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Delhi’s pollution fight: Plenty of orders but little gains in 2021

Delhi will remember 2021 as a year of announcements and orders but little gains from the environment point of view, with air pollution rising to 2019 levels and the Yamuna, often referred to as the national capital’s lifeline, struggling to survive the ecological assault of sewage and industrial effluents. Stubble burning, rampant firecracker bursting on Diwali and unfavourable meteorological conditions in the early phase of winters turned the city into a gas chamber again. The thick pungent haze over Delhi-NCR smudged landmarks from view and partially blotted out the sun for several days after Diwali, with green think-tank Centre of Science and Environment calling it one of the longest smog episodes in the city. Even the 24-meter-tall smog tower in Connaught Place, an ambitious pilot project of the Delhi government, could not give breathable air. Officials said smog towers can “reduce pollution only to a certain extent and one cannot expect the large air purifiers to provide clean air on hazardous air quality days”. Environmentalists and scientists have been saying there is no proven record or data globally that establishes that smog towers are effective. Despite the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issuing a slew of directions, including use of a microbial solution, to states to manage paddy residue, the count of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana exceeded the number recorded in 2017, 2018 and 2019. On November 7, the share of farm fires in Delhi’s pollution rose to 48 percent, the highest in three years. Delhi saw the Supreme Court and the CAQM going all out to pull it out of an air crisis which forced closure of schools and construction and demolition activities for almost a month and a temporary shutdown of six coal-based power plants within a 300-km radius of Delhi and industries in NCR that failed to move to piped natural gas. The air quality panel imposed curbs on entry of trucks, barring those engaged in essential services and run on CNG, to cut down vehicular pollution.The CAQM issued a total of 47 directions and seven advisories during the year to curb air pollution. While the city government ran several campaigns to reduce air pollution, including ‘Red Light On Gaadi Off’, anti-dust and anti-burning drives, there is no data to establish these efforts yielded results. VDO.AI An extended Monsoon and record-breaking rainfall gave Delhi its best air quality in October in four years, but the air pollution in November was the worst in the month since 2015. December recorded the longest streak of six ‘severe’ air quality days since 2015. A government official said Delhi will be better prepared to deal with the situation next year and major focus will be on vehicular emissions — vehicles contribute to about 40 percent of PM 2.5 emissions here. “Industries in Delhi have completely switched to PNG. Action on road dust and dust pollution due to construction and demolition work, and garbage burning is ongoing. The major focus next year will be on vehicles,” he said. The Delhi government is likely to ask e-commerce companies, food delivery services and cab aggregators, which account for 30 percent of the wheels on the roads, to completely switch to electric vehicles. Petrol pumps will be directed to not give fuel to vehicles without a pollution-under-check certificate. Directions under the Environment (Protection) Act in this regard are expected to be issued soon. In compliance with the National Green Tribunal’s directions, the Delhi government will deregister diesel vehicles which will complete 10 years on January 1, 2022, and issue NOC so that they can be re-registered in other places. However, no NOC will be issued for diesel vehicles which have completed 15 years or more. The city government is likely to give some funds received from the Centre under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to municipal corporations for the first time for management of road dust and potholes and prevent open waste burning. This is the first time Delhi has got funds under NCAP, a national-level strategy for 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024. Delhi has been allocated Rs 18.74 crore under NCAP. The first instalment of Rs 11 crore was released earlier this month, according Union environment ministry officials. In 2022, Delhi will publish its first ‘State of Environment Report’ which will have data on all key areas, including sewage, water quality, waste collection and segregation. “The multiplicity of departments in Delhi impedes problem resolution. Had it been Nagpur or Mumbai or Chennai, it would have been easier. So, the objective is to fix accountability on departments concerned,” an official said. Delhi squandered the gains made in the Yamuna water quality due to the lockdown in 2020. The high pollution load and resultant frothing in the river in November, around Chhath, attracted global condemnation. The Delhi government deployed 15 boats to remove toxic froth at Kalindi Kunj banks, where people gathered for Chhath despite restrictions. Bamboo structures were installed and water sprayed from tankers to dissipate the foam. As the administration faced flak for these ‘cover-up’ measures, officials admitted that the problem of frothing — a sign hazardous water quality — will continue unless sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants in Delhi are upgraded to meet the new standards and all unauthorized colonies are connected to the sewer network. On an average, 24 out of the 35 STPs in Delhi did not meet prescribed standards for wastewater over the last one year, government data stated. Delhi generates around 720 million gallons of wastewater a day. The 35 STPs at 20 locations can treat up to 597 MGD and have been utilising around 90 percent of their capacity. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a 6-point action plan to clean Yamuna and constituted a cell to improve co-ordination among agencies involved in cleaning the river. He said he will deliver on the promise he made before the 2019 assembly elections to clean the river’s Delhi stretch. PTI GVS ANB ANB

