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दिल्ली-एनसीआर में शीतकालीन प्रदूषण में पराली के धुएं से बड़ा योगदान क्षेत्रीय स्रोत, सीएसई का दावा

इस सर्दी में सबसे अधिक बारिश होने के बावजूद, पीएम2.5 का समग्र सर्दियों का औसत ऊंचा बना हुआ है और स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय स्रोतों का समग्र योगदान पराली के धुएं से अधिक था, केंद्र द्वारा दिल्ली-एनसीआर के लिए सर्दियों के प्रदूषण का विश्लेषण। विज्ञान और पर्यावरण (सीएसई) ने बुधवार को दिखाया। जबकि पिछली सर्दियों की तुलना में मौसमी स्तर में मामूली गिरावट आई थी, स्तर अभी भी बहुत अधिक है, और सुरक्षा मानकों को पूरा करने से बहुत दूर, सीएसई शोधकर्ताओं ने चेतावनी देते हुए कहा कि अगर तुरंत कार्रवाई नहीं की गई, तो यह प्रवृत्ति खराब हो सकती है। आने वाले वर्षों में महामारी के वर्षों में गिरावट को नकारते हुए। “बढ़े हुए प्रदूषण के स्तर और धुंध के एपिसोड प्रणालीगत प्रदूषण का सबूत हैं जो सभी क्षेत्रों में प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए अपर्याप्त बुनियादी ढांचे और प्रणालियों के कारण इस क्षेत्र में जारी है। इस पर तभी काबू पाया जा सकता है जब साल भर कार्रवाई और अधिक सख्त और सभी क्षेत्रों और क्षेत्र में एक समान हो जाए।” सीएसई के अर्बन लैब एनालिटिक्स के प्रोग्राम मैनेजर अविकल सोमवंशी ने कहा: “भले ही पूरे क्षेत्र में मौसमी औसत में काफी भिन्नता है, लेकिन बड़ी दूरी के बावजूद इस क्षेत्र में सर्दियों के प्रदूषण के एपिसोड खतरनाक रूप से उच्च और सिंक्रनाइज़ हैं। सबसे अधिक सर्दी होने के बावजूद, कुल सर्दियों का औसत PM2.5 ऊंचा बना हुआ है और स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय स्रोतों का समग्र योगदान पराली के धुएं की तुलना में अधिक है।” सफर के अनुसार, उत्तरी राज्यों में पराली की आग से निकलने वाले धुएं ने 10 अक्टूबर, 2021 से दिल्ली के PM2.5 स्तर में योगदान देना शुरू कर दिया और 30 नवंबर, 2021 को समाप्त हो गया। इन 52 दिनों के दौरान, प्रतिशत योगदान एक प्रतिशत से 48 प्रतिशत के बीच रहा। , बाद में 7 नवंबर, 2021 को रिपोर्ट किया गया था। इस सर्दियों की पराली की आग का मौसम पिछले दो सर्दियों की तुलना में चार दिन छोटा था। उन दिनों की संख्या जब प्रतिशत योगदान 40 प्रतिशत से अधिक था, पिछले साल की तरह ही इस सर्दी में भी था: सिर्फ दो दिन। लेकिन अगर पूर्ण एकाग्रता की दृष्टि से देखा जाए, तो इस वर्ष दिनों की संख्या दोगुनी थी जब पराली की आग से पीएम 2.5 का भार दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता को अपने आप ‘बहुत खराब’ श्रेणी में गिराने के लिए पर्याप्त था। इसके अलावा, ये उच्च योगदान लोड दिन एक क्लस्टर में हुए, जो इंगित करता है कि पिछले वर्षों की तुलना में इस वर्ष कम दिनों की अवधि में सबसे बड़ी बल्क बर्निंग हुई। यह विस्तारित मानसून के कारण हो सकता है जिसने गेहूं की फसल की बुवाई से पहले वर्षा मुक्त अवधि को कम कर दिया। दिल्ली के लिए शहर भर में सर्दियों का औसत 172 माइक्रो-ग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रहा, जो कि 2019-20 की सर्दियों के मौसमी औसत के समान है, लेकिन 2020-21 की सर्दियों के मौसमी औसत से नौ प्रतिशत कम है। मौसमी शिखर दोनों पूर्ववर्ती सर्दियों की तुलना में लगभग पांच प्रतिशत कम था। गंभीर या खराब वायु गुणवत्ता वाले दिनों की संख्या पूर्व-कोविड स्तरों पर वापस आ गई: इस सर्दी में, 25 दिनों का शहर-व्यापी औसत ‘गंभीर’ या ‘बदतर’ AQI श्रेणी में था – पिछली सर्दियों में ऐसे 23 दिनों से ऊपर और 2019-20 की सर्दियों में 25 दिनों के बराबर। सीएसई ने केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के कंटीन्यूअस एम्बिएंट एयर क्वालिटी मॉनिटरिंग सिस्टम (सीएएक्यूएमएस) के तहत 81 वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशनों द्वारा रिकॉर्ड किए गए डेटा का इस्तेमाल किया, जबकि फार्म स्टबल फायर डेटा सिस्टम ऑफ एयर क्वालिटी एंड वेदर फोरकास्टिंग एंड रिसर्च से प्राप्त किया गया था। (सफर)। मौसम के आंकड़े भारतीय मौसम विज्ञान विभाग (आईएमडी) के सफदरजंग मौसम केंद्र से लिए गए हैं।

