Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

A Sustainable, Pollution-Free Delhi? Yes It’s Possible!

When we talk about Delhi’s future, the first thing that comes to our mind is a city that is noisy, dirty, cramped, crowded and engulfed in toxic smog, isn’t it? But the city could be brighter, cleaner and pollution-free too and there’s a cool AR installation that shows you how. Starting with Delhi, with the aim to get its citizens to envision what the future of the city would look like, Jhatkaa.org launched the #FutureDelhi campaign recently. At the heart of the campaign was an Augmented Reality Installation placed on the street that transported the audience to a mixed reality future. The display showed a view of the same location, but with an added augmented reality layer that showcases what a sustainable version of the location could look like in the future, with more pedestrian space, cycle lanes, electric buses, charging points of electric vehicles, free of emissions from fossil-fuel vehicles and with clean blue skies. The installation was like a giant selfie phone camera in which people could see themselves but immersed in #FutureDelhi. In the campaign that ran for a week, events were organised to gather livelihood, cyclists, bus commuters and e-rickshaw drivers to hear their thoughts on sustainable mobility and the problems they face. Speaking about the problems they face, E-Rickshaw owner Lokinder Singh Taksab (57) said, “Like there are CNG and fuel stations everywhere, it would be great if we could have E-charging stations as well. It gets difficult for us to come back home and charge our rickshaws.” “With more working members in the family, the aspiration to have more cars increases. In the future, there should be a check on that otherwise, there would be no end to traffic jams in Delhi,” said Babli Marshal, a resident of Delhi for the last 30 years. Triloki Nath Mishra (90) said, “I have been living in this city since 1942, and it pains to see it wrapped up in toxic air. We used to cycle 10–15 kms a day, but today people use cars and bikes even for 500 metres. I want the future to be like how the past was; cleaner.” An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows that vehicular emissions contribute 50–53% of total air pollution in Delhi. The idea of the campaign was to bring policymakers and citizens together to start a conversation on the city, sustainability, innovation and action. One of the iconic figures from history, Delhi’s favourite poet Mirza Ghalib asked Delhiites their thoughts on the future of the city. Here’s how that went.

Delhi records cleanest January since AQI measuring system launch

Delhi recorded its cleanest January in 2022 since the CPCB started measuring the AQI. This was mainly due to excess rainfall, fewer foggy days, and seven western disturbances. New Delhi: Delhi recorded its cleanest January in 2022 since the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started measuring the Air Quality Index (AQI) in 2015. This was mainly due to excess rainfall, fewer foggy days, and seven western disturbances. According to a report published in The Times Of India, Delhi recorded two ‘satisfactory’ days and one ‘severe’ day, in January. January 2022 also recorded three ‘moderate’ days. The month’s average AQI was 279, compared to 324 the previous year. January 2022 was the wettest January in 121 years due to intense rain activity. According to experts, a strong western disturbance affected the region causing rain, rise in temperature, and wind speed, which helped in improving air quality. Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR said that huge quantities of air particles are carried from the fog which comes from Indo-Gangetic plains. The fog formation causes calm conditions by trapping pollutants and also affects the boundary layer height. January 2022 recorded 26 days when the air quality ranged between ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ category, compared to 29 days in January 2021, 2019, and 2017. 28 in January 2020 and 31 days in 2018 and 2016. Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory said that compared to last year, there has been a significant decrease in the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ days. Intermittent rain, higher wind speed, and no severe foggy days were the reason for it. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment told TOI that as the winter is coming to an end, action for sustained change must gather momentum. She further added that there has been a rapid increase in daily PM 2.5 levels since January 28. The improved monthly average was due to record rainfall and an extended cold spell as well as more unique winter conditions.

Budget 2022: क्या यूपी के किसानों के लिए गेमचेंजर साबित होगी गंगा कॉरिडोर में ऑर्गेनिक खेती

