जा रहा है वह बेमानी हो जाएगा. भारत मौसम विज्ञान विभाग (आईएमडी) के आंकड़ों का हाल ही में पर्यावरण पत्रिका ‘डाउन टू अर्थ’ ने विश्लेषण किया है. यथा, इस साल 11 मार्च से ही लू शुरू हो गई. इसने 24 अप्रैल तक 15 राज्यों को प्रभावित किया है. सबसे बुरा असर राजस्थान और मध्यप्रदेश में हुआ है. यहाँ 25 दिन (भीषण गर्मी की लहर के रहे. राजस्थान में रेगिस्तान होने के कारण आंकड़े एकदम नहीं चौंकाते हैं, लेकिन मप्र जहां कि सबसे अधिक वनाच्छादित क्षेत्र होने और पिछले कुछ सालों में उसका दायरा बढ़ने के दावे किए जाते हैं, वहां पर यह चौंका देने वाला ट्रेंड दिखा. यही नहीं, हिमाचल प्रदेश जैसा पर्वतीय राज्य इस वर्ष हीट वेव से सबसे अधिक प्रभावित होना हमें और आश्चर्य में डाल देता है. गर्मी में पहाड़ों से राहत की उम्मीद रखने वाले लोगों को बता दें कि हिमाचल प्रदेश में भी 24 अप्रैल तक हीट वेव के 21 दिन दर्ज किए जा चुके हैं. कब होता है हीट वेव आईएमडी के मुताबिक हीट वेव तब होता है, जब किसी जगह का तापमान मैदानी इलाकों में 40 डिग्री सेल्सियस, तटीय क्षेत्रों में 37 डिग्री सेल्सियस और पहाड़ी क्षेत्रों में 30 डिग्री सेल्सियस को पार कर जाता है. जब किसी जगह पर किसी ख़ास दिन उस क्षेत्र के सामान्य तापमान से 4.5 से 6.4 डिग्री सेल्सियस अधिक तापमान दर्ज किया जाता है तो मौसम एजेंसी हीट वेव की घोषणा करती है. यदि तापमान सामान्य से 6.4 डिग्री सेल्सियस ज्यादा है तो आईएमडी इसे ‘गंभीर’ हीट वेव घोषित करता है. आईएमडी हीट वेव घोषित करने के लिए एक अन्य मानदंड का भी उपयोग करता है, जो पूर्ण रूप से दर्ज तापमान पर आधारित होता है. यदि तापमान 45 डिग्री सेल्सियस को पार कर जाता है, तो विभाग हीट वेव घोषित करता है. जब यह 47 डिग्री को पार करता है, तो ‘गंभीर’ हीट वेव करार दे दिया जाता है. मौतें कम लेकिन, शारीरिक मानसिक स्वास्थ्य प्रभावित हीट वेव्स स्वास्थ्य, कृषि और पानी की उपलब्धता पर प्रभाव डालती हैं. इनका एक दूसरे पर गहरा प्रभाव होता है. रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि भले ही भारत में हीट वेव्स के कारण होने वाली मौतों की संख्या में पिछले कुछ वर्षों में कमी आई है, लेकिन शोध से पता चलता है कि अधिक तापमान से लोगों की सामान्य शारीरिक और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य प्रभावित होता है. वहीं दूसरी ओर, कृषि उपज भी प्रभावित होती है. इस साल पंजाब, हरियाणा और उत्तर प्रदेश में मौजूदा रबी सीजन में गेहूं की फसल हीट वेव्स से प्रभावित हुई है. इन राज्यों के कई किसानों ने 20 से 60 प्रतिशत के बीच नुकसान की सूचना दी है. ऐसा इसलिए हुआ क्योंकि इस साल की शुरुआत में हीट वेव्स थीं. उच्च तापमान ने गेहूं के पौधों को उनके विकास के चरण के दौरान प्रभावित किया, जिससे अनाज का दाना सिकुड़ गया. इससे बाजार में कम कीमत मिली और किसानों को नुकसान हुआ. हीट वेव्स के कारण कृषि नुकसान को कम करने के लिए, गेहूं की ऐसी किस्में विकसित करने की आवश्यकता है, जो अधिक गर्मी सह सके. इसी तरह, अन्य रबी फसलों की किस्मों को भी विकसित करने की आवश्यकता है, जो ज्यादा गर्मी झेल सके. प्रत्यक्ष गर्मी के अलावा, कृषि उपज सूखे या सूखे जैसी स्थितियों से भी प्रभावित हो सकती है जो अक्सर हीट वेव्स से जुड़ी होती हैं. सूखे की स्थिति के दौरान, सिंचाई के लिए पानी की अनुपलब्धता के कारण ऐसा होता है. चार डिग्री बढ़ जाएगा वैश्विक तापमान मौजूदा हीट वेव्स का संभावित प्रभाव हिमाचल प्रदेश, जम्मू और उत्तराखंड जैसे हिमालयी क्षेत्रों में होगा, जो गर्म लहरों को झेलने के अभ्यस्त नहीं हैं. अधिक तापमान के कारण इन क्षेत्रों में ग्लेशियर भी पिघलेंगे, जो वहां रहने वाले लोगों के लिए पानी का मुख्य स्रोत हैं. आईपीसीसी की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि हर अतिरिक्त 0.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस अत्यधिक वर्षा और सूखे के साथ-साथ गर्म मौसम को बढ़ाएगी. यदि कार्बन उत्सर्जन अधिक रहता है तो भारत में हीट वेव्स के “2036-2065 तक 25 गुना अधिक समय तक” रहने की संभावना है. यह सदी के अंत तक वैश्विक तापमान में 4 डिग्री सेल्सियस की वृद्धि करेगा, जैसा कि 28 अक्टूबर, 2021 को प्रकाशित एक इंटरनेशनल क्लाइमेट रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है. ऐसे में हमें व्यापक रूप से यह सोचना चाहिए कि हमारा पर्यावरण कैसे बचेगा, आने वाले वक्त में इस बढ़ती हीट वेव की समस्या से हम कैसे निपटेंगे? कैसे बचाएंगे हीट वेव के दुष्प्रभावों से दुनिया में कई ऐसे भी देश हैं जहां पर लू से निपटने के लिए विशेष अधिकारियों की नियुक्ति की गईं. ऐसा इसलिए करना पड़ा क्योंकि हीटवेव ने 1998 और 2017 के बीच 166,000 से अधिक लोगों की जान ले ली, यह आंकड़ा विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन का है. हमारे यहां अब तक ऐसी कोई व्यवस्था नहीं बन पाई है. यह एक किस्म का नया आपातकाल, जिसके कारण दुनिया के कई शहर हीट ऑफिसर नियुक्त कर रहे हैं, दुनिया भर में सामने आने वाली गर्मी की भयावहता को बताता है. दीर्घकालीन रूप से पर्यावरण में सुधार की जरूरत तो होगी ही, लेकिन इससे बचने के लिए फौरी उपाय भी जरूरी हैं. जरूरी यह है कि सूचना तंत्र का उपयोग करते हुए समुदाय में ऐसी सूचनाएं पहुंचाई जाएं जिनसे लोग मौसम के इस सख्त तेवर से निपटने के लिए खुद को तैयार कर सकें. यदि कहीं पर हीट वेव की घटनाएं होती भी हैं तो उनसे निपटने के लिए भी एक हेल्थ सिस्टम को तैयार करने की जरूरत है. इसके लिए जरूरी होगा कि बेहतर नियोजन किया जाए. 2013 में अहमदाबाद में सबसे पहले हीट एक्शन प्लान (एचएपी) 2013 में विकसित किया गया था. इसके तहत लोगों को मोबाइल फोन पर एसएमएस के जरिये मौसम संबंधी अलर्ट भेजा जाता था. इसके साथ ही वहां पर चिकित्सकों को हीट वेव्स से निपटने के लिए विशेष तौर पर प्रशिक्षित किया गया. 2018 में प्रकाशित एक अध्ययन के अनुसार, इस पहल ने एक वर्ष में 1,190 मौतों को टाला. ऐसे और प्रयास करने की जरूरत लगती है.