बारिश के बावजूद सर्दी की हवा खराब | ताजा खबर दिल्ली

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के अनुसार, कई दशकों में सबसे भीषण सर्दी के बावजूद, राजधानी में पिछले साल की तुलना में इस बार प्रदूषण में मामूली कमी देखी गई। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) द्वारा बुधवार को जारी एक विश्लेषण में पाया गया कि पिछले कई दशकों में अपनी सबसे अधिक सर्दी दर्ज करने के बावजूद, दिल्ली में पिछले साल की तुलना में इस बार प्रदूषण में मामूली कमी देखी गई। 1 अक्टूबर, 2021 से 28 फरवरी, 2022 तक की पांच महीने की अवधि का विश्लेषण करते हुए, शहर भर में औसत पीएम 2.5 स्तर 172 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर (μg/m3) पाया गया – जो कि राष्ट्रीय वार्षिक मानक से चार गुना अधिक है। 40μg/m3 और दैनिक मानक 60μg/m3। यह 2020-21 (189μg/m3) में इसी अवधि के दौरान मौसमी औसत से 9% कम है, और 2019-20 में प्रदूषण स्तर (173μg/m3) के समान है। 2018-19 की सर्दियों में औसत PM2.5 स्तर 190μg/m3 देखा गया। विश्लेषण में यह भी पाया गया कि मौसमी शिखर पीएम 2.5 स्तर (516μg/m3) 2020-21 (542μg/m3) और 2019-20 (549μg/m3) की तुलना में 5% कम है। “मौसम विज्ञान के अनुसार, यह सर्दी हाल के वर्षों में सबसे अधिक बारिश थी, जिसमें पिछली सर्दियों की तुलना में लगभग दो-तीन गुना अधिक बारिश हुई थी, जिनमें से अधिकांश जनवरी में हुई थी, जिससे शहर में वास्तविक समय की वायु गुणवत्ता की निगरानी शुरू होने के बाद से जनवरी में यह सबसे कम प्रदूषित हुआ। लेकिन, इस मौसम संबंधी लाभ ने शहर को बहुत अधिक राहत नहीं दी क्योंकि बारिश के बीच तेजी से निर्माण और वर्षा रहित अवधि के दौरान धुंध के एपिसोड के गठन ने समग्र मौसमी औसत को बहुत अधिक रखा, ”विश्लेषण ने कहा। दिल्ली में इस सर्दियों की अवधि में 217 मिमी बारिश दर्ज की गई – पिछली सर्दियों में दर्ज 114 मिमी से लगभग दोगुनी। 2019-20 सर्दियों के दौरान राजधानी 74 मिमी और 2018-19 सर्दियों में 86 मिमी थी।

सीएसई का खुलासा : सर्दी में प्रदूषण के लिए स्थानीय स्रोत 80 फीसदी जिम्मेदार, शोधकर्ताओं ने दी चेतावनी

दिल्ली-एनसीआर में हर साल सर्दी में हवा के दमघोंटू होने पर पराली का धुएं आरोप प्रत्यारोप की राजनीति का आधार बनता है। इसके विपरीत बीते वर्ष की सर्दी में दमघोंटू हवा के लिए स्थानीय स्तर का प्रदूषण 80 फीसदी जिम्मेदार पाया गया है। इस संबंध में सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने विश्लेषण किया है। शोधकर्ताओं ने चेतावनी दी है कि अगर इस पर तुरंत कार्रवाई नहीं की गई तो आने वाले वर्षों में यह प्रवृत्ति और खराब हो सकती है। सीएसई ने एक अक्तूबर 2021 से 28 फरवरी 2022 के दौरान दिल्ली-एनसीआर में निगरानी स्टेशनों से वास्तविक समय के आंकड़ों का विश्लेषण किया है। इससे पता चलता है कि इस सर्दी में विभिन्न चरणों में भारी और लंबे समय तक बारिश के बावजूद धुंध और प्रदूषण के स्तर में वृद्धि हुई है। इस दौरान कोरोना महामारी के कारण लगने वाले लॉकडाउन और बारिश के कारण कुछ दिन संतोषजनक श्रेणी के भी दर्ज किए गए हैं, जो कि बीते तीन सीजन में दर्ज नहीं हुए। सीएसई के कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता चौधरी कहती हैं कि बढ़े हुए प्रदूषण के स्तर और स्मॉग एपिसोड प्रणालीगत प्रदूषण का एक प्रमाण है, जो सभी क्षेत्रों में प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए अपर्याप्त बुनियादी ढांचे और प्रणालियों के कारण क्षेत्र में जारी है। इसे तभी काबू में किया जा सकता है जब साल भर की कार्रवाई सभी क्षेत्रों और क्षेत्र में अधिक कठोर और एक समान हो जाए। स्वच्छ वायु मानकों को पूरा करने के लिए कार्रवाई का प्रदर्शन आधारित होना चाहिए। सीएसई के अर्बन लैब एनालिटिक्स के कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक अविकल सोमवंशी कहते हैं कि भले ही पूरे क्षेत्र में मौसमी औसत में काफी भिन्नता है, लेकिन बड़ी दूरी के बावजूद इस क्षेत्र में सर्दियों के प्रदूषण के एपिसोड खतरनाक रूप से उच्च हैं। विश्लेषण में प्रयुक्त डाटा विश्लेषण के लिए केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के 81 वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशनों द्वारा दर्ज आंकड़ों का विश्लेषण किया है। साथ ही खेत में पराली धुएं के आंकड़े सिस्टम ऑफ एयर क्वालिटी एंड वेदर फॉरकास्टिंग एंड रिसर्च (सफर) से लिए गए हैं। मौसम के आंकड़े भारतीय मौसम विभाग के सफदरजंग मौसम केंद्र से लिए गए हैं। पराली के धुएं का 48 फीसदी तक योगदान सफर के अनुसार, उत्तरी राज्यों में पराली के धुएं ने 10 अक्तूबर 2021 से दिल्ली के पीएम 2.5 स्तर में योगदान देना शुरू कर दिया था। इसका प्रभाव 30 नवंबर 2021 तक रिकॉर्ड किया गया। इन 52 दिनों के दौरान प्रदूषण में इसका योगदान एक फीसदी से 48 फीसदी के बीच रहा। इस सर्दी पराली की आग का वायु गुणवत्ता पर असर पिछले दो सर्दियों की तुलना में चार दिन कम था। बीते वर्ष सर्दी में 25 दिन गंभीर स्तर की वायु गुणवत्ता दर्ज की गई। वहीं, इससे पिछली सर्दियों में ऐसे 23 दिन दर्ज हुए थे।