देश में नमामि गंगे योजना के तहत गंगा किनारों के 5 किलोमीटर दायरे में 2016 से ही योजना चलाई जा रही है. मीडिया रिपोर्ट्स के अनुसार यूपी और बिहार के कई गांवों की तस्वीर बदल गई है. अब अगर ये योजना पूरी तरह लागू की जाएगी तो इस पिछड़े एरिया की तस्वीर बदल सकती है. केंद्रीय वित्‍त मंत्री निर्मला सीतारमण (Nirmala Sitharaman) ने अपने चौथे बजट (Budget) में किसानों के लिए कई बड़े ऐलान किए हैं. कहा जा रहा है कि केंद्रीय कृषि कानूनों को लेकर एक साल तक चले आंदोलन की वजह से किसानों की नाराजगी को दूर करने का प्रयास बजट में किया गया है. बजट में अगले वित्त वर्ष में किसानों के खाते में 2.37 लाख करोड़ रुपए डीबीटी के माध्यम से देने की बात की गई है. पर गंगा (Ganga) किनारों के 5 किलोमीटर एरिया में ऑर्गेनिक खेती का गलियारा बनाने की बात करके यूपी की करीब 150 सीटों पर माइलेज लेने की कोशिश की है. हालांकि यह योजना 2016 से राष्ट्रीय गंगा मिशन के तहत चल रही है और बहुत से किसानों को इसका लाभ भी मिला है. अभी तक नमामि गंगे योजना के तहत जैविक खेती के लिए किसान को 36 हज़ार रुपये प्रति हेक्टेयर की दर से अनुदान मिल रहा है. इसके अलावा पहले जैविक खेती करने वाले किसानों को पंजीकरण कराने के लिए 20 हजार रुपये शुल्क देना होता था लेकिन अब शासन ने यह शुल्क भी खत्म कर दिया है. तीन वर्ष तक जैविक खेती करने वाले किसानों का कृषि विभाग से निशुल्क पंजीकरण कर रहा है. जाहिर है कि जब केंद्र सरकार इसमें इंट्रेस्ट ले रही है तो मार्केटिंग, डीबीटी, एमएसपी, आसान कर्ज, सब्सिडी आदि की व्यवस्था और बढ़ सकती है. 1760 हेक्टेयर में होने वाली जैविक खेती का रकबा दिन प्रतिदिन बढ़ रहा है दैनिक जागरण में पिछले साल एक छपी खबर बताती है कि उन्नाव जिले के 64 गांवों में जैविक खेती ने कैसे किसानों और गांवों की तस्वीर बदल दी है. यहां करीब 1760 हेक्टेयर में होने वाली जैविक खेती का रकबा दिन प्रतिदिन बढ़ रहा है. जैविक खाद और बीजों से खेत में जीवांश कार्बन की मात्रा बढ़ रही है. 20 साल पहले जिले में खेतों का जीवांश कार्बन 1.3 फीसद था तो जो सन 2017 में 0.2 फीसद रह गया.इसे 0.8 फीसद के स्तर तक ले जाने का लक्ष्य है. जमीन ऊसर हो रही थी जिससे किसानों के लिए खेती मुश्किल होती जा रही थी. गोबर, गुड़, बेसन और डीकंपोजर लिक्विड के उपयोग से यहां की खेती की तस्वीर बदलनी शुरू हो गई है. खबर के अनुसार यहां खेतों में गोबर, गुड़, गोमूत्र, बेसन से बनी खाद का ही उपयोग हो रहा है. सिकंदरपुर सिरोसी, गंगाघाट, पाटन, बीघापुर, परियर, बांगरमऊ, गंजमुरादाबाद में जैविक खेती की जा रही है. इसमें सबसे अधिक 32 गांव सिकंदरपुर सिरोसी के हैं. जहां फसल की पैदावार सामान्य से अधिक हो रही है. खासकर मूंगफली, केला, काला गेहूं की फसल किसान कर रहे हैं. गंगा के किनारे की खेती अति उपजाऊ रही है प्रयागराज में जैविक खेती कर रहे मेड़ई कल्याणी सेवा ट्रस्ट के निदेशक राजेंद्र सिंह जी कहते हैं कि यह फैसला उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार के किसानों के लिए गेमचेंजर साबित हो सकता है. देश के इस हिस्से में विशेषकर गंगा के किनारे की खेती अति उपजाऊ रही है पर यहां का किसान अति गरीब रहा है. उर्वरकों वाली खेती बहुत खर्चीली रही है और छोटी जोत के किसान के पास इतने संसाधन नहीं थे. जोत घटती गई और गंगा किनारे का किसान दिन प्रति दिन गरीब होता गया. राजेंद्र सिंह कहते हैं कि जिस तरह काले गेहूं और जैविक खाद्यों की डिमांड बढ़ रही है अगर सरकार की सहायता मिल गई तो गरीब किसानों की जिंदगी में बहार आ जाएगी. भारत में 2005 में जैविक कृषि नीति की शुरुआत हुई हालांकि देश में फसल बोने का इलाका केवल 2 प्रतिशत यानी 194 करोड़ हेक्टेयर और जैविक खेती के तहत 27.8 लाख हेक्टेयर है. भले ही भारत में जैविक खेती के लिए जमीन कम है लेकिन जैविक किसानों की संख्या के मामले में भारत पहले स्थान पर है. मार्च 2020 तक भारत में जैविक खेती करने वाले 19 लाख से अधिक किसान थे. इसलिए भारत में फसलों को व्यवस्थित रूप से उगाने की बहुत संभावना है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में जलवायु परिवर्तन विशेषज्ञ शाजनीन साइरस गजदार ने डीडब्ल्यू हिंदी को दिए अपने एक साक्षात्कार मे बताया था कि “जलवायु परिवर्तन के संदर्भ में, जैविक खेती मिट्टी की जैव विविधता और पानी की गुणवत्ता को बनाए रखती है. पारंपरिक कृषि ग्रीनहाउस गैसों के उत्सर्जन में योगदान देने वाला प्रमुख कारक है और भारत को उत्सर्जन को कम करने के प्रयासों में शामिल होना चाहिए.” किसानों को मदद देना होगा जलवायु परिवर्तन एक्सपर्ट शाजनीन साइरस गजदार एक जर्मन न्यूज वेबसाइट को दिए अपने साक्षात्कार में कहती हैं, “ऑर्गेनिक खेती के लिए जरूरी संसाधन चाहिए. फसल की बेहतर ग्रेडिंग, छंटाई, पैकेजिंग और विपणन के लिए लघु उद्योग स्थापित करने के लिए सब्सिडी की व्यवस्था होनी चाहिए. अकार्बनिक से कार्बनिक खेती के बदलाव के दौरान कम उपज और फसल के नुकसान के लिए किसानों को मुआवजा देना होगा और जैविक खाद बनाने के लिए मदद देनी होगी. किसानों को मार्केट के बारे में भी सीखना होगा. राज्य के कृषि विभागों को विक्रय केंद्रों के संग्रह और ट्रांसपोर्ट में मदद करने की जिम्मेदारी भी संभालनी होगी.”

गंगा किनारे जैविक गलियारा बनाने का प्रयास

गंगा नदी के किनारे जैविक गलियारा बनाना मैदानी इलाके के कायाकल्प का मौका है. गंगा में प्रदूषण न बढ़े इसके लिए पांच राज्य सरकारों के प्रयासों से जैविक गलियारा बनाने का प्रस्ताव है. लेकिन कई चुनौतियां भी हैं. भारत ने 2005 में जैविक कृषि नीति की शुरुआत की, हालांकि देश में फसल बोने का इलाका केवल 2 प्रतिशत यानी 194 करोड़ हेक्टेयर और जैविक खेती के तहत 27.8 लाख हेक्टेयर है. भले ही भारत में जैविक खेती के लिए जमीन कम है लेकिन जैविक किसानों की संख्या के मामले में भारत पहले स्थान पर है. मार्च 2020 तक भारत में जैविक खेती करने वाले 19 लाख से अधिक किसान थे. इसलिए भारत में फसलों को व्यवस्थित रूप से उगाने की बहुत संभावना है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में जलवायु परिवर्तन विशेषज्ञ शाजनीन साइरस गजदार ने डीडब्ल्यू हिंदी को बताया, "जलवायु परिवर्तन के संदर्भ में, जैविक खेती मिट्टी की जैव विविधता और पानी की गुणवत्ता को बनाए रखती है. पारंपरिक कृषि ग्रीनहाउस गैसों के उत्सर्जन में योगदान देने वाला प्रमुख कारक है और भारत को उत्सर्जन को कम करने के प्रयासों में शामिल होना चाहिए." जैविक खेती के गलियारे बिहार में जैविक खेती के कई सारे गलियारे हैं जिनमें लगभग 20,000 एकड़ जमीन पर 22,000 से अधिक किसान जैविक खेती में लगे हुए हैं. राजधानी पटना में सड़क पर सब्जियां बेचने वाले विक्रेताओं के पास भी ताजा जैविक उत्पाद उपलब्ध हैं. यह सफल जमीनी अनुभव है. अब केंद्र सरकार चाहती है कि विषैले कीटनाशकों से गंगा में बढ़ रहे प्रदूषण का बेहतर तरीके से मुकाबला किया जाए. इस संदर्भ में, 2016 में गठित राष्ट्रीय गंगा परिषद, जिसमें गंगा नदी के किनारे बसे राज्यों उत्तराखंड, बिहार, उत्तर प्रदेश, झारखंड और पश्चिम बंगाल के मुख्यमंत्रियों के अलावा प्रधानमंत्री भी शामिल हैं, इन पांच राज्यों में गंगा तट के दोनों ओर 5 किमी के इलाके में जैविक समूहों को बढ़ावा दे रहे हैं. यह प्रस्ताव गंगा के मैदानी इलाके में खेती के टिकाऊ तरीके को बढ़ावा देने के लिए बने एजेंडे का हिस्सा है. लेकिन यह क्षेत्र चुनौतियों से भरा है. किसानों की मदद जरूरी जलवायु परिवर्तन विशेषज्ञ शाजनीन साइरस गजदार कहती हैं, "जैविक खेती के लिए जरूरी संसाधन चाहिए. फसल की बेहतर ग्रेडिंग, छंटाई, पैकेजिंग और विपणन के लिए लघु उद्योग स्थापित करने के लिए सब्सिडी की व्यवस्था होनी चाहिए.अकार्बनिक से कार्बनिक खेती के बदलाव के दौरान कम उपज और फसल के नुकसान के लिए किसानों को मुआवजा देना होगा और जैविक खाद बनाने के लिए मदद देनी होगी. किसानों को बाजारों के बारे में भी प्रशिक्षण लेना होगा. राज्य के कृषि विभागों को विक्रय केंद्रों के संग्रह और परिवहन में मदद करने की जिम्मेदारी भी लेनी होगी." उत्तर प्रदेश में गंगा नदी के कानपुर पहुंचने तक नदी के प्राकृतिक प्रवाह का 90% हिस्सा निकल जाता है. गंगा का अधिकांश प्रवाह मुख्य रूप से जल विद्युत उत्पादन और सिंचाई के लिए मोड़ दिया गया है. अगर गंगा बेसिन में जैविक खेती के गलियारे बनेंगे तो गंगा की स्वच्छता और निर्मलता फिर से बहाल हो पाएगी. इंडियन काउंसिल फॉर एग्रीकल्चरल रिसर्च द्वारा जारी एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत हर साल लगभग 35 करोड़ टन कृषि अपशिष्ट उत्पन्न करता है. नवीन और नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा मंत्रालय के अनुसार, यह कचरा कृषि में उपयोग के लिए हरित उर्वरक पैदा करने के अलावा हर साल 18,000 मेगावाट से अधिक बिजली पैदा कर सकता है. सिक्किम का उदाहरण 2016 में, सिक्किम ने खुद को पूरी तरह से जैविक घोषित किया और वह ऐसा करने वाला भारत में पहला और एकमात्र राज्य बना. गैर-सरकारी संगठन वेल्टहुंगरहिल्फे भारत के फिलिप ड्रेसरुसे ने रिपोर्ट किया कि सिक्किम का 100 प्रतिशत जैविक राज्य बनने की प्रक्रिया आसान नहीं थी. पहले कुछ वर्षों में, कई फसलें विफल हुईं और कृषि उत्पादन में भारी कमी आई. मिट्टी में डाले जाने वाले रासायनिक तत्वों को अचानक हटा दिया गया और मिट्टी को अपनी प्राकृतिक उर्वरता हासिल करने में कई साल लग गए. हालांकि, राज्य सरकार के समर्थन से सिक्किम स्टेट ऑर्गेनिक बोर्ड बनाया गया, जिसने राज्य पूरी तरह से जैविक बनाने के लिए कई नीतिगत उपाय लागू किए. आज सिक्किम के 66,000 से अधिक किसानों को इसका लाभ पहुंचा है. इससे न केवल उनकी आय बढ़ी है, बल्कि राज्य की पूरी आबादी की जीवन प्रत्याशा भी बढ़ गई है. 2016 तक सिक्किम के लोगों की जीवनदर 1990 की तुलना में दस साल ज्यादा हो गई.

Weather elements help Delhi see cleanest January since AQI launch...

