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Urban Waste Management in India: All You Need to Know About the Challenges, Solutions

The Ministries of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) have, over the years, collaborated to develop policies and programmes to address these concerns. However, according to some experts, due to lack of clarity and understanding among stakeholders, as well as poor enforcement by regulators, a majority of these have failed to fulfil their goals. Despite the efforts of several organisations, experts say, the problems related to collecting, transporting and disposing of solid waste remain unresolved in metropolitan areas, where fast-growing populations generate increasing amounts of waste that urban local bodies (ULBs) are unable to efficiently manage. In urban India, solid waste management (SWM) has become one of the most significant development concerns owing to microbial decomposition, climate conditions, refuse properties, and land-filling activities. PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Prof. Sudha Goel, for example, advises regular monitoring and data collecting are crucial for developing an efficient SWM system in her study, ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in India: A Critical Review’. Two other researchers, Rajkumar Joshi and Sirajuddin Ahmed, in their 2016 research paper, stated that Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) has failed due to a lack of awareness and technical competence, insufficient budget and ineffective execution of laws and policies. Another study outlined the various tools for overcoming urban waste management problems in India. It stated that urban waste management should be streamlined using technology, and the SWM system should be made techno-economically viable and sustainable. THE CLASSIFICATION Solid waste is classified into three types: • Biodegradable waste or organic waste (food and kitchen waste, green waste (vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits, and paper, for example) • Inert and non-biodegradable waste (construction and demolition waste, dirt, debris, for example) • Recyclable waste (plastic, paper, bottles, glasses, etc.) On July 3, 2020, the MoHUA released the toolkit for the Swachh Survekshan 2021. As part of it, a new award category called ‘Pretak Daaur Samman’ was announced. The new award will classify cities based on six performance indicators, which are: • Segregation of waste into wet, dry and hazard categories • Processing capacity against wet waste generated • Construction and Demolition (C and D) waste processing. • Percentage of waste going to landfills. • Sanitation status of cities C AND D WASTE According to a report released on August 25, 2020, by the Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India recycles only 1% of its C and D waste. As per the Building Material Promotion Council, the country generates an estimated 150 million tonnes of C and D waste each year. However, the official recycling capacity is only 6,500 tonnes per day or about 1%. Advertisement While releasing the report, Sunita Narain, CSE director general said: “Our study shows that as many as 53 cities were expected to set up recycling facilities to recover material from C and D waste by 2017 — but only 13 cities have done that by 2020. This is unacceptable when the demand for primary building material, including minerals, stone, sand, iron ore, aluminium and timber, is growing at an unprecedented rate.” “A significant proportion of construction waste can be recycled and reused and brought back to construction to substitute naturally sourced material. This demands a circular economy that can turn C and D waste into a resource. This can help reduce energy intensity and environmental footprints of buildings and infrastructure,” she added. Recently, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to collect and reuse C and D waste generated across the city on daily basis. Additionally, it was said that the process to hire a private operator for the purpose was completed in just two days, rather than the typical 30 to 45 days. The operator will have to introduce a helpline number on which citizens can call to get their C and D waste lifted. The operator will also have the right to recover charges from bulk waste generators like builders. Separately in Noida, on April 10, demolition experts are planning a test explosion of the Supertech twin towers. The test explosion is required to optimise and ensure that the exact amount of explosives to be utilised is known — as more explosives would cause debris to disperse all over. According to the plan, while the structures will be demolished in nine seconds, the debris will likely take at least three months to be removed. The debris could be disposed of in a low-lying region or processed at a C and D waste facility. Furthermore, it was reported that on a weekly basis, the area’s dust and noise levels are measured, the amount of waste generated is logged and daily water use is calculated. On-site dust separators have also been installed. But containing the dust cloud, which may be challenging, will be the most difficult aspect of the demolition. Spraying will be used to try to control the dust cloud, but there is no definitive way to do so. The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) in a 2012 circular instructed states to construct environmentally appropriate C and D recycling facilities in all cities with a population of above 10 lakh. Additionally, it was said earlier that the Bureau of Indian Standards and Indian Roads Congress shall be responsible for the preparation of a code of practises and standards for the use of recycled materials and products of construction and demolition waste in respect of construction activities, according to the C and D Waste Management Rules, 2016 Rule under the Duties of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Indian Roads Congress (IRC). According to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, in the case of the “sustainable model” on C and D waste management, the key components are: • Practical estimation of C and D waste generation • Identified sites and timely acquisition of land for development of integrated C and D processing facilities, with necessary approval from local administration / civic bodies • Specifications/standards for recycled C and D waste products for quality acceptance • List and mandate the use of recycled products from C and D wastes • Map water bodies in a city/region – encroachment of water bodies in cities for generating ‘land’ is a common practice observed in several cities • Research on economically viable C and D recycling options • Awareness campaign – tools for sensitisation of general public ​

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

New Delhi: Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March.

