• Down To Earth

International Day Of Forests: Eucalyptus Cultivation In India, A Boon Or A Curse?

Foresters maintain that Eucalyptus can help meet rising wood demands from dwindling natural forests, supplying local communities and industry. However, environmentalists are opposed to Eucalyptus due to perceived ecological hazards and the charge that the choice of species is fundamentally flawed. Over the last two decades, large-scale planting of Eucalyptus, as a fast-growing exotic, has occurred in India as part of a drive to reforest the subcontinent and create an adequate supply of fuel and timber for rural communities. Foresters maintain that Eucalyptus can help meet rising wood demands from dwindling natural forests, supplying local communities and industry. However, environmentalists are opposed to Eucalyptus due to perceived ecological hazards and the charge that the choice of species is fundamentally flawed. Eucalyptus is ill-equipped to serve the variety of diverse end uses demanded of tree species in India for community use. Eucalyptus is cultivated in almost all parts of the country, and the most suited variety from the 700 available species are picked as per the region of cultivation. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Karnataka are a few states that produce the bulk of eucalyptus in India, which suffices the demands of the timber, pulp and paper industries. However, in 2017, Karnataka banned eucalyptus, citing four academic papers. History Eucalyptus has a long history in India. It was first planted around 1790 by the ruler of Mysore Tippu Sultan in his palace garden on Nandi hills near Bangalore. History says that he received seed from Australia and introduced about 16 species. After the planting at Nandi Hills, the following significant introduction of Eucalyptus was in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiri hills in 1843, and later (1856) where regular plantations were raised to meet the demands for firewood. There were many other attempts to introduce eucalypts in various parts of India. Criticisms of Eucalyptus Despite the enthusiasm with which eucalyptus has been promoted and received by policymakers and forest department officials, its large-scale establishment in India since the early 1980s has invoked passioned criticism from environmentalists, social activists and some NGO's. The most vocal in the condemnation of eucalyptus is the writer and environmentalist, Vandana Shiva. She charges the plant with nothing less than ecological fascism. Although criticised political and socio-economic grounds, the environmentalist roundly destroys the case for Eucalyptus in India on scientific and environmental grounds. Eucalyptus is water-intensive and reduces available water for other species by effectively out-competing them. In arid areas, it consequently suppresses different plant life, coupled with high water demand, reduces soil moisture, prevents groundwater recharge, and can reduce local water tables. This is worsened by a high transpiration rate indicative of the inefficient use of water. Shiva maintains that in 'vulnerable ecozones', like the Deccan Plateau in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats, introducing species with high water demand will 'destroy the hydrological balance' of these areas contribute to rising acidity, soil erosion and eventual desertification. Particularly vulnerable are arid areas with yearly rates of precipitation that correspond to the lower range of Eucalyptus demand, about 700mm, according to a study. Eucalyptus does not promote the building of humus. It does not contribute to the soil's long-term fertility, as other species might, resulting in an overall nutrient impoverishment of the soil. Eucalyptus is toxic due to its allelopathic properties, which reduce other plant life by restricting germination of other species and is also detrimental to soil micro and macrofauna. Eucalyptus and nutrient budgets Shiva claims Eucalyptus can undermine arid regions' biological productivity by its excessive nutrient demand, creating deficits for other plant life. A slight return of litter to the forest floor and poor humus building consequently reduces fertility, resulting in the soil's overall impoverishment. Shiva cites a study of Singh, (1984), where the nutrient demand by Eucalyptus was found to be 100 kg of phosphorous, 217 kilograms of nitrogen and 1594 kg of calcium per hectare per year. Even in the nutrient-poor soils of Australia, Attwell, followed the distribution and movement of nutrients within a forest of E. Obliqua, and found demand for phosphorous, potassium and calcium per hectare, per year, to be 36 kg, 272 kg and 400 kg respectively. Although Eucalyptus can complete their life cycle on sites of low nutrient status, the genus retains the ability to respond favourably to improved nutritional quality. When introduced to an environment with higher nutrient levels, particularly phosphorous and nitrogen, increased productivity and vigour is markedly responded. Therefore, productivity is largely dependent on its access to nutrients. Toxic Eucalyptus? Allelopathic species suppress their progeny and other plant life by leaching chemical inhibitors from the trees' roots or litter. Several studies describe the poor effects of Eucalyptus on crops in India. Basu et al, 1987, Narwal, 1990, and Suresh and Vinai Rai, 1987, Saxena, 1994, all found Eucalyptus to reduce the yield of rabi, when planted between fields. The plant was found to have the highest allelopathic effect. Present Condition Before the Karnataka High Court banned eucalyptus for being a water guzzler, it bore the brunt of something similar at the National Green Tribunal in 2015. Safal Bharat Guru Parampara Punjab filed a case, stating extreme overutilization of groundwater in Punjab and citing commercial eucalyptus cultivation as one of its reasons. Punjab and Haryana High Court gave the landmark judgement and stated that if the proper management of eucalyptus cultivation is undertaken, its growth is neither anti-environment nor disastrous for the water table. The bench of April 16, 2015, further reiterated that there could not be a complete ban on eucalyptus plantation in Punjab. However, the forest department was held responsible for evolving appropriate policy by regulating and restricting the growth of the said plantation in the waterlogged and safe areas through proper regulations and continuous monitoring. According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report, eucalyptus plantations yield more net income to farmers than nearly 60-70 per cent of agriculture crops. It can play a significant role in increasing future farm-level income, on the back of new productive clones currently under development. A Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report 2014, said nearly 93 per cent of the industrial wood requirement of India is met out of farm/agroforestry plantations (about 70% of which is eucalyptus). It has benefitted the farmers and the industry and has reduced pressure on forests. Out of the country's total 328.73 million ha of geographical land, 25.98 million ha comprises farmer-owned uncultivated wasteland. Trees like eucalyptus help increase farmers' income and fulfil the government's target of covering the geography with 33 per cent of forests, which currently pegs at only 22 per cent. https://thelogicalindian.com/environment/eucalyptus-cultivation-in-india-a-boon-or-a-curse-34560