NEW DELHI: The capital saw its cleanest January this year since the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started measuring the Air Quality Index (AQI) from April 2015 onwards, mainly owing to excess rainfall, fewer foggy days and seven western disturbances. The month’s average AQI stood at 279 against 324 in 2021. This January witnessed two rare ‘satisfactory’ days and one ‘severe’ day. Track the pollution level in your city Experts said when a strong western disturbance affects the region, it causes rain, rise in temperature and wind speed and helps in improving air quality. Rain activity was intense, making January 2022 the wettest in 121 years. Fog, which comes from Indo-Gangetic plains, carries a huge quantity of air particles. Fog formation also affects the boundary layer height and causes calm conditions by trapping pollutants,” said Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR. CPCB data shows that two ‘satisfactory’ air quality days were recorded this January. In contrast, no such day was seen in January in the previous years. At three, this January also saw the highest number of ‘moderate’ days. According to CPCB, 26 out of 31 days this month had air quality in the range of ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ (AQI above 201). In comparison, there were 29 such days each in January 2021, 2019 and 2017; 31 each in 2016 and 2018; and 28 in 2020. “This January, there has been a significant decrease in the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ days compared to last year. This is because of intermittent rain, higher wind speeds to the tune of average 5m/sec and reduced and no severe foggy days,” said Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, who analysed the past few years’ AQI for January. Pointing out that winter was about to end, Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment, said “action for sustained change” must gather momentum. “Daily average levels of PM2.5 are bouncing back again. There has been rapid increase since January 28. The improved monthly average level of pollution this month seems to be the result of record rainfall and a cold spell for an extended period as well as more unique winter conditions. The impact of changing climate on air quality patterns will have to be understood better for interventions,” she said. Delhi had last year recorded its cleanest October and dirtiest November.

Future of public transport in India – Electric Buses

Given that the ratio of cars per thousand individuals is far less in India than in developed countries like the USA, UK and Australia, the dependence of majority of the population on public transport will continue. The need to reduce the dependence on imported oil, and the growing concerns over climate change have been the key drivers to the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) throughout the world. To keep pace with the global economy, various policy initiatives have been introduced by the Indian government since 2007 to give an impetus to the high-potential EV industry. Further, the government’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 as committed during the recently held COP26 summit, further presses the need to focus on EVs as the ‘future of mobility’. Given that the ratio of cars per thousand individuals is far less in India than in developed countries like the USA, UK and Australia, the dependence of majority of the population on public transport will continue. Hence, in order for India to reduce its carbon emissions, focus has to be on the mass scale electrification of public transport, in which e-buses will play a crucial role. In view of the various policy initiatives and the rising EV revolution, while a great response has already been shown by the existing Indian market players in the 2 & 3 wheelers segments (which require relatively less capex); the existing commercial vehicle players have either entered or are in the process of entering the EV space. As per a report, in the year 2020 around 5,15,600 EVs were sold in India, which included only 600 e-buses(1). Further, according to a report issued by SMEV, around 2,36,802 EVs were sold in India in FY20-21, and as per market sources e-buses accounted for only a small portion of the cumulative EV sales(2). In respect of the market players, until the FY20-21, about 74% of the total e-bus supply orders in India were catered by relatively new market players(3). The e-bus reforms in the country have been largely driven by incentives offered by the government, and few of the key initiatives contributing to the growth of e-bus industry are: (i) FAME II, with an outlay of INR 10,000 crores, is aimed providing upfront subsidies and creating EV charging infrastructure. This scheme proposes to support 7,090 e-buses with an incentive of up to INR 50 lakhs each. Bids to procure 5,580 e-buses have recently been sought by CESL under the ‘Grand Challenge’ as part of FAME II. (ii) National Programme on ACC, with an outlay of INR 18,100 crore, is aimed at incentivizing setting up of manufacturing facilities for 50 GWh of ACC and 5 GWh of niche ACC technologies. (iii) PLI scheme for automobile and auto components, with an outlay of INR 25,938 crore, is aimed at incentivising manufacturing of high technology automobiles and automotive components in India. In addition to the above, several initiatives have been introduced like reduction of GST on EVs, introduction of vehicle scrappage policy, de-licensing of public charging stations, etc. Despite the aforesaid the Indian e-bus revolution has not grown to the targeted levels, and is facing its own set of challenges, some of which are as under: (i) Dependency on imports: While chassis and bus bodies of the e-buses are being manufactured locally, the e-bus industry is still largely dependent on imports from select players for a variety of EV components and batteries. (ii) Uncertainty of battery life, and environmental concerns: There are uncertainties with regard to the limited life of the batteries of e-buses (which is estimated to be approx. 5 years), as the same is yet to be tested. Further, various bodies have also raised environmental concerns regarding the disposal of the batteries used in EVs. (iii) Lack of infrastructure: In order for the entire country to switch to e-buses, major infrastructure updation including charging stations are required to be created, for which huge capital investment is required. As against target requirement of 4,00,000 charging stations for 2 million EVs by 2026, there had been only 1,800 charging stations in India until March 20214. Lastly, as both the government and public are becoming more aware about the much needed switch to e-mobility, it is equally important to understand that the presence of e-buses will only be felt when an entire eco-system is developed for such buses, the role of government departments is streamlined so as to ensure an adequate demand-supply equilibrium, fiscal benefits and incentives are continued to be provided, and R&D on more efficient and cost effective technologies is encouraged. It would be interesting to examine whether the upcoming Union Budget will be able to deliver to the expectations of the industry.

Delhi Weather: जानिए इस बार जनवरी महीने में क्यों दिल्ली में हवा पिछले सालों के मुकाबले रही साफ?