सीएसई का खुलासा : सर्दी में प्रदूषण के लिए स्थानीय स्रोत 80 फीसदी जिम्मेदार, शोधकर्ताओं ने दी चेतावनी

दिल्ली-एनसीआर में हर साल सर्दी में हवा के दमघोंटू होने पर पराली का धुएं आरोप प्रत्यारोप की राजनीति का आधार बनता है। इसके विपरीत बीते वर्ष की सर्दी में दमघोंटू हवा के लिए स्थानीय स्तर का प्रदूषण 80 फीसदी जिम्मेदार पाया गया है। इस संबंध में सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने विश्लेषण किया है। शोधकर्ताओं ने चेतावनी दी है कि अगर इस पर तुरंत कार्रवाई नहीं की गई तो आने वाले वर्षों में यह प्रवृत्ति और खराब हो सकती है। सीएसई ने एक अक्तूबर 2021 से 28 फरवरी 2022 के दौरान दिल्ली-एनसीआर में निगरानी स्टेशनों से वास्तविक समय के आंकड़ों का विश्लेषण किया है। इससे पता चलता है कि इस सर्दी में विभिन्न चरणों में भारी और लंबे समय तक बारिश के बावजूद धुंध और प्रदूषण के स्तर में वृद्धि हुई है। इस दौरान कोरोना महामारी के कारण लगने वाले लॉकडाउन और बारिश के कारण कुछ दिन संतोषजनक श्रेणी के भी दर्ज किए गए हैं, जो कि बीते तीन सीजन में दर्ज नहीं हुए। सीएसई के कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता चौधरी कहती हैं कि बढ़े हुए प्रदूषण के स्तर और स्मॉग एपिसोड प्रणालीगत प्रदूषण का एक प्रमाण है, जो सभी क्षेत्रों में प्रदूषण नियंत्रण के लिए अपर्याप्त बुनियादी ढांचे और प्रणालियों के कारण क्षेत्र में जारी है। इसे तभी काबू में किया जा सकता है जब साल भर की कार्रवाई सभी क्षेत्रों और क्षेत्र में अधिक कठोर और एक समान हो जाए। स्वच्छ वायु मानकों को पूरा करने के लिए कार्रवाई का प्रदर्शन आधारित होना चाहिए। सीएसई के अर्बन लैब एनालिटिक्स के कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक अविकल सोमवंशी कहते हैं कि भले ही पूरे क्षेत्र में मौसमी औसत में काफी भिन्नता है, लेकिन बड़ी दूरी के बावजूद इस क्षेत्र में सर्दियों के प्रदूषण के एपिसोड खतरनाक रूप से उच्च हैं। विश्लेषण में प्रयुक्त डाटा विश्लेषण के लिए केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के 81 वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशनों द्वारा दर्ज आंकड़ों का विश्लेषण किया है। साथ ही खेत में पराली धुएं के आंकड़े सिस्टम ऑफ एयर क्वालिटी एंड वेदर फॉरकास्टिंग एंड रिसर्च (सफर) से लिए गए हैं। मौसम के आंकड़े भारतीय मौसम विभाग के सफदरजंग मौसम केंद्र से लिए गए हैं। पराली के धुएं का 48 फीसदी तक योगदान सफर के अनुसार, उत्तरी राज्यों में पराली के धुएं ने 10 अक्तूबर 2021 से दिल्ली के पीएम 2.5 स्तर में योगदान देना शुरू कर दिया था। इसका प्रभाव 30 नवंबर 2021 तक रिकॉर्ड किया गया। इन 52 दिनों के दौरान प्रदूषण में इसका योगदान एक फीसदी से 48 फीसदी के बीच रहा। इस सर्दी पराली की आग का वायु गुणवत्ता पर असर पिछले दो सर्दियों की तुलना में चार दिन कम था। बीते वर्ष सर्दी में 25 दिन गंभीर स्तर की वायु गुणवत्ता दर्ज की गई। वहीं, इससे पिछली सर्दियों में ऐसे 23 दिन दर्ज हुए थे।

Regional sources bigger contributor than stubble smoke to Delhi-NCR winter pollution: CSE

Despite being this winter being the wettest, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources were higher than that from stubble smoke, an analysis of winter pollution for Delhi-NCR by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed on Wednesday. facebook social whatsapp telegram News by IANS | Updated Mar 30, 2022 Regional sources bigger contributor than stubble smoke to Delhi-NCR winter pollution: CSE While there had been a minor drop in the seasonal level compared to previous winters, the level is still extremely high, and far from meeting the safety standards, the CSE researchers said, warning that if not acted upon immediately, this trend can worsen in the coming years negating the downward dip of the pandemic years. The CSE carried out the analysis of real-time data from monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR for the entire winter period - starting from October 1, 2021 till February 28, 2022. "Elevated pollution levels and smog episodes are evidence of the systemic pollution that has continued in the region due to inadequate infrastructure and systems for pollution control in all sectors. This can be tamed only if round the year action becomes more stringent and uniform across sectors and the region," said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme manager, Urban Lab Analytics, CSE, said: "Even though there is considerable variation in seasonal averages across the region, winter pollution episodes are alarmingly high and synchronised in the region despite large distances. Despite being the wettest winter, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources are higher than that from stubble smoke." According to SAFAR, smoke from the stubble fire in northern states started contributing to Delhi's PM2.5 level from October 10, 2021 and ended on November 30, 2021. During these 52 days, the percentage contribution varied between one per cent and 48 per cent, with the latter being reported on November 7, 2021. This winter's stubble fire season was four days shorter than the ones in the previous two winters. The number of days when percentage contribution was over 40 per cent was the same this winter as last year: just two days. But if looked at from absolute concentration terms, this year had twice the number of days when the PM2.5 load from stubble fire was high enough to plunge Delhi's air quality into 'very poor' category on its own. Further, these high contribution load days happened in a cluster, which indicates that the biggest bulk burning instances took place in a span of fewer days this year than in the previous years. This might be due to the extended monsoon which reduced the rain-free period before the sowing of the wheat crop. The city-wide winter average for Delhi stood at 172 micro-gram per cubic metre, which is identical to the seasonal average of the winter of 2019-20 but is nine per cent lower than the seasonal average of 2020-21 winter. The seasonal peak was about five per cent lower than both preceding winters. Number of days with severe or worse air quality bounced back to pre-Covid levels: This winter, 25 days had the city-wide average in 'severe' or 'worse' AQI category -- up from 23 such days in the previous winter and on par with 25 days in the winter of 2019-20. The CSE used data as recorded by 81 air quality monitoring stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) while the farm stubble fire data was sourced from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Weather data was sourced from the Safdarjang weather station of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Regional sources bigger contributor than stubble smoke to Delhi-NCR winter pollution: CSE