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent.

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

New Delhi: Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.” The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. “March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,” Somvanshi said. “This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. “Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,” he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, ‘feels like’ temperature – ’25 but feels like 35′. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD’s former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: “February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition – that usually occurs around the festival of Holi – sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way – cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.” Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. “In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India – from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. “Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the ‘wind’ is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,” he said. “The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,” Kelkar said. “In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi’s atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.”

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

Humidity Plays Major Role In Delhi’s Heat Wave Conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.” The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. “March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,” Somvanshi said. “This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. “Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,” he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, ‘feels like’ temperature – ’25 but feels like 35′. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD’s former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: “February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition – that usually occurs around the festival of Holi – sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way – cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.” Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. “In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India – from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. “Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the ‘wind’ is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,” he said. “The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,” Kelkar said. “In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi’s atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.”

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.” The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. “March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,” Somvanshi said. “This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. “Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,” he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, ‘feels like’ temperature – ’25 but feels like 35′. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD’s former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: “February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition – that usually occurs around the festival of Holi – sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way – cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.” Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. “In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India – from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. “Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the ‘wind’ is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,” he said. “The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,” Kelkar said. “In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi’s atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.” 20220409-081203

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: 'March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.' The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. 'March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,' Somvanshi said. 'This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. 'Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,' he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: 'February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.' Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. 'In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. 'Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,' he said. 'The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,' Kelkar said. 'In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.' --IANS

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

99 posto ljudi udiše zagađeni zrak

Po podacima Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije (WHO) gotovo svi žitelji svijeta udišu zrak koji ne zadovoljava temeljne standarde o njegovoj kvaliteti i izloženi su pretjerano visokim razinama sitnih onečišćujućih čestica Otprilike šest mjeseci nakon što je pooštrio smjernice o kvaliteti zraka, WHO je u ponedjeljak objavio ažurirane podatke o njegovoj kvaliteti koje se temelje na satelitskim snimkama i informacijama iz sve većeg broja gradova, mjesta i sela širom svijeta, a radi se o oko 6000 mjesta i gradova iz 117 zemalja svijeta. Procijenjeno je da 99 posto svjetske populacije udiše zrak koji prelazi utvrđene granice o kvaliteti zraka, često prepunog čestica koje mogu prodrijeti duboko u pluća, ući u vene i arterije i uzrokovati razne bolesti. Kvaliteta zraka najlošija je u regijama istočnog Sredozemlja i jugoistočne Azije, a potom slijede afričke zemlje, stoji u godišnjem izvješću UN-ova zdravstvenog tijela. Svake godine više od 7 milijuna ljudi u svijetu umire od posljedica onečišćenja zraka, rekla je voditeljica WHO-a za zaštitu okoliša, klimatske promjene i zdravlje, Maria Neira. Baza podataka, koja tradicionalno evidentira dvije vrste čestica poznatih kao PM2,5 i PM10, prvi put uključuje i mjerenje dušikova dioksida na tlu. Posljednja verzija baze podataka datira iz 2018. Dušikov dioksid uglavnom proizvode motori s unutarnjim izgaranjem i najčešće ga nalazimo u urbanim sredinama. Izloženost takvim česticama može rezultirati respiratornim bolestima poput astme i simptomima kao što su neprestani nadražajni kašalj i poteškoće s disanjem. Nerijetko zbog tih simptoma ljudi završe na hitnoj pomoći ili na liječenju u bolnicama, stoji u priopćenju WHO-a. Izvor štetnih čestica su, osim prometa i transporta, elektrane, poljoprivreda, spaljivanje otpada i industrija, ali i prirodni izvori, poput pustinjske prašine. Svijet u razvoju posebno je teško pogođen: u Indiji je evidentirana vrlo visoka razina PM10, a u Kini je uočena visok nivo PM2,5, pokazala je baza podataka. "Čestice, posebno PM2,5, mogu prodrijeti duboko u pluća i ući u krvotok te prouzročiti kardiovaskularne, cerebrovaskularne i respiratorne probleme. Imamo i dokaze o tomu da čestice utječu i na ostale organe i uzrokuju razne druge bolesti", stoji u izvješću WHO-a. Indija i svijet moraju se pripremiti za velike promjene da bi se pokušalo obuzdati daljnje onečišćenje zraka, a to su korištenje električnih vozila, odmak od fosilnih goriva, masovno povećanje zelene energije i domaćinstva u kojima se otpad razdvaja, kaže Anumita Roychowdhury, stručnjakinja za onečišćenje zraka Centra za znanost i okoliš, aktivističke organizacije iz New Delhija. Šef WHO-a Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus govorio je o potrebi "hitnog djelovanja na rješavanju dvostrukih izazova za zdravlje, a to su onečišćenje zraka i klimatske promjene" Kazao je da WHO zagovara "hitnu potrebu da svijet što prije postane puno manje ovisan o fosilnim gorivima". Zdravstvena organizacija pozvala je mjerodavna tijela da donesu odluku o subvencijama koje će omogućiti privatnim kućanstvima prijelaz na čistu energiju s obzirom na to da je dim iz peći i kamina glavni faktor globalnog onečišćenja zraka. Usto, smatra WHO, treba što prije poduzeti odgovarajuće mjere za dobrobit pješaka, biciklista i korisnika javnog prijevoza. Prema izvješću o kvaliteti zraka, jasno su izražene razlike između bogatijih i siromašnijih regija. U zemljama s visokim dohotkom 17 posto gradova ispunjava vrijednosti smjernica WHO-a o onečišćujućim česticama, a u zemljama s niskim i srednjim dohotkom samo njih jedan posto.