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की डायरेक्टर अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, सर्दिय खतम होने वाली हैं. लेकिन 28 जनवरी के बाद से PM2.5 के औसत स्तर में इजाफा हो रहा है. केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) ने अप्रैल 2015 से दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) मापना शुरू किया है, जब से राष्ट्रीय राजधानी दिल्ली में इस बार जनवरी का महीना मौसम के हिसाब से सबसे साफ़ दर्ज किया गया. इस बार दिल्ली में मुख्य रूप से अधिक बारिश, कम कोहरा वाले दिन और इस महीने में आये सात पश्चिमी विक्षोभों को आधार बनाया गया. इस साल जनवरी 2022 में शहर का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 279 रहा है, वहीं पिछले साल जनवरी 2021 महीने का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 324 दर्ज किया गया था. मौसम विभाग के विशषज्ञों ने इस नए साल के जनवरी महीने में, औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक पिछले सालों के मुकाबले साफ़ होने के कारणों को बताते हुए कहा कि, जब एक मजबूत पश्चिमी विक्षोभ किसी क्षेत्र को प्रभावित करता है तो इससे बारिश, तापमान और हवा की गति में वृद्धि का कारण बनता है. इससे हवा की गुणवत्ता में सुधार होता है. उन्होंने आगे बतया कि, इस बार शहर में बारिश पिछले 121 साल में जनवरी 2022 में सबसे अधिक दर्ज की गई. सीपीसीबी के जरिये जारी आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, इस साल जनवरी में दो दिन हवा की गुणवत्ता संतोषजनक श्रेणी में दर्ज किया गया. जबकि इस साल के मुकाबले पिछले साल जनवरी में आदर्श वायु गुणवत्ता का कोई दिन नहीं देखा गया था. वहीं इसी साल जनवरी में मौसम वायु गुणवत्ता "मध्यम श्रेणी" की दर्ज की गई. जनवरी 2022 में, 31 दिनों में से 26 दिनों में हवा की गुणवत्ता "खराब" से "गंभीर" ( AQI 201 से ऊपर) श्रेणी में दर्ज किया गया. इसकी तुलना में, जनवरी 2021, 2019 और 2017 में इस तरह हवा की गुणवत्ता 29 दिन थे, वहीं 2016 और 2018 में 31 दिन, जबकि जनवरी 2020 में इस तरह के 28 दिन दर्ज किये गए थे. टाइम्स ऑफ़ इंडिया में छपी खबर के मुताबिक, सीपीसीबी की एयर लेबोरेटरी के पूर्व प्रमुख दीपंकर साह ने बताया, "इस साल जनवरी में वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक पिछले साल की तुलना में बहुत कम "गंभीर" और "बहुत खराब" श्रेणी में दर्ज की गई है. वहीं इस बार रुक रुक कर होने वाली बारिश, हवा की औसत गति 5 मीटर/ सेकंड रही है, साथ ही कम गंभीर कोहरे वाले दिनों के कारण यह महीना बेहतर रहा है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की डायरेक्टर अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, सर्दिय खतम होने वाली हैं. लेकिन 28 जनवरी के बाद से PM2.5 के औसत स्तर में इजाफा हो रहा है. उन्होंने आगे कहा कि, इस महीने प्रदूषण के बेहतर मासिक औसत स्तर के लिए रिकॉर्ड बारिश और विशेष ठंडक वाले दिनों के कारण रहा है. हवा की गुणवत्ता के पैटर्न पर बदलते जलवायु के प्रभाव के हस्तक्षेपों को समझना होगा." हम आपको बता दें दिल्ली ने साल 2021 में सबसे साफ़ वायु गुणवत्ता अक्टूबर महीने में दर्ज की गई और सबसे खराब श्रेणी नवंबर में दर्ज किया.

To tackle air pollution, devise concrete, measurable time-bound targets

Economic incentives tied to pollution-based targets would allow for both an efficient allocation of NCAP funds for cities where there are active air quality policy implementations and would also additionally incentivise states to reach such targets in a time-bound manner We don’t need any more studies to underline the importance of clean air for a healthy population or to show that there is a positive correlation between polluted air and negative GDP growth. Recent studies in the United States have also linked high Covid-19 mortality rates to areas where population was exposed to higher particulate matter. India which has the dubious distinction of having 21 out of 30 most polluted cities in the world, we are still not serious about solving air crisis. The National Clean Air Program (NCAP), the only centrally funded scheme that deals with air pollution, is badly formulated and grossly underfunded. After much delay, disbursement of funds started in November 2020. 231 cities with poor air quality, including Delhi, were left out and some of the smaller cities such as Shillong received ₹20 lakh, which is not even enough to buy one air quality monitor. The war against pollution will need be led by the central government because air pollution does not recognise administrative boundaries. Take the case of Delhi. A recent study by the Centre for Science and Environment highlighted that Delhi’s internal contribution to pollution is 31% to the existing PM2.5 levels, the rest originated from the National Capital Region and surrounding areas. Every time Delhi takes stringent measures such as shutting polluting industries and power plants, higher tax for diesel vehicles, the city government loses revenue. However, the air does not get any cleaner because the industries move to neighbouring cities/states and continue to pollute Delhi’s airshed. With Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Faridabad featuring among the most polluted cities of India, the inaction by governments of NCR districts and Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) inefficiency in ensuring that states are bound to specific time-bound targets, has nullified Delhi government’s efforts in addressing air quality levels in Delhi and providing its citizens with a better measure of life. Similarly, although industrial pollution within Delhi has gone down from 16% in 2016 to 2.5% in 2019 as a result of measures taken by the Delhi government to either shut down or encourage adoption of cleaner fuels, just a few kilometers from Delhi’s border, industrial clusters in Faridabad, Narela, Sahibabad consisting of most polluting smelters, and tanneries continue to operate with limited regulations resulting in toxic emissions. A regional approach where states only look at air quality within their administrative boundaries is bound to fail, while adopting an airshed approach will go a long way in helping improve air quality levels for the NCR region. We need to take a regional airshed approach, further elaborating the NCR example - a body like CAQM would need to formulate a 10-year plan for the NCR area. This plan should have specific annual targets for each of the cities in the airshed. For example, if Delhi were to reduce its particulate matter by XX micro grams in a year, then Delhi would get additional funds of XX crore. At the same time, if Delhi misses the target, then Delhi would be penalized by XX crore. Unless we have concrete, measurable time-bound targets, we will continue to ruin the lungs of our children. The much-acclaimed China model for pollution mitigation was successful due to region-wise emission-reduction targets evolved for its most polluted regions, where each city was given long and short-term targets to reduce particulate matter concentrations, with best performing cities rewarded with additional budgetary allocations. This is no different than the concept of social bonds as a financial tool that is being used world over to address or mitigate a specific social issue and seek to achieve positive social outcomes. Economic incentives tied to pollution-based targets would allow for both an efficient allocation of NCAP funds for cities where there are active air quality policy implementations and would also additionally incentivise states to reach such targets in a time-bound manner. We should give up our dream of double digit GDP growth or of becoming a superpower if a large percentage of our future generations are growing up in areas with toxic air.