• Director General Office

कदम पीछे न खींचे दुनिया जलवायु परिवर्तन पर एक्शन के वक्त

अनियोजित ऊर्जा परिवर्तन का तर्क ले जा रहा जीवाश्म ईंधन की ओर मौजूदा ऊर्जा संकट के चलते विश्व एक बार फिर जीवाश्म ईंधन की ओर लौट सकता है, जिसे कई वर्षों से पृथ्वी पर जीवन दूभर बनाने और वातावरण में उत्सर्जन घोलने के लिए दोषी ठहराया जाता रहा है। लगता है हम अब भी जीवाश्म ईंधन जलाने के दुष्प्रभावों से सबक नहीं ले सके हैं। सुनीता नारायण (सतत विकास की हरित अवधारणा की पैरोकार, सीएसई की महानिदेशक) क्या हम अब तक भी जीवाश्म ईंधन जलाने के दुष्प्रभावों से कोई सबक ले सके हैं? हम जानते हैं कि जलवायु परिवर्तन ऊर्जा की बढ़ती मांग का ही नतीजा है। जीवाश्म ईंधन, कोयला, तेल और प्राकृतिक गैस को जलाने के कारण ही आज विश्व जलवायु संकट के कगार पर है। जलवायु परिवर्तन पर अंतरसरकारी पैनल की 2022 की रिपोर्ट में दोहराया गया है कि पृथ्वी ग्रह के अधिक गर्म होने के परिणाम भयावह होंगे। वास्तविकता यह है कि न केवल हमारी दुनिया बल्कि ऊर्जा बाजार उबल रहा है। रूस-यूक्रेन के बीच युद्ध शुरू होने से पहले ही ईंधन की कीमतें काफी ऊंची चली गई थीं। सवाल यह है कि कीमतों में आया यह उछाल क्या हमें अधिक हरित और साफ-सुथरे भविष्य की ओर प्रवृत्त करेगा? या फिर सरकारें पुराने ढर्रे पर चलते हुए अब भी अपने भरोसेमंद जीवाश्म ईंधन तंत्र में ही दोबारा निवेश करेंगी? दूसरे शब्दों में क्या कीमतों का यह उतार-चढ़ाव ऊर्जा व्यवसाय को पुनर्जीवन देगा? इस पहेली का सामना खास तौर पर यूरोप और जर्मनी कर रहे हैं। यूरोप ने नवीनीकरण योग्य ऊर्जा में निवेश किया है लेकिन साथ ही अपनी ऊर्जा आवश्यकताएं पूरी करने के लिए यह प्राकृतिक गैस के आयात पर भी निर्भर है, जो कोयला व जीवाश्म ईंधन से ज्यादा स्वच्छ है। करीब 40 फीसदी प्राकृतिक गैस यहां रूस से आती है। अब युद्ध के चलते आपूर्ति बाधित हो गई है। जर्मनी ने रूस से बाल्टिक सागर होकर आने वाली पूर्व निर्मित 'नॉर्ड स्ट्रीम 2' पाइपलाइन की प्रमाणीकरण प्रक्रिया फिलहाल रोक दी है। रूस के साथ मौजूदा गैस अनुबंधों को लेकर दोनों देशों के बीच स्थिति तनावपूर्ण है। जर्मन चांसलर ओलाफ शॉल्त्स ने 7 मार्च को एक वक्तव्य जारी कर कहा कि उनका देश और यूरोप अपनी ऊर्जा जरूरतों जैसे ऊष्मा, परिवहन और विद्युत के लिए पूरी तरह रूस पर निर्भर हैं और इसीलिए वे लघु अवधि में अनुबंध नहीं तोड़ सके। पर एक सच यह भी है कि यूरोप पर यूक्रेन और अमरीका की तरफ से अधिक प्रभावी कदम उठाने का दबाव है। अमरीकी विदेश सचिव एंटनी ब्लिंकेन ने उसी दिन कहा कि उनका देश रूस से तेल आयात पर प्रतिबंध लगाने की संभावना के लिए यूरोपीय सहयोगियों के साथ समन्वय स्थापित करने की कोशिश कर रहा है। इससे न केवल बाजार में स्थिति भयावह हुई, तेल की कीमतें बढ़कर 139 डॉलर (10,000 रुपए से ज्यादा) प्रति बैरल (करीब 159 लीटर) हो गई, बल्कि इससे इस बात के भी संकेत मिले कि जैसे-जैसे युद्ध आगे बढ़ेगा, कैसी परिस्थितियां सामने आ सकती हैं। इसलिए जरूरत है कि नीति के केंद्र में जलवायु परिवर्तन से बढ़कर न सही, तो कम से कम इसके बराबर तवज्जो ऊर्जा सुरक्षा को देने की जरूरत है। जर्मनी ने दो तरल प्राकृतिक गैस (एलएनजी) टर्मिनल बनाने का निर्णय किया है ताकि गैस आपूर्ति में विविधता लाई जा सके। इससे अमरीकी प्राकृतिक गैस कम्पनियों के लिए यूरोप नया बाजार बन गया है। दूसरी ओर, यूरोप ऊर्जा नवीनीकरण में निवेश की संभावनाएं खोज रहा है - पवन और सौर। इन स्वच्छ ऊर्जा स्रोतों को 'स्वतंत्रता की ऊर्जा' मान कर अतिरिक्त महत्त्व दिया जा रहा है। सवाल यह है कि तेल बाजारों में चल रही अस्थिरता क्या ऊर्जा संचरण को पटरी से उतार देगी या इसे गति देगी? यूनाइटेड किंगडम में भी ऐसा ही है, जिसने आक्रामक कटौती लक्ष्यों के साथ स्वयं को जलवायु नेतृत्वकर्ता के रूप में स्थापित किया है। पर विडम्बना यह है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन पर यूके की समिति ने उत्तरी सागर में तेल और गैस निस्सरण को बढ़ाने में आ रही अड़चनों को दूर कर दिया है। यूके अपनी ऊर्जा आपूर्ति जरूरतों को पूरा करने के लिए रूस पर उतना निर्भर नहीं है लेकिन इसकी घरेलू ऊर्जा कीमतें अप्रेल में दोगुनी हो जाएंगी। इसके ऊर्जा नियामक ने कीमतों की सीमा हटा दी है। जिसका असर तेल और गैस की बढ़ती कीमतों के साथ घरेलू बिल में दिखाई देगा। इसलिए यूके को चिंता है कि जनता को कहीं ऊर्जा की कमी का सामना न करना पड़े और वह इस वजह से आक्रोशित न हो जाए। इसलिए, जिस सरकार ने यह प्रचार किया था कि विकासशील विश्व को जलवायु परिवर्तन को देखते हुए कोयले से परहेज करना चाहिए, वही अब अपने जीवाश्म ईंधन उद्योग में पुन: निवेश करने का निर्णय कर रही है। तब क्या जलवायु परिवर्तन से जंग के प्रयासों का नतीजा ऊर्जा युद्ध की समाप्ति के रूप में सामने आएगा? तेल व गैस की कीमतों में बढ़ोतरी का कारण पिछले दो सालों में कोविड-19 के कारण पूरी दुनिया में आई आर्थिक गिरावट है। नतीजतन ऊर्जा की मांग घट गई, निवेश घट गया और नई संभावनाएं नहीं जुड़ीं। लेकिन उसके बाद लॉकडाउन हटे और विभिन्न देशों में सामान्य व्यवसाय बहाल होने लगे तो ऊर्जा की मांग फिर बढ़ी। और इसी वजह से कीमतें बढ़ीं। युद्ध से यह स्थिति बिगड़ी ही है। साथ ही अब यह सुविधाजनक धारणा भी बन गई है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन से त्वरित मुकाबला करने के लिए ऊर्जा परिवर्तन पर ज्यादा जोर देना अनियोजित और अव्यावहारिक था। इससे बड़े पैमाने पर उथल-पुथल मची है और यह कारगर साबित नहीं होगा। इसके बजाय जरूरत इस बात की है कि ऐसे परिवर्तन की योजना बनाई जाए जो व्यावहारिक और संतुलित हो। तब यही पारम्परिक ऊर्जा व्यवसाय के उत्थान का तर्क बन जाता है। हालांकि इसमें कुछ अंतर है। यह तर्क जीवाश्म ईंधन से होने वाले उत्सर्जन की रोकथाम की बात करता है। साथ ही मीथेन कम करने और कार्बन अवशोषण तकनीक में निवेश की जरूरत बताता है ताकि रिफाइनरियों से होने वाला उत्सर्जन वापस जमीन में निस्तारित कर दिया जाए और हाइड्रोजन को अगली पीढ़ी का ईंधन बनाने में निवेश किया जाए। इस प्रकार, मौजूदा ऊर्जा संकट के चलते विश्व एक बार फिर जीवाश्म ईंधन की ओर लौट सकता है, जिसे कई वर्षों से पृथ्वी पर जीवन दूभर बनाने और वातावरण में उत्सर्जन घोलने के लिए दोषी ठहराया जाता रहा है। लगता है हम अब भी जीवाश्म ईंधन जलाने के दुष्प्रभावों से सबक नहीं ले सके हैं। आज जब विश्व वक्त और 'कार्बन स्पेस' की कमी से जूझ रहा है, यह परिदृश्य वाकई बेहद चिंताजनक है।

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Winter pollution levels and trends point to a national air quality crisis