रवीश कुमार का प्राइम टाइम: गर्व का पर्व, गर्व ही गर्व और गर्म ही गर्म

भारत में पर्व की कमी नहीं है मगर गर्व की कमी थी. व्हाट्सएप यूनिवर्सिटी ने कई साल लगाकर पहले बेरोज़गारी और आर्थिक तंगी में डूबे लोगों के अतीत की हीन भावना का बोध कराया फिर उन्हें वर्तमान आर्थिक हीनता से निकालने के लिए गर्व का गेम थमा दिया. https://ndtv.in/video/show/prime-time/ravish-kumars-prime-time-the-festival-of-pride-the-pride-is-the-pride-and-the-hot-is-hot-630072

At 25, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Have Suffered The Most Heatwaves So Far This Summer: IMD

Therefore, the current impact of La Nina on the spring and summer season in India is completely unexpected," Murtugudde said, adding: "The heat waves may continue till at least the monsoon season begins in June." Part I of the IPCC's (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Sixth Assessment Report in October 2021 had warned that every additional 0.5 degrees Celsius of warming would increase hot weather extremes, along with extreme precipitation and drought. Heat waves in India are likely to "last 25 times longer by 2036-2065" if carbon emissions remain high and push global temperature rise to 4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Heatwaves exert enormous impacts on health, agriculture and availability of water - all often related to each other in complex ways, the CSE/DTE analysis pointed out and said: "On the other hand, agricultural yields get impacted as well. For instance, the wheat crop in the current rabi season in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh has been impacted by heatwaves. Many farmers have reported losses between 20 and 60 per cent in these states." "This happened because the heat waves were early this year, and the temperatures affected the wheat plants during their growth stage, leading to shrivelled grains which fetch lower prices in the market, resulting in losses. To reduce agricultural losses due to heatwaves, heat-tolerant wheat varieties need to be developed," it said.

Summer of 2022 cruelest for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan

BHOPAL: This summer has to be the worst... If you found yourself muttering this in the summer of 2022 in Madhya Pradesh, you may not be too far off the mark. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment says that MP and Rajasthan have been impacted the most by summer till April 24 this year. Summer came early this year - and with a sizzle. MP has been reeling under extreme heat conditions since early March, and temperatures surpassed 42 degrees Celsius in the beginning of April in many parts, including Bhopal. The unrelenting heat surge started as early as March 11 in the state, with 25 heat-wave and 'severe heat wave' days each during this period, says the CSE report that has analysed IMD data. As per the Met department, a heat wave happens when the temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius in plains or when a place registers a temperature 4.5-6.4 degrees Celsius higher than normal for the region on that day. If the temperature is higher than 6.4 degrees above normal, the IMD declares a 'severe' heat wave. The IMD also uses another criteria to declare a heat wave, which is based on absolute recorded temperatures. If the temperature crosses the 45 degrees mark, it's a heat wave, and if it crosses 47, a 'severe' heat wave. Heat waves exert enormous impacts on health, agriculture and availability of water - all often related to each other in complex ways. According to the report, D Sivananda Pai of the Kottayam-based Institute for Climate Change Studies says that anticyclones over western parts of Rajasthan in March and the absence of rain-bearing Western disturbances had triggered the early and extreme heat waves. After an agonizing April, there's May to contend with.