Metro Minds Gap Inside, Queues Get Longer Outside

New Delhi: The serpentine queues and waiting periods to enter a Metro station that sometimes stretch longer than the journey itself were back in Delhi on Wednesday, along with massive crowding at bus stops during the rush hour as Level 1 of the Covid Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was imposed. Even though Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) started following the directions of Delhi Disaster Management Authority’s order on imposing the Yellow level of GRAP on Tuesday itself, its real impact on the Metro’s carrying capacity was visible only on Wednesday morning. As part of the curbs, Delhi Metro and public transport buses have been allowed to operate with 50% of their seating capacity and no standing passenger. Para-transit like autos, cabs, e-rickshaws and gramin sewas can transport only two passengers at a time. To regulate the number of passengers inside stations and trains to ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour, DMRC has kept only 444 out of the total 712 gates in the network open. It has also requested passengers to travel only if essential and keep some additional time for travel. DMRC has deployed 15 flying squads to ensure that the safety protocol is maintained. There were massive queues to enter stations like Laxmi Nagar, Akshardham and Mansarovar Garden in east Delhi and Saket and Chhatarpur in south Delhi. DMRC had to close entry at some stations intermittently to regulate the number of passengers inside. “What is the point of maintaining a distance of six feet inside stations if we have to wait for so long to enter one, and mostly without maintaining much distance at the queues outside. These restrictions may be for our safety, but are only resulting in chaos and harassment of passengers,” said Kamal Sharma, a Mayur Vihar resident. There was more chaos at busy bus stops during the rush hour. Commuters had to wait long for buses that seemed elusive and clamour to get on when one arrived. “Not everyone has the luxury of working from home and since private offices have been allowed to open, people like me have no option but to go to work. I can’t afford the Metro and buses are allowing very few passengers,” said Rajesh Pal, a resident of Kapashera. Amit Bhatt, executive director (integrated transport) at WRI India, said something should be done to reduce the demand on public transport now and encourage more people to work remotely, excluding those whose job demands that they be out in the field. “In the global experience, there has not been any empirical study that says that public transport has helped in spreading Covid,” he said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, also said unnecessary trips must be discouraged, but temporary measures must be taken to augment services. She also said there were constraints of not enough services and it couldn’t be fixed overnight, but short-term measures had to be taken first. “Immediate measures should be how many more buses the government can induct from different sources, the way they did it during the pollution emergency. They can also intensify services by increasing trips,” she added.

25% of PM 2.5 load in Kolkata from outside, says study

Titled ‘Sources of poor air quality and long-term variability over Kolkata’, it has been published in an Elsevier publication Close to one-fourth of the load of the most toxic pollutant in the city’s air, PM 2.5, comes from beyond Bengal’s border, according to a recent study by scientists at Bose Institute. The results of the study, titled “Sources of poor air quality and long-term variability over Kolkata”, carried out from 2004 to 2018, has been published in an Elsevier publication called Asian Atmospheric Pollution. The Telegraph on Wednesday reported about an IIT Delhi study that has found that more than half of the overall PM 2.5 load in Bengal’s air comes from outside its border. Bose Institute’s findings point out that during the duration of their study, the overall load of PM 2.5 in the city increased by about 50 per cent. PM 2.5 particulates — 0.5 to 1 micron in diameter — constitute about 80 per cent of the total load. While PM 2.5 can enter into the lungs, finer particles can enter even deeper and cause more serious damage. “According to our findings, about 20 to 25 per cent of the overall PM 2.5 load in Kolkata comes from beyond its border. About half of that is from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, while major part of the rest comes from Bangladesh, Nepal and states like Assam and Meghalaya,” Abhijit Chatterjee, an associate professor of Bose Institute, said on Wednesday. He pointed out that in early March, a sizable proportion of PM 2.5 comes from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. “The pollutant traverses to the city from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh through the Bay of Bengal and the Sunderbans, almost following the route of cyclones,” he said. The study shows that extremely toxic and carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) dominates the PM 2.5 coming from the Eastern Ghats. The study has also found that over the years, waste burning and construction have become major contributors to PM 2.5 in the city, replacing pollution generated by vehicles. “Earlier, from 2004 to 2009, pollution caused by vehicles used to contribute about 45 to 55 per cent of total PM 2.5 content in the city. Now, waste burning has turned into a major source of PM 2.5, accounting for 40 to 45 per cent of the load, followed by construction, which is responsible for 20 to 25 per cent of the pollutants. Vehicles come third with 15 to 20 per cent contribution. The gross pollution from vehicles has not reduced,” said Chatterjee. “The IIT Delhi and Bose Institute studies both underline the importance of looking at transboundary and regional pollution for cities like Calcutta, rather than our conventional model of looking at the city in a standalone way,” pointed out Anumita Roy Choudhury, air pollution expert from the environment think-tank, Centre for Science and Environment.