Future of public transport in India – Electric Buses

Given that the ratio of cars per thousand individuals is far less in India than in developed countries like the USA, UK and Australia, the dependence of majority of the population on public transport will continue. The need to reduce the dependence on imported oil, and the growing concerns over climate change have been the key drivers to the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) throughout the world. To keep pace with the global economy, various policy initiatives have been introduced by the Indian government since 2007 to give an impetus to the high-potential EV industry. Further, the government’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 as committed during the recently held COP26 summit, further presses the need to focus on EVs as the ‘future of mobility’. Given that the ratio of cars per thousand individuals is far less in India than in developed countries like the USA, UK and Australia, the dependence of majority of the population on public transport will continue. Hence, in order for India to reduce its carbon emissions, focus has to be on the mass scale electrification of public transport, in which e-buses will play a crucial role. In view of the various policy initiatives and the rising EV revolution, while a great response has already been shown by the existing Indian market players in the 2 & 3 wheelers segments (which require relatively less capex); the existing commercial vehicle players have either entered or are in the process of entering the EV space. As per a report, in the year 2020 around 5,15,600 EVs were sold in India, which included only 600 e-buses(1). Further, according to a report issued by SMEV, around 2,36,802 EVs were sold in India in FY20-21, and as per market sources e-buses accounted for only a small portion of the cumulative EV sales(2). In respect of the market players, until the FY20-21, about 74% of the total e-bus supply orders in India were catered by relatively new market players(3). The e-bus reforms in the country have been largely driven by incentives offered by the government, and few of the key initiatives contributing to the growth of e-bus industry are: (i) FAME II, with an outlay of INR 10,000 crores, is aimed providing upfront subsidies and creating EV charging infrastructure. This scheme proposes to support 7,090 e-buses with an incentive of up to INR 50 lakhs each. Bids to procure 5,580 e-buses have recently been sought by CESL under the ‘Grand Challenge’ as part of FAME II. (ii) National Programme on ACC, with an outlay of INR 18,100 crore, is aimed at incentivizing setting up of manufacturing facilities for 50 GWh of ACC and 5 GWh of niche ACC technologies. (iii) PLI scheme for automobile and auto components, with an outlay of INR 25,938 crore, is aimed at incentivising manufacturing of high technology automobiles and automotive components in India. In addition to the above, several initiatives have been introduced like reduction of GST on EVs, introduction of vehicle scrappage policy, de-licensing of public charging stations, etc. Despite the aforesaid the Indian e-bus revolution has not grown to the targeted levels, and is facing its own set of challenges, some of which are as under: (i) Dependency on imports: While chassis and bus bodies of the e-buses are being manufactured locally, the e-bus industry is still largely dependent on imports from select players for a variety of EV components and batteries. (ii) Uncertainty of battery life, and environmental concerns: There are uncertainties with regard to the limited life of the batteries of e-buses (which is estimated to be approx. 5 years), as the same is yet to be tested. Further, various bodies have also raised environmental concerns regarding the disposal of the batteries used in EVs. (iii) Lack of infrastructure: In order for the entire country to switch to e-buses, major infrastructure updation including charging stations are required to be created, for which huge capital investment is required. As against target requirement of 4,00,000 charging stations for 2 million EVs by 2026, there had been only 1,800 charging stations in India until March 20214. Lastly, as both the government and public are becoming more aware about the much needed switch to e-mobility, it is equally important to understand that the presence of e-buses will only be felt when an entire eco-system is developed for such buses, the role of government departments is streamlined so as to ensure an adequate demand-supply equilibrium, fiscal benefits and incentives are continued to be provided, and R&D on more efficient and cost effective technologies is encouraged. It would be interesting to examine whether the upcoming Union Budget will be able to deliver to the expectations of the industry.

A clarion call

Some parts of Climate Change: Science and Politics are simple and others are complex, much like the issue itself. The truth is stark: we are living on a planet that is heating up. But what we have done with that truth is complicated. And that is what this book seeks to address. It begins with the basics, explaining the earth’s climate system, natural greenhouse effect and the problem of rising emissions. Then it explains at length the impact of climate change on the planet, the history of climate negotiations (from the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro to the Paris Agreement and beyond) and how carbon markets operate. At the heart of the issue is the problem of climate equity. For decades, it has been the industrialised nations which are historically responsible for some 70 per cent of global emissions. Despite their annual emissions slowing down, they have not fundamentally shifted away from a carbon intensive economy. Hence, the developing countries claim that these nations should bear the larger responsibility of repairing the impact of global warming. But they are resisting, “hell-bent on erasing any mention of historical emissions from all texts”. It is in this context that the push towards net zero assumes importance. The UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit in October 2019 saw 65 countries commit to the net zero concept. Many like the US, the UK, Canada and France have set a 2050 net zero deadline. But this is problematic on several levels. Several countries, for one, have not charted a clear roadmap on how they are going to meet the deadline. Others are resorting to carbon trading, but given the lack of rules for this under the Paris Agreement, it may not be the long-term solution. At places, the book is too niche and might be of interest only to the specialists. Despite this, it is highly informative and a lot of effort has gone into the research and execution. The tone of the book is urgent. As Sunita Narain, the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, writes in the preface, “Too much time has been wasted in denial, or plain laxity in getting our act together to move at the speed and scale that is needed. We do not have the luxury of time anymore. My generation has squandered the privilege away.” Perhaps this tone is warranted, given how it underlines the truth that climate change is one issue we cannot remain neutral about. After years of inaction and indifference, we are facing the heat—literally. Climate Change: Science and Politics Published by Centre for Science and Environment Price Rs750; pages 198

CSE finds early signs of rising air pollution in MP, Chhattisgarh

The CSE analysis shows that air pollution during winter is a problem in all the cities in these two states, with Gwalior and Singrauli having the worst air quality It is not only the northern part of India that is in the grip of severe winter pollution but several cities in other regions -- including in the central Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh -- are experiencing a worsening of winter pollution, finds a latest analysis from Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The analysis shows that air pollution during winter is a problem in all the cities in these two states, with Gwalior and Singrauli having the worst air quality -- as bad as the winter air quality of cities in the National Capital Region and Uttar Pradesh. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution is also high in these cities, with Indore recording the highest for the region. Singrauli, a small town in eastern Madhya Pradesh, but designated as a critically polluted area by the Central Pollution Control Board, has the most polluted air in the region with a 2021 average of 81 micrograms per metre cube. It is followed by Gwalior and Katni that have 2021 averages of 56 micrograms per metre cube and 54 micrograms per metre cube, respectively. The 2021 average has bypassed the 2020 average in all the major cities -- Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Ujjain -- and it does not meet the annual standard as well. "Satna has the lowest 2021 average value, but the quality of data from the city's only station is suspect. Bilaspur, Bhilai and Maihar do not have adequate data for computation of annual values," a release from the CSE said on Monday. "Even though real time air quality data is extremely limited in this region, whatever real time data is emerging from only 17 cities of these two big states indicate a growing crisis and vulnerability to winter smog. This demands early and stronger multi-sector action at a regional scale to meet the clean air targets," said executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, Anumita Roychowdhury. "Gaps in air quality data and lack of quality control of data makes it difficult to construct reliable air quality trends and do proper risk assessment," said Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE. "The worsening of air quality in the region has not drawn adequate public attention. In winter, air quality of cities such as Singrauli, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Katni could get nearly three times worse than their annual average levels." The CSE analysis of air quality status in cities of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is an assessment of annual and seasonal trends in PM2.5 concentration for the period January 1, 2019 to December 12, 2021. This analysis is based on real time data available from the current working air quality monitoring stations in central India. The analysis covers 18 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) spread across 17 cities in the two states -- two stations in Gwalior and one station each at Bhopal, Damoh, Dewas, Indore, Jabalpur, Katni, Maihar, Mandideep, Pithampur, Ratlam, Sagar, Satna, Singrauli, Ujjain, Bhilai and Bilaspur. Air quality monitoring is still very limited in the central region. Cities in MP have data available for over two years; but real time monitors in Chhattisgarh became operational only in the latter half of 2021, which limits the possibility of assessing long term trends. Therefore, the data is indicative of the current status of air quality and seasonal variations in particulate pollution in medium and smaller cities in the region, the CSE release said.

Northerly winds trigger chill in city, max temp dips

Kochi: While it is not very noticeable and strong as a heavy rainfall or intense heat, chill conditions have been reigning in different parts of the city in the past one week. Doctors have also noted an increase in the number of people with viral fevers, cough and cold amidst the rising cases of Covid-19, with the Omicron variant behind the surge. The day temperatures have dropped by a degree or two over the past week. "We are receiving cold northerly winds which are blowing along both the coasts. This is because of the cold wave conditions prevailing in north and central India," said S Abhilash, director, ST Radar centre, Cochin University. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that cold wave conditions have intensified in the northwest, central and east India. Maximum temperatures in the city dipped to 30 degrees Celsius this week compared with 31-32 degrees Celsius recorded in the first two weeks of this month. The weather has been very dry too. According to IMD data, the city recorded 21.4 degrees Celsius on January 26, 2021 and January 12, 2020 which was the lowest in the month in both the years. In its monthly forecast on temperatures, the weather department said that below normal maximum temperatures are likely in the peninsular region. Healthcare experts said that it is likely that the weather is also playing a role in the rising cases of Covid-19. “Cold, cough and viral fevers peak during winter more than any other season. The winds could speed up the spread of the infection because we are not seeing it contained in homes alone. It is spreading fast in neighbourhoods too,” said Dr George M Justin, senior pulmonologist in a city hospital. He said that regional viral infections can act as a trigger for people with chronic or borderline asthmatic patients, especially people living in areas with smog or fog. People exposed to vehicular pollution, living by the roadsides and industrial areas are vulnerable to these subtle changes in temperatures. According to a study done by the Centre for Science and Environment, Kochi city has not been able to sustain the air quality gains of 2020. Within the city, Vyttila has the worst air with its December average adding up to 56 microgram per cubic metre (ug/m3). Udyogamandal has the least polluted air with a 33 ug/m3. The latest report by Greenpeace India, analysing the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s data from 10 major cities of southern India reveals that average pollution levels in the cities far exceed the latest WHO guidelines. The report says that the PM 2.5 levels in Kochi exceeded 4-5 times along with Chennai, Mysuru and Pondicherry. The primary contributors to worsening air quality are fossil fuel powered infrastructural development, industries, transport, waste burning and construction activity. Chronic exposure to air pollution increases the likelihood of asthma, low birth weight, depression, schizophrenia, diabetes, stroke, lung cancer and can cause premature deaths.

Air quality bad in Bengaluru, Mysuru, says Greenpeace report

The revelation was made by environment watchdog Greenpeace India, which has cited data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the period November 2020 to November 2021. The three major cities of Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mangaluru in Karnataka are among 10 in South India with air pollution levels exceeding World Health Organisation guidelines despite pandemic-linked lockdowns and restrictions. The revelation was made by environment watchdog Greenpeace India, which has cited data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the period November 2020 to November 2021. This is in sharp contrast to a recent report by the Delhi-based Centre of Science & Environment lauding Bengaluru’s ability to hold on to gains in air quality made during the Covid-19 lockdown. Apart from the three Karnataka cities, air pollution data from Hyderabad, Chennai, Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Puducherry, and Coimbatore were also analysed. “Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Amaravati saw annual particulate matter (PM) 2.5 (particles lesser than 2.5 microns) levels exceed WHO guidelines of 5 micrograms per cubic metre by almost 6 to 7 times, while in Mysuru, Kochi, Chennai and Pondicherry, PM2.5 levels exceeded the guidelines by 4 to 5 times,” the report said. While the annual PM10 (less than 10 microns) levels in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad exceeded the prescribed WHO guidelines of 15 micrograms per cubic metre by 6 to 7 times, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Amaravati, Chennai and Kochi recorded data that exceeded the limit by 3 to 4 times. Fossil fuel-powered infra work a worry Mysore, Coimbatore and Pondicherry recorded PM10 levels that exceeded the WHO guidelines for safe air by 2 to 3 times. Greenpeace said the primary contributors to the worsening of air quality are fossil fuel-powered infrastructure development works, industries, transport, waste burning and construction activity. It pointed out that this analysis is a much needed reminder that air pollution is a public health crisis that is not confined to just North Indian cities, and if not acted upon now, the South Indian cities too are not far from cities like Delhi in terms of health and economic impact due to air pollution. Chronic exposure to air pollution increases the likelihood of asthma, low birth weight, depression, schizophrenia, diabetes, stroke, lung cancer and can cause premature deaths, the report added. “We have to prioritise the immediate shift to clean energy and transport to stop more damage. If we look at Bengaluru’s PM10 data, the annual average in most stations is exceeding not only the WHO guidelines, but National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) levels too,” said Avinash Chanchal, Campaign Manager, Greenpeace India. The report suggests that the governments in the southern states and city administrations promote decentralised renewable energy solutions such as rooftop solar, creating integrated public transport, non-mechanised transport-friendly infrastructure and addressing other contributors like waste burning, construction sector, industrial emissions and biomass burning. “The pollution control boards must realise that no level of air pollution is safe and even the long-term exposure of lower concentrations of air pollution can severely impact human health. Thus, the CPCB must revise the current NAAQS for all pollutants based on WHO’s proposed interim target and gradually achieve the revised standards,” Chanchal added.

A system in shambles

Environmental impact assessment has become a convoluted exercise, designed for futility Ranking is an instrument to reward the best performers — but more importantly, it signals the best way to do things. So, when the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) says that it will rank the state environmental impact assessment authorities based on the speed at which environmental approvals are given, it basically implies that all it cares about is the "clearance" of projects, not the quality of the assessment or the ability to ensure that the environmental impacts of development projects are mitigated. You could argue that time taken is not an indicator of the level of scrutiny — and that MoEFCC's notice is designed only to hold the assessment committees accountable and to ensure that projects are not unnecessarily delayed. But it is not that simple. The fact is this "ranking" is the final nail in the already built coffin of environmental assessments. Over the past decade or so, government after government has systematically decimated the process of decision-making that would allow for assessment or scrutiny. It is a sham and a farce, and in my view this direction by the ministry — set up to purportedly safeguard environmental interests — has only made its contempt for its self-built process apparent. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) started way back in 1994, when development projects were few and the process remained uncontested. The rot took hold from the early 2000s when "building" projects were included in this system of scrutiny.

Strengthen regulation of GM food; ‘Ban GM food’-demand unreasonable

But the regulatory landscape must be founded on scientific rigour The anti-GMO activists’ demand that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) scrap its draft Food Safety and Standards (Genetically Modified or Engineered Foods) Regulations, 2021, and summarily disallow GM food/ingredients, is certainly ill-founded and unscientific. The activists contend that the move to allow food products in the market with a “contains GMO” label, if any of the individual ingredients of a product making up 1% of more of the product is of GM origin, is a tacit approval of imports of GM food. But, the fact is the Indian consumer is already exposed to GM-food products, directly and indirectly. The Centre for Science and Environment reported in 2018 that 32% of the 65 food products available in the market that it tested had GMO content; nearly 80% of these products were imported. Besides, GM-crop based animal feed and imported animal and plant produce that likely have GM origins/exposure are currently marketed in India, though very likely adhering to provisions of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Against this backdrop, labelling GM origin food benefits the consumer, helping her decide between a GM product and a non-GM alternative. That said, the food standards & safety regulator—and the government—must take a nuanced view of the objections. India has the laboratory capacity to detect as low as 0.01% GM content. So, the 1% threshold is indeed too high; the standards must not just enable food safety but also choice for the discerning consumer—quite in the spirit of the strict organic certification standards, or even the Delhi High Court’s recent directive that food businesses must make explicit the vegetarian/animal origin of each ingredient in a dish/food product. Indeed, the FSSAI should mandate the explicit mention of GM content, with the packaging indicating the exact degree to which the product contains each individual GM ingredient. The provision in the draft regulation that holds that FSSAI approval of a specific GM-origin food/ingredient holding unique identification from the Biosafety Clearing House (established under the Cartagena Protocol), OECD, etc, will be universal needs relooking. First, the FSSAI needs to clearly list the jurisdictions/authorities whose approval will be acceptable for the purposes of this provision; ‘etc’ must not allow approvals by authorities that may not have an acceptable rigour of testing—indeed, even between developed jurisdictions, there is hardly any uniformity of such rigour. Second, in the context of consumables such as gut biome enhancers, microbes-based food supplements, which may contain multiple Living Modified Organisms, there is a need to conduct local studies to determine that the interplay of such organisms is safe. Regulation 4(12) in the FSSAI draft holds that GM-based ingredients can’t be used for any infant food. It is true that running safety tests on infants is a near-impossibility. But, if the FSSAI has reservations about GM-content in infant consumables, should this not hold for at least the years of early development? Genetic modification playing a larger role in food technology is unavoidable in the long run, and in many cases, could even be desirable. For a country like India that aims to boost nutrition levels among its vulnerable population, a product like golden rice—rice fortified with Vitamin A—is manna; India has high levels of Vitamin-A-deficiency-related vision loss. Without a scientific attitude towards GM-foods, we won’t be able to benefit from the development of genetically-engineered golden rice. At the same time, the regulatory landscape should inspire faith among the masses through scientific rigour. For that, FSSAI must relook its draft regulations and plug gaps.