Early heat waves this year have so far impacted 15 states and UTs

Surprisingly, after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been the most affected by heat waves this year. NEW DELHI: The early heat waves of 2022 that began on March 11 have impacted 15 Indian states and Union territories as of now, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The data analysed by Down To Earth shows that Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have suffered the most among the states, with 25 heatwave and severe heatwave days each during this period. The IMD says a heatwave happens when the temperature of a place crosses 40 degrees C in the plains, 37 degrees C in coastal areas, and 30 degrees C in the hills. The weather agency declares a heatwave when a place registers a temperature that is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees C more than the normal temperature for the region on that day. If the temperature is over 6.4 degrees C more than normal, the IMD declares a ‘severe’ heatwave. The IMD also uses another criterion to declare a heatwave which is based on absolute recorded temperatures. If the temperature crosses the 45 degrees C mark, the Department declares a heatwave; when it crosses 47, a ‘severe’ heatwave is declared. Surprisingly, after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been the most affected by heat waves this year -- with 21 heat waves and severe heatwave days. One anomalous point in the IMD’s data is that the weather agency has officially declared only one heatwave day for Odisha. D Sivananda Pai of the Kottayam-based Institute for Climate Change Studies says that anticyclones over western parts of Rajasthan in March and the absence of rain-bearing Western disturbances had triggered the early and extreme heatwaves. Anticyclones cause hot and dry weather by sinking winds around high-pressure systems in the atmosphere. Raghu Murtugudde, a climate scientist at the University of Maryland explains that a north-south pressure pattern, associated with the La Nina phenomenon in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean that happens during winters in India, has persisted longer than expected and interacted with warm waves coming in from a rapidly warming Arctic region, leading to the heat waves. In the first installment of the Sixth Assessment Report, the IPCC asserted that human activities have warmed the planet at a rate never seen before in the planet’s long history, and the Earth’s global surface temperature has warmed by 1.09 degrees C compared to the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900. Human influence is the main driver of hot weather extremes (which have become more frequent and intense since the 1950s). The IPCC report says that every additional 0.5 degrees C of warming will increase hot weather extremes, along with extreme precipitation and drought. Heat waves in India are likely to “last 25 times longer by 2036-2065” if carbon emissions remain high and push global temperature rise to 4oC by the end of the century, according to an international climate report published October 28, 2021, covering the G20 countries. State-wise Number of heatwave days between March 11 and April 24: Rajasthan -25, Madhya Pradesh -25, Himachal Pradesh -21, Gujarat -19, Jammu and Kashmir-16, Haryana-15, Delhi NCR-15, Uttar Pradesh -11, Jharkhand-11, Punjab-7, Maharashtra -6, Uttarakhand-4, Bihar -2, Goa-2, Odisha-1.

Record heat has gripped India since March. It’s about to get worse.