Analysis contains detailed assessment of all regions – north, south, east, west, central and northeast Bihar and Delhi-NCR top the pollution charts. The eastern region, dominated by the newly monitored towns of Bihar, records particulate pollution higher than the corresponding average of north India during winter. Smaller towns and cities of Bihar more polluted than most cities of north India Among NCR cities, Ghaziabad was the worst hit. Aizawl and Shillong the least polluted cities in the country Cities of north-eastern region have the lowest particulate level among all regions. But its key cities have experienced sharp spike during winter. This national crisis requires urgent and time bound multi-sector action at a regional scale to control emissions from vehicles, industry, power plants waste, household fuels and other local sources to meet the clean air targets New Delhi, March 16, 2022: An all-India winter air quality analysis done by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says particulate pollution spiked and stayed elevated with varying intensity across all regions during the winter of 2021-22 (15 October to 28 February). Even though the overall regional averages of PM2.5 levels were lower than the previous winter in most regions, the winter smog episodes recorded severe spikes in several regions. Peak pollution was alarmingly high and synchronized, despite large distances within the regions – especially in the northern and eastern plains. The analysis has been done for the 2021-22 winter air quality tracker initiative of CSE’s Urban Data Analytics Lab. “Clearly, the winter pollution challenge is not limited to mega cities or to one specific region; it is now a widespread national problem that requires urgent and deliberate action at a national scale. This requires quicker reforms and action in key sectors of pollution – vehicles, industry, power plants and waste management to bend the annual air pollution curve and daily spikes,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “As availability of real time air quality data has improved in several regions with expansion of the air quality monitoring systems, it has become possible to assess the regional differences and the unique regional trends. This can help to inform the regional clean air action,” says Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Data Analytics Lab, CSE. This air quality tracker initiative has helped to benchmark the winter air quality for peer-to-peer comparison within each region and inter-regional differences. This analysis is based on publicly available granular real time data (15-minute averages) from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) official online portal Central Control Room for Air Quality Management. The data is captured from 326 official stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) spread across 161 cities in 26 states and union territories. Key highlights Regional profile of winter pollution shows the eastern region is as polluted as Delhi-NCR: The winter average of PM2.5 in eastern plains that also include the newly monitored 19 cities and towns of Bihar, was the same as that of Delhi-NCR. Six Bihar towns feature in the top 10 most polluted cities this winter, with Siwan and Munger at the top. In the northern plains, Ghaziabad, Delhi, Faridabad, and Manesar are third, fifth, seventh and tenth in the list. Even though the seasonal average in smaller cities of Bihar rivals the mega-cities of NCR, their peak pollution during smog episodes are comparatively milder. The NCR cities have experienced the most severe daily (24-hr average) PM2.5 levels with Ghaziabad being the worst hit. Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, Greater Noida, and Gurugram are among the worst peak pollution (24-hr average) this winter. The PM2.5 winter average of the eastern region is over three times the average of the cities in southern India and 22 per cent more polluted than north Indian cities. Within the east, the Bihar sub-region is the most polluted. From the peak 24-hr PM2.5 level perspective, north Indian cities have recorded the highest daily pollution levels on an average. Within the north, Delhi-NCR remains the most polluted sub-region with their worst days being almost five times the average. Its peak pollution is also almost five times higher than the average peak of northeastern India cities (region with lowest peak pollution) and about 60 per cent higher than the average peak of eastern cities (region with the worst regional average). Says Somvanshi: “It is important to note that mega cities are not the most polluted in any of the regions — it is the smaller and upcoming cities that are becoming pollution hotspots. This is even more evident in the winter peak daily pollution data.” Average winter pollution of 2021-22 is lower than that of the previous winter: The regional PM2.5 levels this winter is lower compared to previous winter across all regions with some variation. Air quality on an average was 12 per cent cleaner this winter compared to previous winter based on an average of 136 cities that have valid daily PM2.5 concentration data for over 75 per cent of days of both winters (15 October to 28 February). Most improvement on average was noted in the northeast region (33 per cent) while western region cities showed the least improvement (8 per cent). North Indian cities on an average have recorded 11 per cent lower PM2.5 level this winter, but the improvement in the sub-region of Delhi NCR is smaller — just about 8 per cent. Delhi-NCR also saw a marginal increase in the average peak 24-hr pollution. The peak pollution rose significantly from the baseline among the cities in the south (24 per cent) and central Indian cities (7 per cent) despite the overall fall in the winter average. Smaller cities of Bihar recorded higher pollution during winter than big cities of Delhi-NCR: Siwan in Bihar was the most polluted city in India this winter with seasonal average of 187 ug/m3. In fact, 13 cities of Bihar feature in the top 25 cities with the highest levels in winter. Delhi-NCR had 11 cities in the list. Hisar in northern Haryana was the only city in the top 25 outside the sub-regions of Bihar and NCR. From peak winter pollution perspective, NCR cities completely dominate the list of most polluted with significantly worse 24-hr averages compared to the rest of the country. Ghaziabad has witnessed the worst peak (24-hr average) among all the cities this winter with a level of 647 ug/m3 (almost 11 times the Indian standard). Aizwal in Mizoram and Shillong in Meghalaya were the least polluted cities in the country. Winter air quality in the northern region The northern region includes 60 cities with real time monitoring facilities, spread across the states of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan and UP: 56 of these cities have been functional in 2020 winter as well. Geographically, this region represents the North Central Plains. Cities with an increasing trend: 12 cities in the region show an increasing trend, i.e. both winter average and peak increased compared to their previous winter. Bhiwani in Haryana saw a staggering jump of 145 per cent in the winter average and 89 per cent increase in peak. It was followed by Hapur in UP that registered 129 per cent increase in winter average and 117 per cent increase in peak. Other cities that show an increase include Ballabhgarh, Kota, Jaipur, Khanna, Udaipur, Patiala, Muzaffarnagar, Jalandhar, Charkhi Dadri, and Faridabad. Cities with a mixed trend: 18 cities in the region show a mixed trend, i.e. their winter average has declined but the peak pollution increased compared to their previous winter or visa-versa. Manesar, Ambala, Ludhiana and Kaithal show an increase in their winter average but registered lower peak pollution. Ajmer, Jodhpur, Mandi Gobindgarh, Palwal, Gurugram, Panchkula, Narnaul, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Noida, Agra, Bhatinda, and Greater Noida saw decline in their winter average but registered higher peaks compared to last winter. Greater Noida has the most divergent trend as its winter average declined by 31 per cent but its peak is 23 percent higher. Cities recording a declining trend: 26 cities show a declining trend, i.e. both winter average and peak decreased compared to their previous winter. Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir saw the highest decline with a drop of 63 per cent in their winter average and 33 per lower peak. Delhi also registered decline but marginal. Its winter average declined by 8 per cent and peak by 2 per cent. Other cities with declining trend include Pali, Rupnagar, Alwar, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Karnal, Amritsar, Bahadurgarh, Bagpat, Kurukshetra, Yamuna Nagar, Sirsa, Rohtak, Sonipat, Bhiwadi, Chandigarh, Dharuhera, Bulandshahr, Mandikhera, Moradabad, Fatehabad, Lucknow, and Varanasi. Most polluted cities: Most polluted city in the region during winter was Ghaziabad with a winter average of 178 μg/m3 followed by Delhi that had a winter average of 170 ug/m3. Next eight spots are all occupied by neighboring NCR cities, namely Faridabad, Manesar, Bagpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut, and Hapur. Cities of NCR completely dominated the list of the most polluted. Hisar is the most polluted city in the north outside NCR with a winter average of 142 ug/m3 followed by Firozabad, Moradabad and Vrindavan — all in the immediate vicinity of NCR. Least polluted cities: Srinagar is the cleanest city in the north. Palwal in Haryana, Bhatinda in Punjab and Alwar in Rajasthan are the other cities with relatively lower winter average. Interestingly, the peak pollution exceeded the standard of 60 μg/m3 in all the cities. Winter air quality in the eastern region The eastern region includes 28 cities spread across Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. Geographically, this region represents the Eastern Plains and Eastern Highlands. Cities with an increasing trend: Two cities in the region show an increasing trend, i.e. both winter average and peak increased compared to their previous winter. Hajipur in Bihar saw a jump of 51 per cent in the winter average and 54 per cent increase in peak. Talcher in Odisha registered 1 per cent increase in winter average and 16 per cent increase in peak. Cities with a mixed trend: Muzaffarpur is the only city in the region that shows a mixed trend, i.e. its winter average declined but peak pollution increased compared to its previous winter or visa-versa. Its winter average increased by 3 per cent but its peak was 4 per cent lower. Cities with a declining trend: Nine cities in the region show a declining trend, i.e. both winter average and peak decreased compared to their last winter. Brajrajnagar in Odisha saw the most decline with a drop of 57 per cent in their winter average and 61 per lower peak. Kolkata also registered a decline — winter average declining by 21 per cent and peak by 27 per cent. Other cities with declining trends are Patna, Howrah, Gaya, Asansol, Durgapur, Haldia, and Siliguri. Most polluted cities: Most polluted city in the region was Siwan in Bihar with a winter average of 187 μg/m3. In fact, small cities of Bihar completely dominate the list of most polluted and occupy the top 17 spots. Durgapur with a winter average of 103 ug/m3 was the most polluted city in West Bengal. Patna and Kolkata occupied 18th and 23rd position on the chart. Least polluted cities: Brajrajnagar in Odisha and Siliguri in West Bengal recorded the lowest winter average in the region. Brajrajnagar is the only city in the region with peak pollution under that 24-hr standard. Winter air quality in the western region The region includes 15 cities spread across Gujarat and Maharashtra. All cities have data for both winter seasons. Geographically, this region represents the arid west, Northern Deccan plateau and the Konkan Coast. Cities with an increasing trend: Three cities in the region show an increasing trend, i.e. both winter average and peak increased compared to their previous winter. Ankleshwar in Gujarat saw a jump of 20 per cent in the winter average and 52 per cent increase in peak. Nagpur in Maharashtra registered 9 per cent increase in winter average and 78 percent increase in peak. Nashik in Maharashtra registered 7 per cent increase in winter average and 10 per cent increase in peak. Cities with a mixed trend: Four cities in the region show mixed trend, i.e. their winter average declined but peak pollution increased compared to their previous winter or visa-versa. Chandrapur had the most divergent trend with winter average increasing by 32 per cent but its peak was 24 per cent lower. Cities with a declining trend: Eight cities in the region show a declining trend, i.e. both winter average and peak decreased compared to their last winter. Aurangabad saw the most decline with a drop of 59 per cent in their winter average and 75 per lower peak. Mumbai also registered a decline — winter average declined by 14 per cent and peak by 22 per cent. Other cities that show a declining trend include Pune, Kalyan, Ahmedabad, Navi Mumbai, Solapur and Nandesari. Most polluted cities: Most polluted city in the region was Ankleshwar with a seasonal average of 101 μg/m3. Next two spots were occupied by Vapi and Kalyan. Least polluted cities: Aurangabad and Nandesari recorded the lowest winter average in the region. Chandrapur and Solapur rounded up the list of three least polluted. Winter air quality in the central region The region includes 17 cities spread across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh — 15 of these have data for both winters. Geographically, this region represents the Central Highlands. Cities with an increasing trend: Three cities in the region show an increasing trend, i.e. both winter average and peak increased compared to their last winter. Bhopal saw a jump of 11 per cent in the winter average and 138 per cent increase in peak. Indore registered 3 per cent increase in winter average and 20 per cent increase in peak. Satna registered no change in winter average but 6 per cent increase in peak. Cities with a mixed trend: Four cities in the region show mixed trend, i.e. their winter averaged declined but peak pollution increased compared to their last winter or visa-versa. Sagar had the most divergent trend with the winter average increasing by 10 per cent but its peak was 50 per cent lower. Other cities with mixed trends in the region are Maihar, Damoh, and Mandideep. Cities with a declining trend: Eight cities in the region show a declining trend, i.e. both winter average and peak decreased compared to their last winter. Gwalior saw the most decline with a drop of 39 per cent in their winter average and 4 per lower peak. Other cities with declining trends are Pithampur, Dewas, Singrauli, Jabalpur, Katni, Ratlam, and Ujjain. Most polluted cities: Most polluted city in the region was Srigrauli with a winter average of 115 μg/m3. The next two spots were occupied by Katni and Jabalpur. Bhopal with peak 24-hr level of 407 ug/m3. Least polluted cities: Satna and Bhilai recorded the lowest winter average in the region. But the data from these two cities is of suspicious nature as the monitoring stations are owned and operated by industry and not the state pollution control board. Winter air quality in the southern region Southern region recorded the lowest regional PM2.5 average this winter but it also registered an almost 24 per cent increase in regional average peak pollution compared to previous winter. Industrial towns of south namely Gummidipoondi in Tamil Nadu and Gadag in Karnataka, also appear in the worst 10 cities for peak pollution (24-hr value). The region includes 35 cities spread across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Geographically, this region represents the southern Deccan plateau, Western Ghats, and the Malabar and Coromandel coasts. Cities with an increasing trend: Six cities in the region show an increasing trend, i.e. both winter average and peak increased compared to their previous winter. Davanagere saw a jump of 142 per cent in the winter average and 133 per cent increase in peak. Coimbatore and Kochi are the major cities with increasing trend. Other cities with increasing trend in the region are Gadag, Yadgir, and Hubballi. Cities with a mixed trend: Seven cities in the region show mixed trend, i.e. their winter averaged declined but peak pollution increased compared to their last winter or visa-versa. Gummidipoondi in Tamil Nadu had the most divergent trend with winter average decreasing by 44 per cent but its peak was 362 per cent higher from its low base. Chennai also recorded a mixed trend with winter average decreasing by 18 per cent but its peak was 24 per cent higher. Other cities with mixed trend in the region are Ramnagara, Madikeri, Puducherry, Raichur and Mangalore. Cities with a declining trend: 20 cities in the region show a declining trend — both winter average and peak decreased compared to their previous winter. Chamarajanagar in Karnataka saw the highest decline with a drop of 45 per cent in their winter average and 52 per lower peak. Bengaluru and Hyderabad show marginal decline in their winter average and peak values. Other cities with declining trend are Tirupati, Chikkaballapur, Mysuru, Bagalkot, Kannur, Kozhikode, Kalaburagi, Rajamahendravaram, Amaravati, Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam, Vijaypura, Koppal, Chikkamagaluru, Kollam, and Shivamogga. Most polluted cities: Most polluted cities in the region were Kalaburgi and Hyderabad: both had a winter average of 58 μg/m3. They are followed by Visakhapatnam. Least polluted cities: Chamarajanagar and Chikmagalur in Karnataka recorded the lowest winter average in the region. Karnataka has the least polluted cities of the region followed by Kerala. Winter air quality in the northeastern region The region includes six cities. Geographically, this region represents the Eastern Himalayas and Brahmaputra Plains. Cities with a declining trend: All cities in the region show a declining trend, i.e. both winter average and peak decreased compared to their previous winter. Aizawl in Mizoram saw the most decline with a drop of 50 per cent in their respective winter averages and 51 per cent lower peak. Agartala (Tripura) registered the least change with its winter average declining by 7 per cent and peak level declining by 16 per cent.. Most polluted cities: Most polluted city in the region includes Guwahati with a winter average of 81 μg/m3. This is followed by Agartala that registered a winter average of 77 μg/m3. Least polluted cities: Aizwal and Shillong recorded the lowest winter average in the region. Hill stations are relatively less polluted than cities in river valleys and foothills. Aizawl and Shillong had the lowest levels compared to all other cities of all regions this winter. But cities and towns even with low seasonal averages have suffered high spikes in daily levels. What are our takeaways from this analysis? Says Roychowdhury: “The widely divergent trend in pollution levels across regions is strongly influenced by local geoclimatic conditions, meteorology and the intensity of pollution. But the emerging trend points towards a national air quality crisis. While the regions are battling to meet the national ambient air quality standards, winter conditions are aggravating the problem further. Even though the pandemic conditions have arrested the overall trend in most regions, there is still a mixed trend. Despite having a relatively lower annual average pollution levels the peak pollution during winter can spike. This indicates the influence of cool and calm winter conditions and also the regional influence.” Adds Somvanshi: “While cities require their respective clean air action plans for controlling local pollution, the effort will have to be scaled up for the region to control pollution from widely dispersed sources across the urban and rural landscape. The multi-sector plan has to address vehicles, industry, power plants, household pollution, waste burning and more. This granular tracking of regional and local pollution needs to inform policy making and the compliance framework for air quality management to meet the clean air targets.”

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

This Winter, Kolkata Breathed A Little Simpler | Kolkata Information

KOLKATA: Town skilled much less air pollution this winter than the yr earlier than regardless of life returning to close regular in winter of 2021-22 towards the restricted life and fewer visitors in 2020-21 resulting from Covid. The improved setting was largely resulting from beneficial climate circumstances, mentioned specialists. In keeping with an evaluation by City Knowledge Analytics Lab of Centre for Science and Surroundings (CSE), the town registered a decline in winter air pollution in 2021-22 with common pollution down 21% and peak down 27% in comparison with 2020-21. Monitor the air pollution degree in your metropolis The particulate air pollution spikes and stays elevated with various depth throughout the town and remainder of the area throughout winter (October 15 to February 28) and is the largest fear amongst well being specialists as they trigger respiratory illnesses and misery. Different cities with declining developments — Patna, Howrah, Gaya, Asansol, Durgapur, Haldia, and Siliguri — present it was the climate system that carried out the miracle. The declining development in air pollution degree is strongly influenced by native geoclimatic circumstances, meteorology and the depth of air pollution. The intermittent rain in winter months proved to be an excellent saviour for the town. 9 out of 28 cities within the japanese area, unfold throughout Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, present a declining development, each winter common and peak, in comparison with the winter earlier than that. “Whereas cities require their clear air motion plans for controlling native air pollution, the trouble should be scaled up for the area to manage air pollution from broadly dispersed sources throughout the city and rural panorama. The plan has to deal with autos, trade, energy crops, family air pollution, waste burning and extra. This granular monitoring of air pollution wants to tell coverage making and compliance framework for air-quality administration to satisfy the clear air targets,” mentioned CSE govt director (analysis and advocacy) Anumita Roychowdhury. Probably the most polluted metropolis within the area was Siwan in Bihar with a winter common of 187µg/m3. A number of small cities of Bihar utterly dominate the checklist of most polluted and occupy the highest 17 spots. Durgapur, with a winter common of 103µg/m3, was probably the most polluted metropolis in Bengal. Patna and Kolkata occupied the 18th and twenty third positions on the chart. Brajrajnagar in Odisha and Siliguri recorded the bottom winter common within the area. Brajrajnagar is the one metropolis within the area with peak air pollution underneath the 24-hour normal.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Kolkata breathed a little easier this winter

Kolkata saw a reduction in winter pollution in 2021-22, with average pollutants down 21 percent and peak down 27 percent relative to 2020-21. Nine out of the 28 cities in the eastern region have a decreasing trend, both winter average and peak. Kolkata, India: Despite the city's return to normalcy in winter 2021-22 against the confinement of life and less traffic in 2020-21 as a result of Covid, the city saw less pollution this winter than the year before.According to an analysis by the Urban Data Analytics Lab of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city saw a reduction in winter pollution in 2021-22, with average pollutants down 21 percent and peak down 27 percent relative to 2020-21.During the winter (October 15 to February 28), the level of particulate contamination increases and decreases across the city and the rest of the country, raising health concerns.Other cities with declining growth Patna, Howrah, Gaya, Asansol, Durgapur, Haldia, and Siliguri all say it was the weather system that did the magic. The city's dryness in the winter months was a major saviour.Compared to the winter before, nine out of the 28 cities in the eastern region, which are made up of Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, have a decreasing trend, both winter average and peak.Though cities accept their clean air action plans for limiting local pollution, the initiative would have to be scaled up in order to eliminate pollution from highly dispersed regions across the urban and rural landscape.The strategy should address automobiles, energy plants, industrial production, water management, waste burning, and other areas. Several small towns in Bihar completely dominate the list of the most polluted cities, placing them in the top 17 percentile.Durgapur, with a winter average of 103gm3, was Bengal's most polluted city.On the chart, Patna and Kolkata were ranked 18th and 23rd.Brajrajnagar in Odisha and Siliguri has the lowest winter average in the region.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

This winter, Kolkata breathed a little easier

KOLKATA: The city experienced less pollution this winter than the year before despite life returning to near normal in winter of 2021-22 against the restricted life and fewer traffic in 2020-21 due to Covid. The improved environment was largely due to favourable weather conditions, said experts. According to an analysis by Urban Data Analytics Lab of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city registered a decline in winter pollution in 2021-22 with average pollutants down 21% and peak down 27% compared to 2020-21. Track the pollution level in your city The particulate pollution spikes and stays elevated with varying intensity across the city and rest of the region during winter (October 15 to February 28) and is the biggest worry among health experts as they cause respiratory ailments and distress. Other cities with declining trends — Patna, Howrah, Gaya, Asansol, Durgapur, Haldia, and Siliguri — show it was the weather system that performed the miracle. The declining trend in pollution level is strongly influenced by local geoclimatic conditions, meteorology and the intensity of pollution. The intermittent rain in winter months proved to be a great saviour for the city. Nine out of 28 cities in the eastern region, spread across Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, show a declining trend, both winter average and peak, compared to the winter before that. “While cities require their clean air action plans for controlling local pollution, the effort will have to be scaled up for the region to control pollution from widely dispersed sources across the urban and rural landscape. The plan has to address vehicles, industry, power plants, household pollution, waste burning and more. This granular tracking of pollution needs to inform policy making and compliance framework for air-quality management to meet the clean air targets,” said CSE executive director (research and advocacy) Anumita Roychowdhury. The most polluted city in the region was Siwan in Bihar with a winter average of 187µg/m3. Several small cities of Bihar completely dominate the list of most polluted and occupy the top 17 spots. Durgapur, with a winter average of 103µg/m3, was the most polluted city in Bengal. Patna and Kolkata occupied the 18th and 23rd positions on the chart. Brajrajnagar in Odisha and Siliguri recorded the lowest winter average in the region. Brajrajnagar is the only city in the region with peak pollution under the 24-hour standard.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

CSE releases Pna-India winter air pollution Analysis for 2021-22

CSE releases Pna-India winter air pollution Analysis for 2021-22 Content copyrighted https://theeasternlink.com/cse-releases-pan-india-winter-air-pollution-analysis-for-2021-22/

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Winter pollution in eastern India as bad as in Delhi-NCR: CSE report

The average concentration of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) in the cities of eastern India was the same as that in the cities of Delhi-NCR in the winter of 2021-22, according to a new report. Parsed regionally, eastern India was over three times as polluted as southern India and 22 per cent more polluted than northern India from October 15, 2021 to February 28, 2022, the analysis showed. The report was published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based non-profit. The analysis was based on real-time data from 326 official stations across 161 cities in 26 states and Union territories, displayed on the official website of the Central Pollution Control Board. North India is notorious for its winter air pollution, caused mostly by stubble burning between crop cycles. New hotspots During the study period, air quality in Bihar was particularly unhealthy, with six of its cities featuring in the top 10 most-polluted cities this winter, the analysis showed. Siwan in Bihar topped the list this winter, with a seasonal average of 187 microgram per cubic metre (ug/m3). The smaller cities of Bihar were found to be more polluted than the big cities in Delhi-NCR during the months for which data was studied. The results of the study demonstrated how the winter pollution challenge is not limited to mega cities or to one specific region, said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Quicker reforms and action in key sectors of pollution such as vehicles, industry, power plants and waste management are required “to bend the annual air pollution curve and daily spikes”, she added. Hisar in northern Haryana was the only city in the top 25 outside the sub-regions of Bihar and NCR, according to the report. Top 25 most-polluted cities Mega cities are not the most polluted in any of the regions and the smaller and upcoming cities are becoming pollution hotspots, said Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Data Analytics Lab, CSE. “This is even more evident in the winter peak daily pollution data.” Air pollution was, however, more severe in NCR. The research paper noted: NCR cities completely dominated the list of most polluted cities, with significantly worse 24-hour averages compared to the rest of the country. Ghaziabad witnessed the worst peak (24-hour average) among all the cities this winter, with a PM2.5 level of 647 ug/m3 (almost 11 times the Indian standard of 60 ug/m3). The winter of 2021-22 was less polluted than the preceding one, the researchers observed. “Air quality on an average was 12 per cent cleaner this winter compared to the previous winter, based on an average of 136 cities that have valid daily PM2.5 concentration data for over 75 per cent of days of both winters (15 October to 28 February),” the report stated. Cities in north India, on an average, recorded 11 per cent lower PM2.5 level this winter, according to the analysis. “But the improvement in Delhi-NCR was smaller — just about 8 per cent.” Delhi-NCR also saw a marginal increase in the average peak 24-hour pollution, the report added. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Winter Pollution Levels in Most Parts of India Headed North, Small Towns Too Turning Toxic: CSE

Smog episodes showed a record spike in several regions across the country this winter, said the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its latest all-India winter air quality analysis, raising alarm over the deepening air pollution crisis. Though the air quality was 12 per cent cleaner this winter compared to the previous year based on an average of 136 cities that had valid daily PM2.5 concentration data, the peak pollution levels were “alarmingly high”, especially in the northern and eastern plains, the report highlighted. In terms of peak 24-hour PM 2.5 levels, north Indian cities showed the highest daily pollution, surpassing even the 2020-21 magnitude. In the northern region, Delhi-NCR remained the most-polluted sub-region with its worst days being almost five times worse than average. Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Manesar found their place among the top 10 most polluted cities, with Ghaziabad as the worst performer. Smaller cities turning into pollution hotspots Siwan in Bihar topped the list of most-polluted cities in India this winter with a seasonal average of 187 ug/m3. As many as 13 cities of Bihar featured in the top 25 cities with the highest pollution levels in winter. Delhi-NCR had 11 cities in the list, and Hisar in Haryana was the only city in the top 25 outside the sub-regions of Bihar and NCR. “It is important to note that megacities are not the most polluted in any of the regions — it is the smaller and upcoming cities that are becoming pollution hotspots. This is even more evident in the winter peak daily pollution data,” said Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Data Analytics Lab, CSE, highlighting that apart from the respective clean air action plans, cities will have to scale up their efforts to control pollution from all sources across the urban and rural landscape. The analysis is based on the real-time (every 15 minutes) data recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) from 326 official stations spread across 161 cities in 26 states and union territories for the winter period starting October 15, 2021, to February 28, 2022. Ghaziabad, Delhi show worst air quality in the north Out of the total 60 cities analysed in the northern states including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad was the worst-polluted, followed by Delhi. The next eight spots were all occupied by neighbouring NCR cities: Faridabad, Manesar, Bagpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut, and Hapur. Hisar was the most polluted city in the north outside of NCR. Air quality worsens over Bihar: Siwan is most-polluted In terms of the regional winter average of PM2.5, the eastern plains, mainly Bihar, fared as bad as Delhi-NCR. However, the spikes were relatively milder. Within the east, the Bihar sub-region remained the most polluted, with six towns from the state featuring in the top 10 most-polluted cities this winter. Out of the total 28 monitoring stations spread across cities in Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, Siwan in Bihar emerged as the most-polluted, along with Durgapur in West Bengal. Patna and Kolkata were other cities that fared poorly in air quality. The people of Brajrajnagar in Odisha and Siliguri in West Bengal took a sigh of relief with both cities recording the lowest winter average in the region. “Clearly, the winter pollution challenge is not limited to one specific region; it is now a widespread national problem that requires urgent and deliberate action at a nationwide scale. Even though the pandemic conditions have arrested the overall trend in most regions, there is still a mixed trend,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “There is a need for quicker reforms and action in key sectors of pollution – vehicles, industry, power plants and waste management – to bend the annual air pollution curve and daily spikes.” Cleaner air in southern India According to the CSE, the southern region recorded the lowest regional PM2.5 average this winter but it also registered an almost 24 per cent increase in regional average peak pollution compared to the previous winter. The region includes 35 cities spread across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Industrial towns, Gummidipoondi in Tamil Nadu and Gadag in Karnataka, also appeared in the worst 10 cities for peak pollution (24-hr value). The most polluted cities in the region were Kalaburagi and Hyderabad. Western region Out of the total 15 cities spread across Gujarat and Maharashtra, Ankleshwar was found to be most-polluted, followed by Vapi and Kalyan. Aurangabad and Nandesari recorded the lowest winter average in the region, along with Chandrapur and Solapur. Central region The region included 17 cities spread across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The most-polluted city in the region was Singrauli followed by Katni, Jabalpur, and Bhopal. North-eastern region Out of the total six cities in the Northeast, Guwahati was found to be the most polluted in the region, followed by Agartala. Aizawl and Shillong recorded the lowest winter average in the region mostly because of geographical location and topography. According to the CSE, the widely divergent trends in pollution levels across regions is strongly influenced by local geo-climatic conditions, meteorology and the intensity of pollution, but the overall emerging trend points towards a national air quality crisis.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

In the north, winter pollution worst in Gzb & Delhi'

New Delhi: Ghaziabad was the most polluted city among 60 north Indian cities last winter, followed by Delhi, according to a latest air quality analysis. According to the "All India Winter Air Quality Analysis" carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), particulate pollution spiked and stayed elevated with varying intensity across all regions during the winter of 2021-22 (from October 15 to February 28). The analysis contains a detailed assessment of all the regions — north, south, east, west, central and northeast. It said the most polluted city in the northern region was Ghaziabad with a particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) average of 178 microgram per cubic metre ( g/m3), followed by Delhi that had a winter average of 170 ug/m3. The next seven spots are all occupied by neighbouring NCR cities — Faridabad, Manesar, Baghpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut and Hapur, it said. The CSE, however, observed that the north Indian cities have, on an average, recorded 11 per cent lower PM2.5 level last winter, but the improvement in the sub-region of Delhi-NCR was just about eight per cent. "Delhi-NCR also saw a marginal increase in the average peak 24-hour pollution. The peak pollution rose significantly from the baseline among the cities in the south (24 per cent) and central Indian cities (7 per cent), despite the overall fall in the winter average," it said. In the northern region, Srinagar was found to be the cleanest city with Palwal in Haryana, Bathinda in Punjab and Alwar in Rajasthan among the cities with a relatively lower winter average. In the eastern region, the most polluted city was Siwan in Bihar while in the west, it was Ankleshwar in Gujarat. In the central region, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh was the most polluted city while in south, Kalaburgi in Karnataka and Hyderabad in Telangana were found to be the most polluted cities. The most polluted city in the northeastern region was Guwahati in Assam with a winter average PM2.5 of 81 ug/m3. he analysis was done for the 2021-22 winter air quality tracker initiative of the CSE's Urban Data Analytics Lab. "Clearly, the winter pollution challenge is not limited to mega cities or to one specific region. It is now a widespread national problem that requires urgent and deliberate action at a national scale. "This requires quicker reforms and action in key sectors of pollution — vehicles, industry, power plants and waste management — to bend the annual air pollution curve and daily spikes," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. She said while the regions are battling to meet the national ambient air quality standards, winter conditions are aggravating the problem further. Even though the pandemic conditions have arrested the overall trend in most regions, there is still a mixed trend. Despite having a relatively lower annual average pollution levels, the peak pollution during winter can spike. This indicates the influence of cool and calm winter conditions and also the regional influence," Roychowdhury said. Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Data Analytics Lab, CSE, said as the availability of real-time air quality data has improved in several regions with the expansion of air quality monitoring systems, it has become possible to assess the regional differences and the unique regional trends.

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Pollutant in Kolkata winter air exceeds 10 times the WHO limit, 2.5 times the India limit

The study, led by air pollution expert Anumita Roy Choudhury is based on the data generated by the Central Pollution Control Board The level of ultrafine particulate PM2.5 in Kolkata’s air was around 2.5 times the nationally permissible limit and 10 times the limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO), says an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a think tank. PM2.5 are the most dangerous of all air pollutants as they can enter deep into the lungs and trigger a host of critical ailments, including cancer. The study, led by air pollution expert Anumita Roy Choudhury and based on the data generated by the Central Pollution Control Board from January 2021 till February 2022, has found that “while the winter pollution build-up begins early November in the states of trans-Gangetic plain of Punjab and Haryana and the upper Gangetic plains of Delhi, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, it extends to West Bengal towards the end of December”. “Overall, the week from December 26 to January 3 was the poorest. The PM 2.5 value during the week was 118 microgram,” said Avikal Somvanshi, an air pollution researcher at CSE. “The PM 2.5 value peaked at 155 microgram in January, which was 2.5 times the national limit and 10 times the WHO limit,” said a researcher. Overall, the average PM 2.5 pollution in Kolkata has increased 16 per cent from 2020 to 2021 (from 48 to 56 microgram), despite pandemic-related restrictions that remained in force for many months during the period, and rose 40 per cent above the national limit. The national annual limit for PM 2.5 is 40 microgram per cubic metre of air. The limit set by WHO is 5 microgram. The day limit of PM 2.5 is 60 microgram for India. The WHO limit is 15 microgram. The analysis found that in 2021, the air quality of Kolkata was either poor or very poor for close to one-fourth of the year — 83 days out of 365. The study also found that during winter, the proportion of PM 2.5 remains more compared with the coarser PM 10. “According to the analysis, PM 2.5 accounted for 47 per cent of all particulates in the city in the summer of 2021, but had shot up to 53 per cent in winter,” said a scientist. Winter pollution is a cocktail of particulates and toxic gases. Apart from PM 2.5, there is a significant increase in the nitrogen oxide concentration during winter in nearly all cities of Bengal. “Bringing CNG (compressed natural gas, an environment-friendly automobile fuel) to the city is the key to controlling air pollution,” said Roy Choudhury. “Despite the National Green Tribunal pushing the issue for a number of years, lack of administrative and political will is still a problem,” environment activist Subhas Datta.

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Not Delhi, this is the most polluted city in north India

Delhi's air pollution issue has always remained a point of concern for residents as well as experts. The city's air quality index (AQI) often reflects that it is one of the most polluted cities in the world. However, a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in north Indian cities discovered that it is not Delhi, but Ghaziabad the most polluted city in the region. The CSE's "All India Winter Air Quality Analysis", analyzed 60 north Indian cities during the winter of 2021-22 (from October 15 to February 28) and found out Ghaziabad was the most polluted city among 60 north Indian cities last winter, followed by Delhi. Ghaziabad's particulate matter was recorded 2.5 (PM2.5) average of 178 microgram per cubic metre (μg/m3), followed by Delhi which had a winter average of 170 ug/m3. The other polluted cities in north India included--Faridabad, Manesar, Baghpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut, and Hapur. The CSE, however, observed that the north Indian cities have, on average, recorded an 11% lower PM2.5 level last winter, but the improvement in the sub-region of Delhi-NCR was just about 8%. "Delhi-NCR also saw a marginal increase in the average peak 24-hour pollution. The peak pollution rose significantly from the baseline among the cities in the south (24%) and central Indian cities (7%), despite the overall fall in the winter average," it said. In the analysis, the cleanest city in north India was found to be Srinagar. In the eastern part of India, Siwan (Bihar) was the most polluted city while in the western region, Gujarat's Ankleshwar has the worst air quality. In the central region, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh was the most polluted city while in the south, Kalaburgi in Karnataka and Hyderabad in Telangana were found to be the most polluted cities. The most polluted city in the northeastern region was Guwahati in Assam with a winter average PM2.5 of 81 ug/m3. The analysis was done for the 2021-22 winter air quality tracker initiative of the CSE's Urban Data Analytics Lab. "The winter pollution challenge is not limited to megacities or to one specific region. It is now a widespread national problem that requires urgent and deliberate action at a national scale, Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE said. The analysis is based on publicly available granular real-time data (15-minute averages) from the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) official online portal, Central Control Room for Air Quality Management. The data is captured from 326 official stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) spread across 161 cities in 26 states and Union territories, it said.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi-NCR most polluted region in north India, says study

NEW DELHI: An all-India winter air quality analysis for 2021-2022 carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment determined that in the northern Indian region, Delhi-NCR remained the most polluted sub-region with the worst days here being almost five times the average elsewhere. The sub-regions peak pollution is also almost five times higher than the average peak of the cities in north-eastern India, which is the region with the lowest peak pollution, and around 60% higher than the average peak in cities in the east, the region with the worst regional average. The analysis was done between October 15 last year and February 28 for the winter air quality tracker initiative of CSE’s Urban Data Analytics Lab. The analysis said the regional profile of winter pollution shows the eastern region is as polluted as Delhi-NCR. The NCR cities experienced the most severe daily (24-hour average) PM2.5 levels, with Ghaziabad being the worst hit. Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, Greater Noida andGurugram suffered among the worst peak pollution (24-hour average) this winter. From the peak 24-hour PM2.5 level perspective, north Indian cities recorded the highest daily pollution levels on average. According to the analysis, north Indian cities on average recorded 11% lower PM2.5 readings this winter, but the improvement in the sub-region of Delhi NCR was smaller at just about 8%. Delhi-NCR also saw a marginal increase in the average peak 24-hour pollution. The peak pollution rose significantly from the baseline among the cities in the south (24%) and central Indian cities (7%) despite the overall fall in the winter average. The widely divergent trend in pollution levels across regions is strongly influenced by local geoclimatic conditions, meteorology and the intensity of pollution. But the emerging trend points towards a national air quality crisis,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), CSE. “While the regions are battling to meet the national ambient air quality standards, winter conditions are aggravating the problem further.” From the peak winter pollution perspective, NCR cities completely dominate the list of the most polluted ones with significantly worse 24-hour averages compared with the rest of the country. Ghaziabad witnessed the worst peak (24-hour average) among all the cities this past winter with a recorded PM2.5 level of 647 micrograms per cubic metre, almost 11 times the Indian standard. In the northern region, the most polluted city in the region during winter was Ghaziabad, with a winter average of 178 micrograms per cubic metre of PM2.5, followed by Delhi with a winter average of 170. The seven following spots were all occupied by neighbouring NCR cities, namely Faridabad, Manesar, Baghpat, Noida,Gurugram, Meerut and Hapur. Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida saw a decline in the winter average, but registered higher peaks than last winter.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

ये दो शहर हैं उत्तर भारत के सबसे प्रदूषित नगर; कहीं आप भी तो नहीं रहते हैं यहां ?

AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS: पिछली सर्दी के दौरान उत्तर भारत के 60 शहरों में से गाजियाबाद और दिल्ली को सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित नगर के तौर पर सूची में शामिल किया गया. विश्लेषण के लिए डाटा केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के 26 राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के 161 शहरों में फैले कंटीन्यूअस एम्बिएंट एयर क्वालिटी मॉनिटरिंग सिस्टम (CAAQMS) के तहत 326 आधिकारिक स्टेशनों से लिया गया है. नई दिल्लीः वायु गुणवत्ता पर किए गए ताजा विश्लेषण में सामने आया है कि पिछली सर्दी के दौरान उत्तर भारत के 60 शहरों में से गाजियाबाद सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित रहा. अध्ययन के मुताबिक, गाजियाबाद के बाद दिल्ली सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित नगर के तौर पर सूची में शामिल किया गया. ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरन्मेंट’ (Centre for Science and Environment) द्वारा किए गए “आल इंडिया विंटर क्वालिटी एनालिसिस” के मुताबिक, 2021-2022 की सर्दियों के दौरान (15 अक्टूबर से 28 फरवरी तक) सभी क्षेत्रों में हवा में सूक्ष्म कणों द्वारा प्रदूषण में वृद्धि हुई और बरकरार रही. पीएम 2.5 की मात्रा औसतन 178 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति गहन मीटर विश्लेषण में देश के उत्तरी, दक्षिणी, पूर्वी, मध्य और पूर्वोत्तर क्षेत्र का विस्तृत अध्ययन किया गया. अध्ययन में सामने आया कि उत्तर भारत में सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित शहर गाजियाबाद रहा जहां हवा में सूक्ष्म कणों पीएम 2.5 की मात्रा औसतन 178 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति गहन मीटर थी. इसके बाद दिल्ली में इन कणों की मात्रा 170 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर दर्ज की गई. अगले सात स्थानों पर पड़ोसी एनसीआर के शहर अगले सात स्थानों पर पड़ोसी एनसीआर के शहरों - फरीदाबाद, मानेसर, बागपत, नोएडा, गुरुग्राम, मेरठ और हापुड़ का कब्जा है. हालांकि, सीएसई ने पाया कि उत्तर भारतीय शहरों में पिछली सर्दियों में औसतन 11 फीसदी कम पीएम2.5 दर्ज किया गया था, लेकिन दिल्ली-एनसीआर के उप-क्षेत्र में सुधार सिर्फ आठ फीसदी था. बिहार में सीवान सबसे प्रदूषित शहर उत्तरी क्षेत्र में श्रीनगर को, हरियाणा में पलवल, पंजाब में बठिंडा और राजस्थान में अलवर के साथ अपेक्षाकृत कम सर्दियों के औसत वाले शहरों में सबसे स्वच्छ शहर पाया गया. पूर्वी क्षेत्र में, सबसे प्रदूषित शहर बिहार में सीवान था जबकि पश्चिम में, यह गुजरात में अंकलेश्वर था. मध्य क्षेत्र में, मध्य प्रदेश में सिंगरौली सबसे प्रदूषित शहर था, जबकि दक्षिण में, कर्नाटक में कलबुर्गी और तेलंगाना में हैदराबाद सबसे प्रदूषित शहर पाए गए. पूर्वोत्तर क्षेत्र में सबसे प्रदूषित शहर असम में गुवाहाटी था, जहां सर्दियों का औसत PM2.5 81 ug/m3 था. 26 राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के 161 शहर अध्ययन में शामिल यह विश्लेषण सीएसई की अर्बन डेटा एनालिटिक्स लैब की 2021-22 शीतकालीन वायु गुणवत्ता ट्रैकर पहल के लिए किया गया था. विश्लेषण के लिए डाटा केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के 26 राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के 161 शहरों में फैले कंटीन्यूअस एम्बिएंट एयर क्वालिटी मॉनिटरिंग सिस्टम (CAAQMS) के तहत 326 आधिकारिक स्टेशनों से लिया गया है. सीएसई की कार्यकारी निदेशक (अनुसंधान और वकालत) अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा, " प्रदूषण के प्रमुख क्षेत्रों - वाहन, उद्योग, बिजली संयंत्र और अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन - में त्वरित सुधार और कार्रवाई की आवश्यकता है."उन्होंने कहा कि जहां क्षेत्र राष्ट्रीय परिवेशी वायु गुणवत्ता मानकों को पूरा करने के लिए जूझ रहे हैं, वहीं सर्दियों की स्थिति समस्या को और बढ़ा रही है.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर तत्काल काम करने की जरूरत: अनुमिता राय चौधरी

नई दिल्ली [संजीव गुप्ता]। सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) द्वारा राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर किए गए एक शीतकालीन वायु गुणवत्ता विश्लेषण में सामने आया है कि जाड़े का प्रदूषण अब सिर्फ महानगरीय नहीं बल्कि राष्ट्रीय चुनौती बन रहा है। 2021-22 (15 अक्टूबर से 28 फरवरी) के दौरान सभी क्षेत्रों में प्रदूषण बढ़ा और अलग-अलग तीव्रता के साथ उच्च्च स्तर पर रहा। हालांकि अधिकांश क्षेत्रों में पीएम 2.5 का समग्र क्षेत्रीय औसत पिछली सर्दियों की तुलना में कम था, लेकिन कई क्षेत्रों में धुंध के एपिसोड में गंभीर वृद्धि दर्ज की गई। सीएसई की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता राय चौधरी कहती हैं कि यह विश्लेषण सीएसई की अर्बन डेटा एनालेटिक्स लैब के 2021-22 विंटर एयर क्वालिटी ट्रैकर इनिशिएटिव के लिए किया गया है। प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर तत्काल काम करने की जरूरत है। इसके लिए प्रदूषण के प्रमुख क्षेत्रों में त्वरित सुधार और कार्रवाई की आवश्यकता है। जैसे - वाहन, उद्योग, बिजली संयंत्र और अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन, वार्षिक वायु प्रदूषण। यह विश्लेषण केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के आनलाइन पोर्टल सेंट्रल कंट्रोल रूम फार एयर क्वालिटी मैनेजमेंट से सार्वजनिक रूप से उपलब्ध दानेदार रीयल टाइम डेटा (15 मिनट का औसत) पर आधारित है। 26 राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के 161 शहरों में फैले कंटीन्यूअस एम्बिएंट एयर क्वालिटी मानिटरिंग सिस्टम के तहत 326 आधिकारिक स्टेशनों से आंकड़े लिए गए हैं। अध्ययन के मुख्य निष्कर्ष: पूर्वी मैदानी इलाकों में पीएम 2.5 का सर्दियों का औसत, जिसमें बिहार के नए निगरानी वाले 19 शहर और कस्बे भी शामिल हैं, दिल्ली -एनसीआर के समान ही था। बिहार के छह शहर इस सर्दी में शीर्ष 10 सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों में शामिल हैं, जिसमें सीवान और मुंगेर शीर्ष पर हैं। उत्तरी मैदानी इलाकों में गाजियाबाद, दिल्ली, फरीदाबाद और मानेसर सूची में तीसरे, पांचवें, सातवें और दसवें स्थान पर हैं। एनसीआर के शहरों ने सबसे गंभीर दैनिक (24-घंटे औसत) पीएम 2.5 का अनुभव किया है, जिसमें गाजियाबाद सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित है। दिल्ली, नोएडा, फरीदाबाद, ग्रेटर नोएडा और गुरुग्राम इस सर्दी में सबसे खराब चरम प्रदूषण (24-घंटे औसत) में से हैं। पूर्वी क्षेत्र का पीएम 2.5 सर्दियों का औसत दक्षिणी भारत के शहरों के औसत से तीन गुना अधिक है और उत्तर भारतीय शहरों की तुलना में 22 प्रतिशत अधिक प्रदूषित है। पूर्व के भीतर, बिहार उप-क्षेत्र सबसे अधिक प्रदूषित है। उच्चतम 24-घंटे पीएम 2.5 स्तर के ²ष्टिकोण से, उत्तर भारतीय शहरों में औसत दैनिक प्रदूषण का स्तर उच्चतम दर्ज किया गया है। उत्तर के भीतर, दिल्ली-एनसीआर सबसे प्रदूषित उप-क्षेत्र बना हुआ है, जहां उनके सबसे खराब दिन औसत से लगभग पांच गुना अधिक हैं। उत्तर भारतीय शहरों में इस सर्दी में औसतन 11 प्रतिशत कम पीएम 2.5 दर्ज किया गया है, लेकिन दिल्ली एनसीआर के उप-क्षेत्र में सुधार छोटा है - लगभग आठ प्रतिशत। दिल्ली-एनसीआर में भी औसत 24 घंटे के प्रदूषण में मामूली वृद्धि देखी गई। सर्दियों के औसत में समग्र गिरावट के बावजूद दक्षिण के शहरों (24 प्रतिशत) और मध्य भारतीय शहरों (सात प्रतिशत) के बीच बेसलाइन से चरम प्रदूषण में काफी वृद्धि हुई। बिहार का सीवान इस सर्दी में भारत का सबसे प्रदूषित शहर था, जिसका मौसमी औसत 187 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर था। वास्तव में, बिहार के 13 शहर सर्दियों में उच्चतम स्तर वाले शीर्ष 25 शहरों में शामिल हैं। सूची में दिल्ली-एनसीआर के 11 शहर थे। उत्तरी हरियाणा का हिसार बिहार और एनसीआर के उप-क्षेत्रों के बाहर शीर्ष 25 में एकमात्र शहर था।

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Ghaziabad Pollution: बीती सर्दी में उत्तर भारत का सबसे प्रदूषित शहर रहा गाजियाबाद, दिल्ली दूसरे नंबर पर

वायु गुणवत्ता पर किए गए ताजा विश्लेषण में सामने आया है कि पिछली सर्दी के दौरान उत्तर भारत के 60 शहरों में से गाजियाबाद सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित रहा। अध्ययन के अनुसार गाजियाबाद के बाद दिल्ली सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित नगर के तौर पर सूची में शामिल किया गया। ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरन्मेंट’ (सीएसई) द्वारा किए गए आल इंडिया विंटर क्वालिटी एनालिसिस के अनुसार 2021-2022 की सर्दियों के दौरान (15 अक्टूबर से 28 फरवरी तक) सभी क्षेत्रों में हवा में सूक्ष्म कणों द्वारा प्रदूषण में वृद्धि हुई और बरकरार रही। विश्लेषण में देश के उत्तरी, दक्षिणी, पूर्वी, मध्य और पूर्वोत्तर क्षेत्र का विस्तृत अध्ययन किया गया। अध्ययन में सामने आया कि उत्तर भारत में सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित शहर गाजियाबाद रहा, जहां हवा में सूक्ष्म कणों पीएम 2.5 की मात्रा औसतन 178 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति गहन मीटर थी। इसके बाद दिल्ली में इन कणों की मात्रा 170 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर दर्ज की गई।