Despite being this winter being the wettest, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources were higher than that from stubble smoke, an analysis of winter pollution for Delhi-NCR by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed on Wednesday. While there had been a minor drop in the seasonal level compared to previous winters, the level is still extremely high, and far from meeting the safety standards, the CSE researchers said, warning that if not acted upon immediately, this trend can worsen in the coming years negating the downward dip of the pandemic years. The CSE carried out the analysis of real-time data from monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR for the entire winter period – starting from October 1, 2021 till February 28, 2022. “Elevated pollution levels and smog episodes are evidence of the systemic pollution that has continued in the region due to inadequate infrastructure and systems for pollution control in all sectors. This can be tamed only if round the year action becomes more stringent and uniform across sectors and the region,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme manager, Urban Lab Analytics, CSE, said: “Even though there is considerable variation in seasonal averages across the region, winter pollution episodes are alarmingly high and synchronised in the region despite large distances. Despite being the wettest winter, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources are higher than that from stubble smoke.” According to SAFAR, smoke from the stubble fire in northern states started contributing to Delhi’s PM2.5 level from October 10, 2021 and ended on November 30, 2021. During these 52 days, the percentage contribution varied between one per cent and 48 per cent, with the latter being reported on November 7, 2021. This winter’s stubble fire season was four days shorter than the ones in the previous two winters. The number of days when percentage contribution was over 40 per cent was the same this winter as last year: just two days. But if looked at from absolute concentration terms, this year had twice the number of days when the PM2.5 load from stubble fire was high enough to plunge Delhi’s air quality into ‘very poor’ category on its own. Further, these high contribution load days happened in a cluster, which indicates that the biggest bulk burning instances took place in a span of fewer days this year than in the previous years. This might be due to the extended monsoon which reduced the rain-free period before the sowing of the wheat crop. The city-wide winter average for Delhi stood at 172 micro-gram per cubic metre, which is identical to the seasonal average of the winter of 2019-20 but is nine per cent lower than the seasonal average of 2020-21 winter. The seasonal peak was about five per cent lower than both preceding winters. Number of days with severe or worse air quality bounced back to pre-Covid levels: This winter, 25 days had the city-wide average in ‘severe’ or ‘worse’ AQI category — up from 23 such days in the previous winter and on par with 25 days in the winter of 2019-20. The CSE used data as recorded by 81 air quality monitoring stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) while the farm stubble fire data was sourced from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Weather data was sourced from the Safdarjang weather station of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Regional sources bigger contributor than stubble smoke to Delhi-NCR winter pollution: CSE

Despite being this winter being the wettest, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources were higher than that from stubble smoke, an analysis of winter pollution for Delhi-NCR by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed on Wednesday. While there had been a minor drop in the seasonal level compared to previous winters, the level is still extremely high, and far from meeting the safety standards, the CSE researchers said, warning that if not acted upon immediately, this trend can worsen in the coming years negating the downward dip of the pandemic years. The CSE carried out the analysis of real-time data from monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR for the entire winter period - starting from October 1, 2021 till February 28, 2022. "Elevated pollution levels and smog episodes are evidence of the systemic pollution that has continued in the region due to inadequate infrastructure and systems for pollution control in all sectors. This can be tamed only if round the year action becomes more stringent and uniform across sectors and the region," said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme manager, Urban Lab Analytics, CSE, said: "Even though there is considerable variation in seasonal averages across the region, winter pollution episodes are alarmingly high and synchronised in the region despite large distances. Despite being the wettest winter, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources are higher than that from stubble smoke." According to SAFAR, smoke from the stubble fire in northern states started contributing to Delhi's PM2.5 level from October 10, 2021 and ended on November 30, 2021. During these 52 days, the percentage contribution varied between one per cent and 48 per cent, with the latter being reported on November 7, 2021. This winter's stubble fire season was four days shorter than the ones in the previous two winters. The number of days when percentage contribution was over 40 per cent was the same this winter as last year: just two days. But if looked at from absolute concentration terms, this year had twice the number of days when the PM2.5 load from stubble fire was high enough to plunge Delhi's air quality into 'very poor' category on its own. Further, these high contribution load days happened in a cluster, which indicates that the biggest bulk burning instances took place in a span of fewer days this year than in the previous years. This might be due to the extended monsoon which reduced the rain-free period before the sowing of the wheat crop. The city-wide winter average for Delhi stood at 172 micro-gram per cubic metre, which is identical to the seasonal average of the winter of 2019-20 but is nine per cent lower than the seasonal average of 2020-21 winter. The seasonal peak was about five per cent lower than both preceding winters. Number of days with severe or worse air quality bounced back to pre-Covid levels: This winter, 25 days had the city-wide average in 'severe' or 'worse' AQI category -- up from 23 such days in the previous winter and on par with 25 days in the winter of 2019-20. The CSE used data as recorded by 81 air quality monitoring stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) while the farm stubble fire data was sourced from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Weather data was sourced from the Safdarjang weather station of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Regional sources bigger contributor than stubble smoke to Delhi-NCR winter pollution: CSE