March maximum temperatures were the highest in 122 years. Temperatures late this week could near April records. Temperatures in India remain high amid ongoing heat waves that have plagued the country with dry, sweltering weather since early spring. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that its March maximum temperatures were the highest in nearly a century and a quarter, and rainfall was only running about a quarter to a third of normal. A hot weather pattern has persisted in many parts of India during April, and the highest temperatures yet may afflict the country Wednesday into the weekend. A large majority of Indian households live in poverty and lack air conditioning, increasing the population’s vulnerability to heat. Older adults are especially at risk from high temperatures. The sky-high temperatures exemplify the overlap between natural variability and the effects of human-caused climate change, which are known to make heat waves more intense and prolonged. On Monday, several cities across the nation registered highs over 109 degrees (42.8 Celsius); the city of Wardha in the west-central state of Maharashtra soared to 113 degrees (45 Celsius). Temperatures are forecast to rise further, leaping 10 to 15 degrees (5.5 to 8.3 Celsius) above average during the second half of this week, reigniting worry for those without any way to escape the heat. Portions of northern and western India, especially areas near the borders with Pakistan and Nepal, may endure the most extreme heat. That’s where highs may reach 110 to 115 degrees (44 to 46 Celsius) Wednesday and Thursday. Between Friday and Sunday, temperatures could climb as high as 120 degrees (49 Celsius) if the most extreme forecast models are correct. Temperatures may approach national records in India and Pakistan for the month of April. According to Maximiliano Herrera, an expert on world weather extremes, the highest reliable April temperature in India is 118.9 degrees (48.3 Celsius), set in Barmer in northwest India in 1958. Nawabshah, Pakistan, about 125 miles inland from the Arabian Sea, hit 122.4 degrees (50.2 Celsius) four years ago; this record, possibly the highest temperature ever observed worldwide in April, may be more difficult to beat. A contributor to the heat is high pressure at the middle altitudes in the atmosphere, a dome-like “ridge” of sinking air that eradicates cloud cover and deflects storm systems to the north. That will allow sunshine to pour in unobstructed, heating the antecedent dry air. Overarching weather patterns suggest little relief in sight over the week to 10 days ahead, although the intensity of the heat may ease some next week. India’s average maximum temperature during the month of March was 91.6 degrees (33.1 Celsius), narrowly surpassing the previous record from March 2010. Fifteen Indian states and territories have been affected by heat waves since March, according to the Center for Science and Environment, a public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi. The states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in northwest and central India were hardest hit; each having observed 25 heat wave days so far this spring. At least one person died of heat-related causes in March in Maharashtra, while two others died after being struck by lightning. During April alone, New Delhi, home to more than 25 million people, has hit 100 degrees (37.7 Celsius) 23 out of 25 days; the average high temperature is about 98 degrees (36.7 Celsius). All told, the capital’s running about 4.8 degrees (2.7 Celsius) above average for the month. Delhi posted a 107-degree (41.7 Celsius) high on four April days, and nicked 108 (42.2 Celsius) on April 19. Potentially more problematic than the lofty high temperatures, though, have been elevated nighttime lows. That’s especially true in the city, where the “urban heat island” effect spurred by cement and paved-over surfaces traps thermal energy long after the sun has set. Warm overnight lows prevent the body from having a nocturnal cool-down period, increasing heat stress and the propensity for negative health effects. Delhi’s average nighttime low during April is 71 degrees (21.7 Celsius). Seven nights in April have failed to dip below 75 degrees (23.9 Celsius). Since the start of March, Delhi has only received 0.01 inch of rain. The average for March and April is 1.14 inches. The drought reinforces the heat, since dry air is easier to heat up, which then saps the ground of moisture further and entrenches the cycle. Rainfall across the country has been 71 percent lower for March 2022 than its long-term average. The IMD stated that rainfall over India has been its third-lowest since 1901. Neighboring Pakistan had the highest worldwide positive temperature anomaly during the month of March, meaning the margin between observed temperatures and averaged temperatures there was bigger than anywhere else across the globe. Multiple stations set all-time monthly records during February and March. Temperatures during that heat wave peaked a dozen or more degrees above average. In 2020, the IMD’s Ministry of Earth Sciences published a report citing a 1.3-degree (0.7 Celsius) rise in temperatures across India as a whole between 1901 and 2018. Under an extreme emissions scenario, it projects the frequency of summer heat waves to at least triple by the end of the century. It also cautions that the frequency of warm nights is projected to jump by 70 percent. Ordinarily, temperatures begin to plateau and acutely decline late in the spring during the buildup of the summer monsoon, which occurs when onshore winds transport copious moisture northward and bring heavy downpours across much of the region. However, that too is changing. “The overall decrease of seasonal summer monsoon rainfall during the last 6-7 decades has led to an increased propensity for droughts over India,” the ministry writes. It projects “a high likelihood of increase in the frequency (>2 events per decade), intensity and area under drought conditions in India” by the end of the century.