Miles to go for a Metro as Covid curbs limit train capacity in Delhi

Commuters at several stations said they had to wait up to an hour that resulted in a prolonged travel time. They added that since both government and private offices are still open, and there were no curbs on movement of people during the day, adequate public transport arrangements should have been made. Commuters waited in serpentine queues before Metro stations across Delhi, Ghaziabad and Gurugram on Wednesday as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation regulated entry of passengers to prevent crowding as well enforce the DDMA rule to allow only 50% seating capacity that was issued under the Yellow Alert on Tuesday, after a fresh spike in Covid cases and the positivity rate staying above 0.5% for two consecutive days. Commuters at several stations said they had to wait up to an hour that resulted in a prolonged travel time. They added that since both government and private offices are still open, and there were no curbs on movement of people during the day, adequate public transport arrangements should have been made. Travellers also said that since DMRC allowed passenger entry from few gates, it led to long queues outside the station, and flouting of social distancing norms. Public bus users too complained that they had to wait for nearly an hour at bus shelters due to limited carriage capacity. The DDMA order says that both Metro and public buses will be allowed to carry passengers up to 50% seating capacity, and that no standing travellers will be allowed. At Laxmi Nagar Metro station in east Delhi, there was a long queue outside the station in the morning. A similar situation was reported from Akshardham, Mohan Garden, Rohini West, Kirti Nagar Metro stations in Delhi, and Shaheed Sthal (new Bus Adda) and Arthala stations in Ghaziabad. In Gurugram, there was rush outside Iffco Chowk and Huda City Centre stations, but only in the evening. In the evening, hundreds of people were seen waiting outside several gates to the Rajiv Chowk Metro station.Office goers were also seen waiting outside Mandi House and Barakhamba Metro stations. Many Metro commuters tweeted to share the inconvenience they had to face to enter the station as well as prolonged travelling time. Pronjoy Kumar Ghose, a banking professional, tweeted, “Shame on Delhi metro @ArvindKejriwal we bank employees need to attend office any how and you are letting us stand in kilometre long que ! Please arrange priority entrance for essential service provider (sic).” To manage the crowd at the stations, the Metro on Tuesday decided to open just one or two gates at all stations. Of the total 712 gates at its stations, only 444 were kept open on Wednesday, said a DMRC official. In some cases, however, all gates at a few stations for shut to regulate the crowd. But, they were opened soon. Pradeep Singh, who works with a private firm, waited for nearly 20 minutes outside the Laxmi Nagar station on Wednesday morning before taking an auto to reach his office in Karol Bagh. “I usually take the Metro, as it takes just half an hour of commuting time. Today, I had to take an auto since there was a long queue before the station, and couldn’t waited so long to board the train. Instead of reducing the capacity by 50%, they should just ask Metro to ensure social distancing in trains,” he said. Transport experts also pointed out that the Metro systems are designed to provide more standing capacity than seating in order to carry a large number of commuters. According to DMRC officials, on an average around 1,800 passengers can travel in a six-coach train in one trip. But as standing passengers are not allowed and seating has been reduced to 50%, only 300-odd passengers can travel on one trip. With almost 400km-long network in Delhi-NCR, the Metro is considered the transport lifeline of the capital. But post-Covid pandemic, there have been several challenges for both for the commuters and the operators in order to ensure Covid protocols are followed. Metro services were closed for over five months since March last year when the nationwide lockdown was announced