Environment: Much-hyped PMAY not to Contribute to India's Cooling Demand Reduction Goals

An assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed that PMAY is transitioning towards materials that may not be able to contribute to India's cooling demand reduction goals. Patna: Contrary to the focus of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on climate change mitigation, India's much-hyped Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY), the world's biggest housing programme underway, is not building thermally comfortable houses for poor and marginalised people. This was revealed in the latest State of India's Environment 2022 report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based non-profit organisation. "An assessment by the CSE has revealed that the PMAY is transitioning towards materials that may not be able to contribute to India's cooling demand reduction goals." The report has made it clear that cooling materials or materials appropriate to the native climate are essential for ensuring resource efficiency, thermal comfort and climate resilience. "The nation is moving towards pucca structures, but this transition is uninformed and may not be in line with the country's thermal comfort and climate resilience requirements." The data on materials used to construct pucca houses exposed the seriousness of reducing coupling demand for climate change mitigation. For instance, under the affordable housing in partnership (AHP) vertical of PMAY-Urban, concrete dominates as the walling material, as per the data submitted by different states and Union territories to the PMAY central sanctioning and monitoring committee. In the sample of 128 projects studied, concrete walls using monolithic cast-in-situ technology and precast technology constitute 53% of all the projects. Under the beneficiaries-led construction vertical of the PMAY-U, RCC frame structures with red bricks form the majority, with 76% of the units using it in a sample size of 115 projects. Similarly, in 69 projects under the PMAY-Gramin, the majority of the units are load-bearing structures (55%), followed by RCC frame structures (39%) and Ekra walls (6%). The materials in these load-bearing structures were about 55% red bricks, 19% fly ash bricks, 16% sandstone and 5% each laterite blocks and fly ash brick (red brick combination). The PMAY was launched in 2015 to house every Indian in a pucca home by 2022. Till November 2021, as much as 63% of these new (11.2 million) houses are being built in urban areas. The rural counterpart of the scheme, PMAY-Gramin, has registered about 20.8 million dwelling units, all to be built by the beneficiaries. However, till last month, as per the Central government's admission, it has sanctioned 1.15 crore houses under PMAY-U (urban), which ends in March 2022. CSE's report highlighted the need to build thermally comfortable housing stock. As the PMAY is infusing new housing stock in the country, it is crucial that this stock is thermally efficient and improves the quality of life for green recovery in a post-COVID era. The India Cooling Action Plan aims at reducing cooling demand by 20-25% by the year 2037-38. The recently-held Conference of Parties (COP-26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2021 in Glasgow has raised the concern of warming in cities and the need for cooling strategies. "India must not miss out on the opportunity to build thermally comfortable housing stock," the CSE report noted. According to the report, India is abundant with traditional knowledge on materials that respond to the native climate and reduce any mechanical cooling requirement. The wealth of the traditional knowledge on climate-appropriate housing is mainly passed on from one generation to the other informally. Integration of knowledge on heat resilient housing involving cool materials and passive architecture with national skulking and livelihood schemes and agencies would be pivotal for giving an impetus to green jobs and green recovery through the housing sector. There is a demand for sustainable and traditional materials and building techniques. In a public survey conducted by CSE, about 75% of the respondents said they were willing to construct their houses using traditional materials and construction techniques, even if it meant spending extra. With heatwave conditions sweeping parts of the country since early April, the report suggested adapting and building capacity on traditional knowledge of climate-appropriate material and building methods, tapping available knowledge resources on climate-appropriate and regulating the rampant movement towards modern materials. In its latest report released on April 4, the IPCC pointed out that in the period 2010-2019, average annual global greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest levels in human history, but the rate of growth has slowed. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach.