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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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।

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।

श्रीनगर से सात गुना ज्यादा प्रदूषित दिल्ली और गाजियाबाद की हवा

कश्मीर के श्रीनगर से राजधानी दिल्ली और गाजियाबाद की हवा सात गुना ज्यादा प्रदूषित है। विज्ञान एवं पर्यावरण केन्द्र (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक इस जाड़े के सीजन में पूरे उत्तर भारत में श्रीनगर की हवा सबसे ज्यादा साफ-सुथरी रही। जबकि, गाजियाबाद के लोगों को सबसे ज्यादा जहरीली हवा मे सांस लेना पड़ा। प्रदूषण की रोकथाम के तमाम उपायों के बावजूद दिल्ली-एनसीआर के लोगों को प्रदूषण से भरी जहरीली हवा से राहत नहीं मिल रही है। केन्द्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड द्वारा प्रतिदिन जारी होने वाले डाटा का विश्लेषण करके सीएसई ने देश भर के प्रदूषण पर रिपोर्ट जारी की है। इसमें 15 अक्तूबर 2021 से लेकर 28 फरवरी 2022 तक के प्रदूषण डाटा का विश्लेषण किया गया है। रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक इस पूरी समयावधि में श्रीनगर का औसत पीएम 2.5 का स्तर 26 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रहा। जबकि, गाजियाबाद में यह स्तर 178 और दिल्ली में 170 पर रहा। किसी एक दिन में प्रदूषण का सर्वाधिक स्तर को अगर देखें तो यहां भी श्रीनगर की तुलना में गाजियाबाद और दिल्ली में बहुत ज्यादा प्रदूषण दिखाई पड़ता है। श्रीनगर में किसी एक दिन में प्रदूषण का सर्वाधिक स्तर 75 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर तक गया था। जबकि, गाजियाबाद में यह 647 और दिल्ली में 515 के स्तर पहुंचा था। सीएसई की अर्बन डाटा एनेलिटिक लैब में कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक अविकल सोमवंशी बताते है कि प्रदूषण पर रीयल टाइम डाटा की उपलब्धता के साथ ही अब अलग-अलग क्षेत्रों में प्रदूषण के ट्रेंड को जानना और विश्लेषित करना संभव हो गया है। इससे संबंधित क्षेत्रों में प्रदूषण की रोकथाम में मदद मिल सकती है। मानसून की देरी और पराली के धुएं से बढ़ा प्रदूषण उत्तर भारत में मानसून की देरी और पराली के धुएं के चलते लोगों को जाड़े के मौसम में भारी प्रदूषण का सामना करना पड़ा। मानसून की देर से वापसी के चलते इस बार पराली जलाने का क्रम भी देर से शुरू हुआ। जब पराली का धुआं अपने पीक पर पहुंचा था उन्हीं दिनों मे दीपावली भी थी। इन दोनों ही कारकों के मिलन से नवंबर और दिसंबर के महीने में लोगों को सबसे ज्यादा जहरीली हवा में सांस लेनी पड़ी। जनवरी में मिली थोड़ी राहत इस बार जनवरी के महीने में रिकार्ड तोड़ बारिश हुई। इसके चलते लोगों को प्रदूषण से हल्की राहत मिली। रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक उत्तर भारत के शहरों में औसत तौर पर पिछले साल के मुकाबले में प्रदूषण के स्तर में 11 फीसदी की कमी आई है। जबकि, दिल्ली-एनसीआर के शहरों में यह कमी आठ प्रतिशत तक की रही है। लेकिन, इस सुधार में जनवरी के महीने में हुई बारिश की भूमिका सबसे ज्यादा रही है। सीएसई (शोध व परामर्श) के कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रायचौधुरी ने बताया कि आंकड़ों के विश्लेषण से यह साफ पता चलता है कि जाड़े का प्रदूषण किसी एक क्षेत्र या बड़े शहरों तक सीमित नहीं रहा है। यह पूरे देश के स्तर की समस्या बन गया है। इसलिए देश के स्तर पर ही इसके लिए तत्काल और प्रभावी कदम उठाए जाने की जरूरत है। खासतौर पर वाहन, उद्योग, विद्युत संयंत्र और ठोस कचरा प्रबंधन के क्षेत्र में प्रदूषण की रोकथाम के लिए आवश्यक कदम उठाए जाने चाहिए।

Delhi Second-Most Polluted North Indian City. First Is...

After Ghaziabad and Delhi, the next seven most polluted northern cities are those in the NCR region - Faridabad, Manesar, Baghpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut and Hapur, an analysis said. 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 (μg/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.

Delhi Second-Most Polluted North Indian City. First Is…

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 (μg/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. The 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,” Ms 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. This air quality tracker initiative has helped benchmark the winter air quality for peer-to-peer comparison within each region and inter-regional differences, the 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.

7 NCR Cities In Most Polluted Cities List In North India, Delhi At Second Spot: Report

Ghaziabad and Delhi are followed by Faridabad, Manesar, Baghpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut, and Hapur, in terms of polluted cities in North India during winters. New Delhi has been named the second-most polluted city in North India during the last winters according to a latest air quality analysis. Ghaziabad was named the most polluted. The analysis - "All India Winter Air Quality Analysis" - was carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The findings in the report showed that particulate pollution stayed elevated during the winter of 2021-22 (from October 15 to February 28). It analysed six regions - north, south, east, west, central and northeast - of India. Delhi's average pollution level during the winters was 170 microgram per cubic metre (μg/m3), whereas that of Ghaziabad was 178 microgram per cubic metre (μg/m3). Delhi-NCR witnesses the highest pollution levels in North India as the next seven polluted cities are all from nearby NCR areas. Ghaziabad and Delhi are followed by Faridabad, Manesar, Baghpat, Noida, Gurugram, Meerut and Hapur. "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," the CSE report was quoted in a PTI article. Srinagar was the cleanest city in North India. Palwal in Haryana, Bathinda in Punjab and Alwar in Rajasthan had relatively less pollution levels. Here Are The Most Polluted Cities As Per CSE (Region Wise) North - Ghaziabad East - Siwan, Bihar West - Ankleshwar, Gujarat Central - Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh South - Kalaburgi, Karnataka and Hyderabad, Telangana North-East - Guwahati, Assam "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 to PTI.