Despite being this winter being the wettest, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources were higher than that from stubble smoke, an analysis of winter pollution for Delhi-NCR by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed on Wednesday. While there had been a minor drop in the seasonal level compared to previous winters, the level is still extremely high, and far from meeting the safety standards, the CSE researchers said, warning that if not acted upon immediately, this trend can worsen in the coming years negating the downward dip of the pandemic years. The CSE carried out the analysis of real-time data from monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR for the entire winter period - starting from October 1, 2021 till February 28, 2022. Elevated pollution levels and smog episodes are evidence of the systemic pollution that has continued in the region due to inadequate infrastructure and systems for pollution control in all sectors. This can be tamed only if round the year action becomes more stringent and uniform across sectors and the region," said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme manager, Urban Lab Analytics, CSE, said: "Even though there is considerable variation in seasonal averages across the region, winter pollution episodes are alarmingly high and synchronised in the region despite large distances. Despite being the wettest winter, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources are higher than that from stubble smoke." According to SAFAR, smoke from the stubble fire in northern states started contributing to Delhi's PM2.5 level from October 10, 2021 and ended on November 30, 2021. During these 52 days, the percentage contribution varied between one per cent and 48 per cent, with the latter being reported on November 7, 2021. This winter's stubble fire season was four days shorter than the ones in the previous two winters. The number of days when percentage contribution was over 40 per cent was the same this winter as last year: just two days. But if looked at from absolute concentration terms, this year had twice the number of days when the PM2.5 load from stubble fire was high enough to plunge Delhi's air quality into 'very poor' category on its own. Further, these high contribution load days happened in a cluster, which indicates that the biggest bulk burning instances took place in a span of fewer days this year than in the previous years. This might be due to the extended monsoon which reduced the rain-free period before the sowing of the wheat crop. The city-wide winter average for Delhi stood at 172 micro-gram per cubic metre, which is identical to the seasonal average of the winter of 2019-20 but is nine per cent lower than the seasonal average of 2020-21 winter. The seasonal peak was about five per cent lower than both preceding winters. Number of days with severe or worse air quality bounced back to pre-Covid levels: This winter, 25 days had the city-wide average in 'severe' or 'worse' AQI category -- up from 23 such days in the previous winter and on par with 25 days in the winter of 2019-20. The CSE used data as recorded by 81 air quality monitoring stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) while the farm stubble fire data was sourced from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Weather data was sourced from the Safdarjang weather station of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Marginal improvement in Delhi-NCR's air quality this winter season despite record rain

Delhi recorded 25 "severe" air quality days this winter season – equalling the number of such days in 2019-20 – despite heavy and prolonged rains, according to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment. The city also saw two days of 'good' air and seven days of 'satisfactory' air this winter, which is an improvement from the last winter season when no such low-pollution days were recorded. This high variability in air quality this winter can be attributed to the increased number of heavy rainfall days and colder-than-usual weather. The winter average of PM2.5 for Delhi stood at 172 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3), which is equal to the average of the 2019-20 winter season but is 9 per cent lower than the seasonal average of the 2020-21 winter. Meteorologically, this winter was the wettest in recent years with almost two-three times more rainfall, bulk of which happened in January, compared to previous winters, making it the least polluted January since real-time air quality monitoring started in the city. But this meteorological advantage did not give much reprieve to the city as a rapid build-up in between rainy spells and the formation of smog episodes during rainless periods kept the overall seasonal average very high, the green think tank said. "Elevated pollution levels and smog episodes are evidence of the systemic pollution that has continued in the region due to inadequate infrastructure and systems for pollution control in all sectors. "This can be tamed only if round-the-year action becomes more stringent and uniform across sectors and the region. Action has to be performance-based to meet the clean air standards," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Lab Analytics, CSE, said, "Even though there is considerable variation in seasonal averages across the region, winter pollution episodes are alarmingly high and synchronised in the region despite large distances." "This is the challenge of this landlocked region. Despite being the wettest winter, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources are higher than that from stubble smoke," Somvanshi said.

Regional Sources Bigger Contributor than Stubble Smoke to Delhi-NCR Winter Pollution, Claims CSE

Despite being this winter being the wettest, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources were higher than that from stubble smoke, an analysis of winter pollution for Delhi-NCR by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) showed on Wednesday. While there had been a minor drop in the seasonal level compared to previous winters, the level is still extremely high, and far from meeting the safety standards, the CSE researchers said, warning that if not acted upon immediately, this trend can worsen in the coming years negating the downward dip of the pandemic years. The CSE carried out the analysis of real-time data from monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR for the entire winter period – starting from October 1, 2021 till February 28, 2022. “Elevated pollution levels and smog episodes are evidence of the systemic pollution that has continued in the region due to inadequate infrastructure and systems for pollution control in all sectors. This can be tamed only if round the year action becomes more stringent and uniform across sectors and the region,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme manager, Urban Lab Analytics, CSE, said: “Even though there is considerable variation in seasonal averages across the region, winter pollution episodes are alarmingly high and synchronised in the region despite large distances. Despite being the wettest winter, the overall winter average of PM2.5 has stayed elevated and the overall contribution of the local and regional sources are higher than that from stubble smoke.” According to SAFAR, smoke from the stubble fire in northern states started contributing to Delhi’s PM2.5 level from October 10, 2021 and ended on November 30, 2021. During these 52 days, the percentage contribution varied between one per cent and 48 per cent, with the latter being reported on November 7, 2021. This winter’s stubble fire season was four days shorter than the ones in the previous two winters. The number of days when percentage contribution was over 40 per cent was the same this winter as last year: just two days. But if looked at from absolute concentration terms, this year had twice the number of days when the PM2.5 load from stubble fire was high enough to plunge Delhi’s air quality into ‘very poor’ category on its own. Further, these high contribution load days happened in a cluster, which indicates that the biggest bulk burning instances took place in a span of fewer days this year than in the previous years. This might be due to the extended monsoon which reduced the rain-free period before the sowing of the wheat crop. The city-wide winter average for Delhi stood at 172 micro-gram per cubic metre, which is identical to the seasonal average of the winter of 2019-20 but is nine per cent lower than the seasonal average of 2020-21 winter. The seasonal peak was about five per cent lower than both preceding winters. Number of days with severe or worse air quality bounced back to pre-Covid levels: This winter, 25 days had the city-wide average in ‘severe’ or ‘worse’ AQI category — up from 23 such days in the previous winter and on par with 25 days in the winter of 2019-20. The CSE used data as recorded by 81 air quality monitoring stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) while the farm stubble fire data was sourced from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Weather data was sourced from the Safdarjang weather station of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