HEAT WAVES IN INDIA

How bad has this year’s heat wave been in India? The early heat waves of 2022 that began on March 11 have impacted 15 Indian states and Union territories (as of April 24), according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) that was analysed by Down To Earth. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have suffered the most among the states, with 25 heat wave and severe heat wave days each during this period. The IMD says a heat wave happens when the temperature of a place crosses 40oC in the plains, 37oC in coastal areas, and 30oC in the hills. The weather agency declares a heat wave when a place registers a temperature that is 4.5 to 6.4oC more than the normal temperature for the region on that day. If the temperature is over 6.4oC more than the normal, the IMD declares a ‘severe’ heat wave. The IMD also uses another criteria to declare a heat wave which is based on absolute recorded temperatures. If the temperature crosses the 45oC mark, the Department declares a heat wave; when it crosses 47, a ‘severe’ heat wave is declared. Surprisingly, after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh has been the most affected by heat waves this year — with 21 heat wave and severe heat wave days. One anomalous point in the IMD’s data is that the weather agency has officially declared only one heat wave day for Odisha, even though Down To Earth has recently reported higher than 40oC temperatures being recorded across the state on April 24 and rising temperatures since the beginning of April. TABLE: State-wise number of heat wave days between March 11 and April 24 State Number of heat wave days Gujarat 19 Goa 2 Rajasthan 25 Himachal Pradesh 21 Uttarakhand 4 Maharashtra 6 Madhya Pradesh 25 Odisha 1 Jammu and Kashmir 16 Haryana 15 Delhi NCR 15 Uttar Pradesh 11 Jharkhand 11 Bihar 2 Punjab 7 D Sivananda Pai of the Kottayam-based Institute for Climate Change Studies says that anti-cyclones over western parts of Rajasthan in March and the absence of rain-bearing Western disturbances had triggered the early and extreme heat waves. Anticyclones cause hot and dry weather by sinking winds around high pressure systems in the atmosphere. Raghu Murtugudde, a climate scientist at the University of Maryland explains that a north-south pressure pattern, associated with the La Nina phenomenon in eastern and central Pacific Ocean that happens during winters in India, has persisted longer than expected and interacted with warm waves coming in from a rapidly warming Arctic region, leading to the heat waves. The sea surface temperatures over east and central Pacific Ocean become cooler-than-average during La Niña. This affects the trade winds flowing over the ocean surface through changes in wind stress. The trade winds carry this weather disturbance elsewhere and affect large parts of the world. In India, the phenomenon is mostly associated with wet and cold winters. Therefore, the current impact of La Niña on the spring and summer season in India is completely unexpected. Murtugudde says that the heat waves may continue till at least the monsoon season begins in June. What global evidence do we have of heat waves happening across the world? In the first instalment of the Sixth Assessment Report, the IPCC asserted that human activities have warmed the planet at a rate never seen before in the planet’s long history, and the Earth’s global surface temperature has warmed by 1.09oC compared to the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900. Human influence is the main driver of hot weather extremes (which have become more frequent and intense since 1950s). Improvements in climate models and analytics have enabled scientists to identify “fingerprints” of human influence on climate change by observing records of rainfall, temperature, and other factors. In the past two decades, scientists have published more than 350 scientific papers and assessments analysing the role of anthropogenic GHG emissions in individual extreme events. The IPCC report says that every additional 0.5oC of warming will increase hot weather extremes, along with extreme precipitation and drought. Heat waves in India are likely to “last 25 times longer by 2036-2065” if carbon emissions remain high and push global temperature rise to 4oC by the end of the century, according to an international climate report published October 28, 2021, covering the G20 countries. What is ‘wet-bulb’ and why does it matter? The world is not only getting hotter but also wetter or more humid. We usually consider the dry-bulb temperature – the ambient air temperature — to describe how hot or cold a place is. Scientists, however, have been stressing upon considering humidity and other factors to assess how weather conditions will affect human health and activities. Wet-bulb temperature is a measure of humidity in the air. Factoring in humidity along with the heat, called the heat index, helps us determine what the temperature actually ‘feels like’. Humidity combined with heat is deadlier for human health and wellbeing. Humans with their sweat-based cooling system, have been well-designed to beat the heat. But there is a limit to the level of heat and humidity we can cope with. A wet-bulb temperature of 35°C is considered the maximum limit of humidity that humans can handle. Beyond this, the body can no longer effectively cool itself via perspiration. In the latest report by the IPCC, focused on the impacts of climate change, “deadly heat waves projected in some of the 14 densely populated agricultural regions of South Asia (such as the Ganges and Indus river basins)”. These regions are likely to exceed the critical threshold of wet-bulb temperature of 35°C under the business-as-usual scenario, if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced. What have been the impacts of heat waves? Heat waves exert enormous impacts on health, agriculture and availability of water – all often related to each other in complex ways. Even though the number of deaths due to heat waves in India has decreased over the years, research shows that the general physical and mental wellbeing of people does get affected by extreme temperatures. On the other hand, agricultural yields get impacted as well. For instance, the wheat crop in the current rabi season in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh has been impacted by heat waves. Many farmers have reported losses between 20 and 60 per cent in these states. This happened because the heat waves were early this year and the temperatures affected the wheat plants during their growth stage, leading to shriveled grains which fetch lower prices in the market, resulting in losses. To reduce agricultural losses due to heat waves, heat-tolerant varieties of wheat need to be developed. Similarly, heat-resistant varieties of other rabi crops also need to be developed. Apart from direct heat, agricultural yields may also get impacted by droughts or drought-like conditions that are often associated with heat waves. This mainly occurs because of non-availability of water for irrigation during drought conditions. The unlikely impact of the current heat waves would occur in the Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Uttarakhand that are not used to heat waves and not well adapted to the extreme temperatures. One major impact in these regions would be on the accelerated melting of glaciers due to extreme temperatures which are the main source of water for the people living there. What is being done globally, and what else needs to be done? Cities need a combination of early warning systems, preparedness and training among government officials; community outreach programmes to assist during a heat wave; and proactive urban planning to avoid the worst impacts of extreme heat. The first Heat Action Plan (HAP) was developed for Ahmedabad in 2013. Under this, people will receive weather alerts through SMS on mobile phones and medical professionals will be trained to increase preparedness. The initiative avoided 1,190 deaths a year, according to a study published in 2018, that evaluated the plan’s impact on death rates. Several cities around the world are hiring dedicated officials to address extreme heat. The first such official was hired in the Miami-Dade County in the United States – Jane Gilbert. In less than a year since Gibert’s appointment, four more cities have followed. In July 2021, Athens, the capital of Greece, named its former deputy mayor Eleni Myrivili as chief heat officer. In October, Phoenix city in Arizona, US, and Freetown in Sierra Leone, Africa, named their chief heat officers. On March 3, 2022, Santiago, the capital of Chile, appointed urban planner Cristina Huidobro as the world’s fifth chief heat officer. Los Angeles in California, US, has also advertised a vacancy for the role. The new-found urgency with which cities are hiring heat officers reflects a reckoning on heat unfolding across the world. Heat waves claimed over 166,000 lives between 1998 and 2017, according to the World Health Organization. The third instalment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR 6) focuses on the importance of urban green and blue infrastructure such as green walls, greenways, street trees, urban forests, green roofs, blue spaces, to cool urban areas. Urban trees can mitigate some of the impacts of climate change by reducing the urban heat island effect and heat stress. In addition, they can reduce stormwater runoff, improving air quality, and supporting health and well-being in areas where the majority of the world’s population resides. ( A CSE briefing note)

Organic Fertiliser Production Down to Just 3.88 Million Tonnnes from 338.72 Million Tonnes in FY17-18: CSE

In 2020-21, India produced 3.88mn (million) tonnes of organic fertilisers, a dramatic decrease from 338.72mn tonnes in 2017-18, a new report said adding that a targeted, ambitious, and well-funded nationwide programme is needed to drive the change towards organic and natural farming. The Centre has initiated several schemes and programmes through which it promotes production and use of biofertilisers and organic fertilisers. These schemes include those aimed at farmers to promote organic and natural farming such as Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North-Eastern Region, National Food Security Mission and National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm. "However, the sum total of funds spent on these schemes and programmes is dwarfed by the annual subsidy provided on chemical fertilisers. For example, the total organic farming practicing area covered under these schemes and programmes is only about 2.7 per cent of India's net sown area of 140.1 million hectare," said the CSE report State of Biofertilisers and Organic Fertilisers in India. Between 2018 and 2021, a sum of only Rs994 crore was released for Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Rs416 crore for the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for Northeastern Region, and about Rs 4 crore for biofertilisers under the National Food Security Mission. Total subsidy on chemical fertilisers is steeply growing every year. In 2020-21, the annual subsidy bill was Rs1,31,230 crore, which is more than 10 times the subsidy bill in 2001-02 (Rs12,908 crore). The subsidy bill has grown sharply from 2019-20, when it was Rs 83,468 crore, partly due to rising international prices leading to higher subsidies on imported fertilisers. Providing details of production of organic fertilisers, the report mentioned that in 2017-18, Bihar led with 30% production of organic fertilisers in India and was followed by Gujarat and Jharkhand. In 2018-19, Karnataka was the biggest producer of organic fertilisers, with a 94% share in countrywide production. The state continued to be the leading producer in 2019-20, but its share dropped to 64%. In that year, Andhra Pradesh had the second biggest share. In 2020-21, with a share of 63%, Chhattisgarh led the countrywide production of organic fertilisers and Karnataka slipped to the second spot. In 2020-21, India produced 3.88mn tonnes of organic fertilisers, a dramatic decrease from 338.72mn tonnes in 2017-18. The reasons for the steep fall in national production of organic fertilisers within a span of three years, or the manner in which state-wise shares in the total production have changed substantially between years, are not clear, the latest report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has pointed out. However, there are some things to look forward to. In 2020-21, the total production of liquid biofertilisers in India was about 26,442 kilolitres (kl), which marked a growth of about 552% over the 2014-15 figures and when it comes to carrier-based solid biofertilisers, in 2020-21, India produced about 1,34,323 tonnes, a growth of about 435% over the 2008-09 figure and 83% over the 2018-19 figure. Pointing out that in 2017, India had 424 carrier-based solid biofertiliser manufacturing units and 108 for liquid biofertiliser manufacturing units, the CSE report said, "The production capacities are not optimally utilised by all states. There is also lack of compiled countrywide information on companies, registered biofertiliser products and authorisations given at the Central level." Production and availability of biofertilisers and organic fertilisers must be ensured, and their use must be promoted through a multi-pronged approach by the Centre and states, the report recommended and suggested several steps to ease out the creases in the field. Biofertilisers are ready to use live formulates of beneficial microorganisms that on application to seed, root or soil mobilise nutrients through their biological activity in particular and help in building up the micro-flora and soil health in general. Organic fertilisers consist of decomposed organic material derived from animal, human and plant residues. They are of different types depending on the source of the organic material and nature of composting. For example, organic manure is a mix of cattle dung and plant residues, while vermicompost is developed with the help of earthworms.