due to the pandemic. Even after the services resumed in September last year, Metro operated on 50% seating capacity. In July this year, the Delhi government allowed 100% seating, and standing passengers (30 per coach) were allowed last month. Raja Chowdhury, who works with a private firm, said, “It was the fastest and most convenient mode of travel in Delhi. But today, it was a pain, as I had to wait for almost 40 minutes outside Rajiv Chowk in the evening. Now I’ll take a cab or auto till this restriction continues.” Metro deployed multiple teams to check violations of Covid norms in trains and at stations. Anuj Dayal, executive director, corporate communications, DMRC said, “As part of the intensified measures for containing Covid-19 spread, 15 flying squads have been deployed across the Delhi Metro network to ensure that the Covid safety protocol is strictly adhered to by the passengers inside trains and premises. The frequency of checking drives is also being increased to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines and offenders are also being penalised on the spot.” Some Metro users requested the DMRC on social media to increase the number of security check counters at the stations. Ankit Sharma, a Metro user, tweeted, “It is fine that some gates have been closed due to the new restrictions due to the rise in the number of Covid cases. But please increase the number of security check counters so that there is no crowding at the platform.” Public buses For lakhs of Delhiites, especially in rural areas or those not having direct Metro connectivity, the cluster and Delhi Transport Corporation buses are crucial for daily commute. But with the carrying capacity of buses restricted, those dependent on public bus service faced difficulty in travelling to their workplaces on Wednesday. There are currently over 6,700 DTC and cluster buses in the capital. At its full capacity, including standing passengers, these buses carry about 4.2 million people every day. A senior transport department official said, “Due to the restriction, the capacity capacity has reduced drastically as only 50% seating is allowed.” When asked if the DTC was planning to rope in private buses to enhance the bus fleet till restrictions are in place, the official said, “Private buses are roped in during peak pollution time, especially during odd-even. But this restriction is related to Covid. There is no plan as of now to rope in private buses.” Due to the restriction, the capacity of para transit such as autorickshaws, taxis, e-rickshaws etc has also been restricted to two passengers per vehicle. Experts speak Transport experts say that there is a need to make short and long-term plans to address the challenges in order to stop public transport users from switching to personal vehicles. To immediately address the problems being faced by the commuters, the experts suggested that the government should add buses to the public fleet, and coaches to Metro trains to enhance carriage capacity. Sewa Ram, professor of transport planning at the School of Planning and Architecture, said, “There is an urgent need to augment the capacity of the public transport infrastructure. The Metro should add more coaches and the number of public transport buses should be increased so that commuters don’t face much problem. This will also prevent people from switching to personal vehicles for daily commute.” He said that private bus operators can be roped in, like it was done during the odd-even scheme, to provide better services. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said that augmenting the bus fleet will provide immediate relief to commuters, but measures should also be planned for short distance travel. She also suggested that staggered working hours should be implemented. “A lot of people use public transport or personal vehicles for short distance travel within 3-4 km. There is a need to develop efficient and safe walking and cycling infrastructure so that people can walk or cycle. Staggered working hours will also help in bringing down the pressure on the public transport system during peak hours,” she said.