IPCC report will put more pressure on automakers

Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director — Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science & Environment (CSE), believes the auto industry needs to gear up for a “comprehensive lifecycle-based carbon neutrality approach” across the entire manufacturing process. This is consequent to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which has cautioned about the increasing risks of climate change and greenhouse emissions. In India, manufacturers and their suppliers have already begun working towards fresh targets for energy-efficient carbon neutral components. According to Roychowdhury, automakers have to “pay extra attention” to designing vehicles to cope with more extreme weather. Be it flooding or extreme heat, “all these climate-sensitive designs” will happen and it is therefore important to be future ready. As she says, there will be operational changes too. “The IPCC report says the transit infrastructure is also going to be very vulnerable to the extreme — you know, the devastation and destruction we will have to keep in mind.” It is in this backdrop that financing becomes crucial in order to work towards this new roadmap. “How that is going to change is something we will really have to understand,” says Roychowdhury. For instance, the damages incurred as a result of a sea level rise in Mumbai could be in the range of $50 billion by 2050. “Global climate finance has to work towards equity and countries like India should be able to source that finance to fund some of the big transitions,” she adds. Within India itself, aligning investments in different sectors, including transport and vehicles, is critical. Increasingly, all governments around the world are under pressure. India has committed itself to reducing one billion tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030 which essentially means that the future is about steering clear of fossil fuels. Beyond this is the need to ensure a carbon-neutral production process. With the IPCC report also stating how heat islands are going to increase in cities, Roychowdhury says vehicles need to adapt to extreme climate conditions like heat and floods. “Even testing requirements need to take into account additional climate and heat stress. This is how the whole ecosystem needs to adjust and adapt to the changing scenario.” In her view, what is “very powerful” about the report this time is that it is an explicit and strong recognition of the problem of equity and inclusiveness. Essentially, it has focused on the “one very critical area” which is displacement that will happen owing to climate change. The report specifically mentions Mumbai which ranks second among the 20 largest coastal cities scheduled to see flooding and a rise in sea levels. With its river-line coast, where rivers are also flowing in, this “mixed ecosystem is actually going to increase the (city’s) vulnerability”. Flooding will also lead to higher home repair costs for the low-income group and eat up a big chunk of their income. This is the customer segment that buys entry-level motorcycles and even at this point in time, sales are languishing because their income levels have been badly hit by the pandemic. The recently drafted Mumbai Climate Action Plan, which seeks to bring about net zero carbon emissions for the city by 2050, is a step in the right direction. The challenge is to ensure that it is implemented with a clearcut roadmap. The economic implication of climate change is huge and just cannot be ignored especially from the viewpoint of commodity prices and investment patterns. “The whole financing that is now needed from the funding of this new strategy will be a critical part of this transition,” says Roychowdhury.

Not for rich countries

I am at the annual meeting of energy business magnates and experts — perhaps the most important of all such events — held in Houston, Texas. CERAWeek, as it is called, has been held this year, after a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19. It is the worst of times — the Russia-Ukraine war has just broken out; sanctions have been imposed; and energy prices are spiralling out of control. As I sit and listen to the oil and gas producers, I realise that I am seeing a tectonic shift in the global energy chessboard. The fact is, the energy price hike before and during the war has brought back focus on the role of conventional oil and gas companies. They are buoyant about their role in the post-war energy scenario — from drilling and pumping for more oil and gas, to their role in the lucrative new markets in Europe. I wrote about this last fortnight and about the false narrative being bandied about — that this price hike and disruption is due to the efforts to transition from fossil fuels to green energy. This time I want to discuss the issue of natural gas. The Russia-Ukraine war has put a spotlight on the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the global energy future. LNG works where pipelines cannot reach; meaning, where major gas producers, Qatar and the United States, cannot supply. They have developed options to first liquefy the gas so that it can be transported by container ships and then gasified for use in power plants or vehicles or in homes to generate energy. The war has meant that LNG is in greater demand — the US, for one, has a surfeit of it. So, at CERAWeek, the point of conversation was how the US could work with its allies to promote the use of this "cleaner" fossil fuel. Natural gas emits roughly 50 per cent less carbon dioxide (CO2) compared to coal. But it also has the additional problem of methane emissions — primarily from flaring and leakages during transport and distribution. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas — it has a shorter residence time in the atmosphere but it "forces" the temperature to increase more than CO2 does. But the big oil and gas industry is smelling like a rose. It wants to capitalise on this opportunity of an energy crisis — and so it is making all the right noises. It says that this clean gas revolution will be done responsibly. The industry will invest in methane abatement; the CO2 emissions will be captured, utilised or stored, and, of course, it will use the gas to manufacture "clean" hydrogen. As against green hydrogen that is manufactured using renewable energy, this hydrogen will be blue—as it will be produced using natural gas, and then the emissions will be handled and abated. This plan is nothing less than a lullaby for energy-stressed governments. In this scenario, climate change can be handled without the pain of changing energy futures, and the companies who know the business will continue to run the world. Forget the fact that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said that there cannot be new investment in oil and gas post-2020 if the world needs to stay on track to net-zero in 2050. Before I go any further, let me also put my cards on the table. I believe gas is an important clean fuel for our part of the world — which has a huge challenge of air pollution because of dirty combustion from coal. Way back in 1998, we at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) advocated for bringing in compressed natural gas (CNG) to displace the use of diesel in vehicles. This happened and improved air quality. Now, we have coal being used in industrial boilers across the country, adding to massive health problems because of poor air. The option is to use cleaner natural gas or to use biomass in boilers, including in our polluting coal thermal power plants. We need clean fuel so that we can have clean electricity to drive our energy transition — biomass, renewables and natural gas are our best bet to clean up local air pollution. But the question is, if the already industrialised world should also get the "benefit" of using this fossil fuel. The fact is the carbon budget has already been appropriated by a few countries for their growth. These countries need deep decarbonisation, which would mean a transition to renewables and other non-fossil energy sources. They cannot re-invest in fossil fuels and call it clean and green. The problem is not just that these countries will take up more of the carbon budget because of their continued use of fossil fuels. It also means that the price of the energy transition will go up — already, LNG is being diverted to Europe, which has a higher capacity to pay the costs. This will mean that countries like India will find it difficult to get out of the coal trap. This is cheaper fuel, however dirty, and because it is under our ground it has a higher quotient for the energy security experts. It takes us backwards. It makes the entire world unsafe and insecure. This is where the rubber meets the road — quite frankly. DTE The writer is the Director-General of CSE and editor of DownToEarth. Views expressed are personal

Toxic fumes fill Delhi’s skies after vast landfill site catches fire

Blaze at 65-metre high ‘mountain of shame’ in Ghazipur still not completely put out Parts of a fire that broke out on Monday at a gigantic landfill site on the outskirts of Delhi known as the “mountain of shame” were still smouldering 24 hours later, choking local residents who have complained of breathing in toxic fumes. Dozens of firefighters struggled to douse the flames at the landfill site in Ghazipur, due to its height and a lack of access roads. The precise cause of the fire has not been established but Monday was the hottest day in India’s capital so far this year and experts said the heat could have increased the amount of methane generated by decomposing waste. Once methane crosses a certain limit, a fire is ignited. Advertisement “My son was the first to start itching his eyes and coughing,” said Shyam Biswas, who sells flowers in the local wholesale market. “Then my father began and when we went out on the balcony we saw the sky filled with black smoke.” As the landfill comes into view from the highway that passes through Ghazipur, it looks like an eerie mountain range with vultures circling above. Waste pickers in Delhi Cleaning up India's waste: but what is the future for army of tip pickers? Read more Packed with the rubbish of Delhi’s 20 million residents, the site has grown since it was set up in 1994 to cover 80 acres and reach a height of 65 metres. It exceeded its capacity more than a decade ago but 2,500 tonnes of waste continue to be dumped on it every day. Like other Indian cities, Delhi has no system of waste disposal and treatment other than dumping it in landfills. A study in 2020 by the Centre for Science and Environment found more than 3,000 mountainous landfills across India containing 800m tonnes of rubbish. The country’s tallest mountain of rubbish – in Mumbai – is estimated to be 18 storeys high. The Ghazipur landfill is a constant health hazard. Last year, fires broke out four times. In 2017, a large part of it loosened and broke away, crashing on to the road and killing two people. For people living in the areas surrounding it, the air is always toxic. The decomposing waste releases noxious gases, exacerbating the already heavily polluted air. A World Air Quality report last week found that Delhi was the world’s most polluted capital city in 2021 for the fourth consecutive year. “The problem is that it is mixed waste that has not been segregated so the fire will have released all manner of toxins – sulphur dioxide, carbon soot, nitrogen, and particulate matter into the air, making the air far worse than usual,” said Richa Singh, from the Centre for Science and Environment. By noon on Tuesday, 24 hours later, the fire was still smouldering. The local government in Delhi is working on flattening the landfill, a sisyphean task given that rubbish continues to be dumped there every day.

Water security, management need more attention

World Water Day (WWD) is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis, in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. In 2022, World Water Day is celebrated under the theme “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible”, and Unesco was the lead UN agency. As the theme brief explains, “Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight, under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Almost all the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater. As climate change gets worse, groundwater will become more and more critical. We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind.” A new World Water Development Report is released each year on or near World Water Day, to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. Global warming and climate change have the potential to put water security in India at risk, Delhi-based non-profit, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said in a statement, adding that India is witnessing a repeat of 2021 conditions, when temperatures touched 40 degrees Celsius as early as February in some parts of the country. CSE researchers said the rising heat had severe implications for water security. First, it would mean greater evaporation from waterbodies. One option is to work on underground water storage, or wells. According to the CSE, India’s irrigation planners and bureaucracies should not discount the management of groundwater systems. Increased heat can also lead to a drying up of moisture in soils. It will make the land dusty and will increase the need for irrigation. In a country like India, where the bulk of food is still grown in rain-fed regions, it will intensify land degradation and dust bowl formations. This means water management must go hand-in-hand with vegetation planning to improve the ability of soils to hold water, even in times of intense and prolonged heat, the non-profit noted. Third, heat will drive up the use of water — from drinking and irrigation, to fighting fires in forests or buildings. Already, devastating forest fires have been witnessed in many parts of the world and in the forests of India. This will only increase as temperatures go up. The demand for water will increase with climate change, making it even more imperative that water as well as wastewater are not wasted, the CSE has said. Climate change is already showing up in terms of the increasing number of extreme rain events. This means that one can expect rain to come as a flood, making the cycle of floods followed by droughts even more intense, according to the CSE. India already has fewer rainy days in a year. It is said that it rains for just 100 hours on average in a year. Now, the number of rainy days will further go down, but extreme rainy days will increase. This will have a huge impact on India’s plans for water management. It means that the country needs to think more about flood management. The World Bank in its WWD brief points out that India has only four percent of global water resources, making it among the most water-stressed in the world. A large number of Indians face high to extreme water stress, according to a recent report by the government’s policy think tank, the NITI Aayog. India’s dependence on an increasingly erratic monsoon for its water requirements increases this challenge. Climate change is likely to exacerbate this pressure on water resources, even as the frequency and intensity on floods and droughts in the country increases. The World Bank is engaged in different aspects of water resource management and the supply of drinking water and sanitation services across the country. The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/47/193 of 22 December 1992 by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993. States were invited to devote the Day, as appropriate in the national context, to concrete activities such as the promotion of public awareness through the publication and diffusion of documentaries and the organization of conferences, round tables, seminars and expositions related to the conservation and development of water resources.

Delhi’s oversaturated landfills are tinderboxes waiting to ignite: Experts

According to the Delhi Fire Services data, four fires were reported from the Ghazipur landfill in 2021. In 2020 and 2019, eight and six such incidents were reported, respectively. East Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill saw the first major fire of this summer on Monday, which, if one goes by past year records, is just a precursor to the fires to come. According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) data, four fires were reported from the landfill in 2021. In 2020 and 2019, eight and six such incidents were reported, respectively. At the Bhalswa landfill, there were 12 fires last year while two fires were reported this year so far. In 2020 and 2019, one and six fire incidents were reported, respectively, from that site. Similarly, Tughlakabad landfill reported two fires this year, while there was no fire last year. This landfill reported six blazes in 2020 and 25 in 2019, the fire department data shows. “The steep vertical surface makes these landfill sites almost inaccessible. Sources of fires are located 10-20m down the surface and using water further increases the problem as due to the porosity of landfill, the entire mound becomes unstable. Unstable landfill portions have collapsed in the past,” a DFS official said, asking not to be named. A section of the oversaturated landfill had collapsed in September 2017 claiming the lives of two people. Atin Biswas, a waste management expert and program director of municipal solid waste sector in Centre for Science and Environment, said, “There can be two causes for such fires. First, is 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.” East corporation mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal said the fire at Ghazipur on Monday was due to rising temperatures causing a buildup of trapped gases. “During this season a lot of dry waste and leaves reach the landfill. There is no human error involved. The environmental conditions could have ignited the fire which has spread. It should be controlled in half an hour,” the mayor said. However, the fire continued to burn even late into the night. The fires also cause another grave problem, one that has become Delhi’s perennial bane — pollution. The emissions from Bhalswa landfill, the oldest operational dump, is the highest, say officials. While minor fires and smoke is a year-round occurrence there, come summer and it also witnesses the maximum number of fires. Experts say toxic fumes that these landfills include extremely polluting and greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide and monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, dioxins and furans. Dipankar Saha, former head of Central Pollution Control Board’s air laboratory, said depending on the wind speed, the smoke could travel several kilometres from the landfill. “Unburnt hydrocarbons are released during the combustion process and landfill sites also have plastic and batteries which can release toxic chemicals, heavy metals and furans,” said Saha, adding that the impact can range from short-term — such as an itchy throat or eyes — to long-term, such as asthma. Data from two nearest ambient air quality stations — Patparganj and Anand Vihar — showed that the average PM10 levels ranged form 150-355 micrograms per cubic, from 2pm to 10pm, while the PM2.5 levels ranged from 50-120 µg/m3. The safe standard for PM10 is 100µg/m3,and PM2.5 is 60µg/m3. Solutions Based on the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal, the East corporation launched a bio mining project to flatten this garbage mountain. Agarwal said the bio mining of Ghazipur started in 2019 and the corporation has set a deadline of December 2024 to completely clear the landfill. Similar trommelling and bio mining exercises are on in Bhalswa and Okhla sites as well. However, issues such as suspension of the process during monsoon, continued dumping of fresh waste and disposal of inert waste have slowed down the project. Biswas said in long run, the only solution is to prevent food waste from reaching the landfill. “Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, financial incentives have been linked to push local bodies to divert the waste reaching landfill sites before 2026. Segregation at household is the way forward,” he said.

Jaffrabad to get waste management tech park

Officials said the technology park, spread over a 1,000 square metre area, is a trial project to see the viability of incorporating waste processing technologies at a local level and reduce the pressure on landfills. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s new technology park in Jaffrabad, which features several pilot projects for decentralised processing of municipal waste, will be inaugurated by K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific advisor to the Central government, on Tuesday. Officials said the technology park, spread over a 1,000 square metre area, is a trial project to see the viability of incorporating waste processing technologies at a local level and reduce the pressure on landfills. “The trials of various pilot units are now complete and the park will be fully operational to treat 10 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day. The technology is being touted as a ‘decentralised solution’ for processing of waste at local level so that minimal waste is sent to landfill sites which will also help municipal waste cut down on transportation cost,” said a senior EDMC official. The work on the project started in 2018 under the “waste to wealth” mission. The project features semi-automated segregation of municipal solid waste into various components for utilisation separately. “The project has been carried out by the office of principal scientific advisor and we have just provided land. We will assess the performance of these pilot technologies to see if they can be replicated at other sites if funds are available to us,” a senior EDMC sanitation department official said. EDMC areas have 469 colonies spread across 64 wards which support about 23.5% of Delhi’s population. The sanitation department estimates that the Jaffrabad dhalao, which receives 10 tonnes of fresh waste each day, caters to a population of 22,000. “Such smaller waste processing plants can decentralise waste processing and reduce waste transportation cost. This can be the first step in moving towards zero landfill,” the office of principal scientific advisor has stated in a statement. Under the technology park, a 1,000sqm area, which was earlier used for open dumping and waste collection, has been turned into mini-decentralised waste processing facility. “The park will be able to process 10 tonnes of municipal waste which will be segregated and treated. We will be able to recover a tonne of compostable elements that can be turned into manure, two tonnes of combustible waste that can be used for energy generation and 1.5 tonnes of recyclable material. The combustible waste will then be processed on site using various pilot technologies, leaving only 5-10% of inert material reaching landfills,” said a sanitation department official. Delhi generates around 11,119 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day. Atin Biswas, a waste management expert and programme director of municipal solid waste sector in Centre for Science and Environment, said, “We can have all the state-of-the-art technologies but segregation of waste at household level is the first step.”