सूरज की गर्मी से जल रहा हिंदुस्तान, अभी और सताएगी गर्मी

पेड़ों की कमी कहें या फिर पर्यावरण में परिवर्तन। सूरज की भीषण गर्मी से हिंदुस्तान का जर्रा जर्रा तप रहा है। फिर चाहे वह राजस्थान का थार हो या फिर गोवा का तट। जम्मू-कश्मीर और उत्तराखंड की पहाड़ियां हों या फिर मध्यप्रदेश का मैदान। तपीश में सब झुलस रहे हैं। सबसे ज्यादा आग राजस्थान और मध्यप्रदेश में लगी हुई है। पेड़ों की कमी कहें या फिर पर्यावरण में परिवर्तन। सूरज की भीषण गर्मी से हिंदुस्तान का जर्रा जर्रा तप रहा है। फिर चाहे वह राजस्थान का थार हो या फिर गोवा का तट। जम्मू-कश्मीर और उत्तराखंड की पहाड़ियां हों या फिर मध्यप्रदेश का मैदान। तपीश में सब झुलस रहे हैं। सबसे ज्यादा आग राजस्थान और मध्यप्रदेश में लगी हुई है। गर्मी यहां अपना चरम पार कर रही है। भारत मौसम विज्ञान विभाग के आंकड़ों का डाउन टू अर्थ ने विश्लेषण किया है। इस साल शुरुआती हीट वेव यानी भीषण गर्मी 11 मार्च को शुरू हुई थी। इसने 15 राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों को प्रभावित किया है। राजस्थान और मध्य प्रदेश सबसे अधिक प्रभावित हुए हैं। इस दौरान इन राज्यों में हीट वेव के 25 दिन (भीषण गर्मी की लहर / लू) सबसे बुरे रहे। क्या होता है हीटवेब भारतीय मौसम विभाग के मुताबिक हीट वेव तब होता है, जब किसी जगह का तापमान मैदानी इलाकों में 40 डिग्री सेल्सियस तटीय क्षेत्रों में 37 डिग्री सेल्सियस और पहाड़ी क्षेत्रों में 30 डिग्री सेल्सियस को पार कर जाता है। किसी ख़ास दिन किसी एक जगह पर उस क्षेत्र के सामान्य तापमान से 4.5 से 6.4 डिग्री सेल्सियस अधिक तापमान दर्ज होता है तो मौसम विभाग उसे हीट वेव कहती है। यह तापमान सामान्य से 6.4 डिग्री सेल्सियस अधिक है, तो इसे 'गंभीर' हीट वेव घोषित करता है। 45 डिग्री से तापमान अधिक तो हीट वेब भारतीय मौसम विभाग हीट वेव घोषित करने के लिए एक अन्य मानदंड का भी उपयोग करता है। यह पूर्ण रूप से दर्ज तापमान पर आधारित होता है। किसी भी क्षेत्र में अगर तापमान 45 डिग्री सेल्सियस को पार कर जाता है। तो वहां हीट वेव घोषित किया जाता है और जब यह 47 डिग्री को पार करता है, तो 'गंभीर' हीट वेव की घोषणा की जाती है। इस बार राजस्थान और मध्यप्रदेश में तपिश ज्यादा राजस्थान और मध्य प्रदेश के बाद, हिमाचल प्रदेश जैसा पर्वतीय राज्य इस वर्ष हीट वेव से सबसे अधिक प्रभावित हुआ है। यहां हीट वेव और गंभीर हीट वेव के 21 दिन दर्ज किए गए। मौसम एजेंसी ने आधिकारिक तौर पर ओडिशा के लिए केवल एक हीट वेव दिवस घोषित किया है। इंस्टीट्यूट फॉर क्लाइमेट चेंज स्टडीज के डी शिवानंद पाई का कहना है कि मार्च में राजस्थान के पश्चिमी हिस्सों में एंटी-साइक्लोन और बारिश वाले पश्चिमी विक्षोभ की अनुपस्थिति शुरुआती हीटवेव के कारण रहे। वायुमंडल में उच्च दबाव प्रणाली के आसपास तापमान बढाने वाली हवाओं के होने से, एंटी-साइक्लोन गर्म और शुष्क मौसम का कारण बनते हैं। सबसे ज्यादा तप रहा राजस्थान और मध्यप्रदेश राजस्थान 25 मध्य प्रदेश 25 हिमाचल प्रदेश 21 गुजरात 19 जम्मू और कश्मीर 16 हरियाणा 15 दिल्ली एनसीआर 15 उत्तर प्रदेश 11 झारखंड 11 पंजाब 7 महाराष्ट्र 6 उत्तराखंड 4 बिहार 2 गोवा 2 ओडिशा 1 ...तो इसलिए बढ़ा हीटवेब मैरीलैंड यूनिवर्सिटी के एक क्लाइमेट साइंटिस्ट रघु मुर्तुगुड्डे बताते हैं कि पूर्वी और मध्य प्रशांत महासागर में ला नीना से जुड़ा एक नार्थ-साउथ प्रेशर पैटर्न, जो भारत में सर्दियों के दौरान होता है, उम्मीद से अधिक समय तक बना रहा। इसने तेजी से गर्म हो रहे आर्कटिक क्षेत्र से आने वाली गर्म लहरों के साथ मिल कर हीट वेव का निर्माण किया। पूर्वी और मध्य प्रशांत महासागर में समुद्र की सतह का तापमान ला नीना के दौरान औसत से अधिक ठंडा हो जाता है। यह हवा के दबाव में परिवर्तन के माध्यम से समुद्र की सतह पर बहने वाली व्यापारिक हवाओं को प्रभावित करता है। ये व्यापारिक हवाएं इस मौसम की गड़बड़ी को अपने साथ ढो कर ले जाती है और दुनिया के बड़े हिस्से को प्रभावित करती हैं। भारत में, यह घटना ज्यादातर नम सर्दियों से जुड़ी है। इसलिए, भारत में वसंत और गर्मी के दौरान ला नीना का वर्तमान प्रभाव पूरी तरह से अप्रत्याशित है। मुर्तुगुड्डे कहते हैं कि हीट वेव जून में मानसून के शुरू होने तक जारी रह सकती हैं। ...तो 4 डिग्री तो गर्म हो जाएगी पृथ्वी छठी मूल्यांकन रिपोर्ट की पहली किस्त में आईपीसीसी ने जोर देकर कहा कि 1850-1900 के पूर्व-औद्योगिक अवधि की तुलना में, पृथ्वी की वैश्विक सतह का तापमान 1.09 डिग्री सेल्सियस अधिक गर्म हो गया है। मानव हस्तक्षेप इस स्थिति का मुख्य कारण है। जलवायु मॉडल और विश्लेषण में सुधार ने वैज्ञानिकों को वर्षा,तापमान और अन्य कारकों के रिकॉर्ड देखकर जलवायु परिवर्तन पर मानव प्रभाव की पहचान करने में सक्षम बनाया है। हर अतिरिक्त 0.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस अत्यधिक वर्षा और सूखे के साथ-साथ गर्म मौसम को बढ़ाएगी। कार्बन उत्सर्जन अधिक रहता है तो भारत में हीट वेव्स के 2036-2065 तक 25 गुना अधिक समय तक रहने की संभावना है। यह सदी के अंत तक वैश्विक तापमान में 4 डिग्री सेल्सियस की वृद्धि करेगा।

Dramatic Fall In Organic Fertiliser Production In India From 2017-18 To 2020-21: CSE Report