Delhi govt plans to phase out single-use plastic in 2022

Senior environment department officials involved in framing the policy said the document will be shared with all government departments “within the next fortnight” for suggestions and comments before being tabled in the cabinet meeting. New Delhi: The Delhi government plans to phase out single-use plastic such as bags, cutlery , films, banners, wrappers in three phases next year, beginning with thermocol and plastic sticks used with balloons, flags and candy, according to its draft alternatives to single-use plastic policy. According to the policy, the first phase was to be implemented in January 1. However, that seems unlikely since the policy is yet to be approved by the Cabinet. The second phase, planned from July, 2022, is aimed at phasing out plastic cutlery (cups, plates, knives, forks and glasses), plastic wrapping and packing films, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic stirrers and banners that are less than 100 microns in thickness, the plan shows. In phase three, according to the policy, non-woven bags below 240 microns in thickness will be banned from September 30, 2022 onwards. Senior environment department officials involved in framing the policy said the document will be shared with all government departments “within the next fortnight” for suggestions and comments before being tabled in the cabinet meeting. “Suggestions and feedback will be collected from each department, and after updating the plan, we will table it before the cabinet. The financial outlay for the plan to phase out plastic items will be calculated once the policy is finalised,” said an environment official who asked not to be named. He added that the policy focuses on creating awareness on the harmful impact of single-use plastic on the environment, and not penalise offenders straight away. The official said the draft policy is also open for public feedback and suggestions, both for alternatives available and the mechanism through which these single-use plastic items could be recycled or utilised. Residents can e-mail their suggestions to the environment department on senv@nic.in, the department says. However, the policy draft has not been shared in the public domain. The policy has suggested paper bags, cloth bags, jute bags and reusable cotton bags to replace plastic bags, bamboo sticks in place of plastic stirrers, recycled cardboard and paper boxes for cigarette packs, cellulose nanofibre as wrapping sheets and cutlery made of bagasse, cardboard, paper or bamboo. The draft plan also suggests promoting local initiatives while looking at measures such as plogging (jogging and picking up litter). According to experts, most single-use plastic items cannot be recycled, and they find their way to landfill sites, or end up clogging up drains. They pollute the air if incinerated and can break down into millions of tiny pieces over time known as microplastics which contaminate soil and water. “A group of individuals stopped the use of plastic bags in certain weekly vegetable markets in Delhi NCR. The group worked with more than 800 vendors and created a model of India’s first plastic-free weekly vegetable market. Another instance is of a private university in Odisha where Saal leaves are used in official meetings/ workshops/seminars to reduce single use plastic footprint. Such initiatives have to be bolstered and promoted to encourage citizens to adopt alternatives to SUP. Plogging is a similar example wherein citizens pick up litter while jogging. It was kick-started as a citizen-led initiative and is adopted by various local groups in India,” says the plan. The Centre notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on August 12 this year, which made it mandatory for the thickness of plastic bags of 50 microns to be increased to 75 microns from September 30, 2021 onwards, and later to 120 microns from December 31, 2022. In addition, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of 20 single-use plastic items will all be banned from July 1, 2022, according to the rules. Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, deputy programme manager, solid waste management unit at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says prior to the notification of the plastic waste management rules, some sort of a partial or complete ban on plastic existed in 32 out of the 35 states and union territories, but enforcement remained a major challenge. “We have had policies earlier too, but we need to ensure strict enforcement of the ban. Urban local bodies and people on the ground such as street vendors need to be made key stakeholders in the process and alternatives need to not only be identified, but also provided to these stakeholders as a viable option,” Singh said. According to a review meeting by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on December 1, 2021, 3,766 show-cause notices have been issued to plastic recyclers, manufacturers and producers in Delhi for not adhering to the plastic waste management rules, 2021. Manoj Pundir, who manufactures thermocol under the brand name of Nirvayan Polymers Pvt Ltd in Shahzada Bagh, says thermocol that is used in decorations has been banned, but it is still allowed in packaging. “Most manufacturers are not likely to be affected at the moment as the thermocol being manufactured for decoration purposes only forms a 10-20% chunk of the industry. Most manufacturers are making it for packaging goods,” he says.