In 2020-21, India produced 3.88 million tonnes of organic fertilisers, a dramatic decrease from 338.72 million tonne in 2017-18, a new report said adding that a targeted, ambitious, and well-funded nationwide programme is needed to drive the change towards organic and natural farming. The Centre has initiated several schemes and programmes through which it promotes production and use of biofertilisers and organic fertilisers. These schemes include those aimed at farmers to promote organic and natural farming such as Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North-Eastern Region, National Food Security Mission and National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm. “However, the sum total of funds spent on these schemes and programmes is dwarfed by the annual subsidy provided on chemical fertilisers. For example, the total organic farming practicing area covered under these schemes and programmes is only about 2.7 per cent of India’s net sown area of 140.1 million hectare,” said the CSE report State of Biofertilisers and Organic Fertilisers in India. Between 2018 and 2021, a sum of only Rs 994 crore was released for Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Rs 416 crore for the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for northeastern region, and about Rs 4 crore for biofertilisers under the National Food Security Mission. Total subsidy on chemical fertilisers is steeply growing every year. In 2020-21, the annual subsidy bill was Rs 1,31,230 crore, which is more than 10 times the subsidy bill in 2001-02 (Rs 12,908 crore). The subsidy bill has grown sharply from 2019-20, when it was Rs 83,468 crore, partly due to rising international prices leading to higher subsidies on imported fertilisers. Providing details of production of organic fertilisers, the report mentioned that in 2017-18, Bihar led with 30 per cent production of organic fertilisers in India and was followed by Gujarat and Jharkhand. In 2018-19, Karnataka was the biggest producer of organic fertilisers, with a 94 per cent share in countrywide production. The state continued to be the leading producer in 2019-20, but its share dropped to 64 per cent. In that year, Andhra Pradesh had the second biggest share. In 2020-21, with a share of 63 per cent, Chhattisgarh led the countrywide production of organic fertilisers and Karnataka slipped to the second spot. In 2020-21, India produced 3.88 million tonnes of organic fertilisers, a dramatic decrease from 338.72 million tonnes in 2017-18. The reasons for the steep fall in national production of organic fertilisers within a span of three years, or the manner in which state-wise shares in the total production have changed substantially between years, are not clear, the latest report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has pointed out. However, there are some things to look forward to. In 2020-21, the total production of liquid biofertilisers in India was about 26,442 kilolitres (kl), which marked a growth of about 552 per cent over the 2014-15 figures and when it comes to carrier-based solid biofertilisers, in 2020-21, India produced about 1,34,323 tonnes, a growth of about 435 per cent over the 2008-09 figure and 83 per cent over the 2018-19 figure. Pointing out that in 2017, India had 424 carrier-based solid biofertiliser manufacturing units and 108 for liquid biofertiliser manufacturing units, the CSE report said, “The production capacities are not optimally utilised by all states. There is also lack of compiled countrywide information on companies, registered biofertiliser products and authorisations given at the Central level.” Production and availability of biofertilisers and organic fertilisers must be ensured, and their use must be promoted through a multi-pronged approach by the Centre and states, the report recommended and suggested several steps to ease out the creases in the field. Biofertilisers are ready to use live formulates of beneficial microorganisms that on application to seed, root or soil mobilise nutrients through their biological activity in particular and help in building up the micro-flora and soil health in general. Organic fertilisers consist of decomposed organic material derived from animal, human and plant residues. They are of different types depending on the source of the organic material and nature of composting. For example, organic manure is a mix of cattle dung and plant residues, while vermicompost is developed with the help of earthworms.

West Bengal: Ensure BS-VI vehicles over 1 year old undergo PUC check, police told

KOLKATA: The Bengal government directed police to ensure Bharat Stage (BS)-VI vehicles, registered on April 1, 2020, and earlier, undergo pollution check and have valid pollution-under-control (PUC) certificates. BS-VI is a much stricter emission standard and its compliance will cut down on tailpipe emission, which contributes to 30% of the city’s ambient air pollution. After registration, new BS-VI vehicles were offered a one-year relief but the pandemic delayed pollution-check enforcement further by a year. Now, the transport department has asked police to check whether all BS-VI vehicles, registered at least a year ago, have valid certificates. India cities were brought under the Bharat Stage regime in 2000. The fourth iteration, BS-IV, was introduced in 2017 and therefore the delay between the introduction of BS-III and BS-IV resulted in fast-tracking the BS-VI emission norms, skipping BS-V. “While the BS-IV emission norms allow a vehicle to emit not more than 80mg/km of NOx (nitrogen oxides), BS-VI emission norms have reduced it to 60mg/km,” an official said. The insurance regulatory and development authority (IRDA) recently asked insurance companies not to renew any motor policy until vehicle owners provided valid PUC certificates. Kolkata has 1,42,308 BS-VI vehicles, of which over 50,000 were registered in 2020, 69,000 in 2021 and 20,000 in 2022. “Under the BS-VI norms, the pollution limit has been drastically reduced. While the norm for NOx from diesel vehicles in BS-IV is at 250mg/km, it is reduced to 80mg/km under BS-VI. The HC+NOx has been reduced from 300mg/km in the BS-IV to 170mg/km,” explained P K Bose, an automobile expert and former director, NIT. But, many experts said, PUC enforcement was just a token move. “PUC is irrelevant for BS-VI vehicles, with the introduction of Real Driving Emission (RDE). There needs to be a paradigm shift in technology in the form of a remote sensing device, which can measure tailpipe emissions for key pollutants while vehicles are on the move. We need huge preparedness and training for our regional transport offices to adjust to the new BS-VI norms,” said Anumita Roy Choudhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi. “RPM meters are necessary, along with a pollution measuring device to check the levels under driving conditions. But many auto emission testing centres (AETC) do not have RPM meters,” said auto emission consultant S M Ghosh.