Mixed Bag Of Environmental Sustainability Rankings For India In 2021

India scores high on climate change and renewable energy, but sinks on climate risk and air quality rankings India’s summary report card of environmental sustainability related indices records high positives tempered with extreme negatives, as recorded by global reports brought out by legacy organisations through 2021. The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2022 ranked India at 10th spot this year, too, on the back of high performance in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy use and climate policy. The top three spots on the index remain unoccupied for want of worthy performers in the analysis of climate change mitigation efforts in 60 countries and the European Union as a whole, which spew 90% of global emissions, according to Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network. India was ranked this year also at the third spot by the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI). Inclusive policy, investment and technology reforms anchored on self-reliant supply chains have given an impetus to the renewable energy sector in India in an era when the environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are influencing the agenda for companies and investors. The US and mainland China, too, stayed on at the top two spots on the 58th edition of the index of top 40 countries brought out by consultancy firm Ernst & Young (E&Y). Such bright spots were sought to be dimmed by findings of other reports. The Global Climate Risk Index 2021 based on the impact of extreme climate events like storms, floods and heat waves on a country and its economy ranked India as the 7th worst affected country, which was an improvement over its 5th position last year. Heavy rains caused loss of 1,800 lives, affected 11.8 million people and inflicted an estimated economic loss of $10 billion, as per the report by Germanwatch. The World Air Quality Report 2020 released earlier this year ranked India as the 3rd most polluted country in the world after Bangladesh and Pakistan. Almost half of the world’s 100 most polluted cities are in India. Despite sustained improvement over the last few years due to the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), air pollution in India is still at a dangerous level. While transportation, electricity generation, industry, construction, waste burning and agricultural burning are the main causes of outdoor burning, biomass cookstoves cause most of the indoor pollution in India, according to the report brought out by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology major. Such mixed performance is also to some extent reflected in a single report, Sustainable Development Report 2021. Though the report ranks India at a lowly 117, down from 120 in the previous year, out of 165 countries, yet it underlines that the country is set to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on Clean Water & Sanitation (SDG 6) and Climate Action (SDG 13). Produced by Jeffrey Sachs and his team at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), which works under the United Nations, the report ranks countries on the basis of their performance on the achievement of SDGs. One indicative message obvious from all these reports is that there is a long way to go for India to make sporadic achievements in select categories sustainable over a long period of time. Taking note of the misses and working at the ground level to improve the performance is a given. The ultimate key is to improve overall development indicators across environmental, social and governance criteria. Spats with agencies sponsoring reports carrying negative findings about India help only the former in getting more traction in establishing their credentials as influencers. In the past, the India government would usually feel wronged by negative human rights reports by western agencies, this time even the rankings in some reports like the Freedom in the World 2021 and the Global Hunger Report 2021 were called out. It is not unlikely that in the future India may feel offended by other negative indices in the environment sphere, too. Countering sponsoring organisations needs to be supported with authentic data, if any, to make the Indian arguments credible. India also needs to engage and put her point of view across with such organisations as it has done in the past with Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a French NGO, which brings out the World Press Freedom Index. The engagement may not have succeeded to India’s satisfaction, as is evident from India’s low ranking in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, but it only overemphasises that there is a need to have continued engagement with such organisations for information and knowledge exchange in addition to addressing the issues flagged in such reports. Lastly, there is also a need to consider development and promotion of rankings that keep on highlighting overindulgent consumption patterns of consumers in developed countries, which have been hitherto swept under the carpet. For example, the per capita emissions of the poorest 10% in the US are 60% more than that of an average Indian; 12 times more than that of the 10% richest Indians, and so on, according to the Centre for Science and Environment. Such inputs are needed for repeatedly informing the global sustainability discourse. Not only for the sake of the poor, but also for the planet.

Delhi air cleaner this year than pre-lockdown 2019

NEW DELHI: This year has fared better than 2019 as far as the capital’s air quality is concerned. AQI was between 201 and 500 (poor category or worse) on 164 days in 2021, compared to 183 days in 2019. Till December 27, there were 197 days when AQI was in good, satisfactory and moderate categories, i.e., between 0 and 200. The year 2020 had seen 139 days with AQI in the 201-500 range, but it was cleaner mainly on account of the lockdown. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows the number of days with AQI between 201 and 500 have reduced over the years and those with AQI of 0-200 have gone up. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “It is already evident from CPCB data that the long-term PM2.5 curve has bent in Delhi. Also, the days in ‘satisfactory’ and ‘poor’ categories are increasing annually. Despite this improvement, the annual average concentration of PM2.5 still requires substantial reduction — close to 60% — to meet the clean air standards. Only round-the-year sustained action on sources can reduce the overall base pollution in Delhi-NCR and prevent ‘severe’ episodes during winter.” VK Soni, head, environment and research centre, India Meteorological Department, said, a season-wise analysis should be done of the past five years to draw a pattern. “The air quality deteriorated in November and December as fewer number of rain days were observed.” Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, said, “Our air quality is mostly dependent on meteorological factors like wind speed and humidity. They are the driving force behind dilution and disposal of pollutants. This year, extended rain has reduced the number of bad days.” He added, “Disturbances in the south-east and west made the air quality poor in December this year. It is necessary to cut down emissions from all sectors to improve air quality.” According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the air quality of the capital is likely to remain in the ‘poor’ category for the remaining days of the month.

पूर्वोत्तर में सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों में शामिल अगरतला और गुवाहाटी

नई दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ने चौंका देने वाला खुलासा किया है। इन्होंने कहा कि गुवाहाटी और अगरतला (Agartala) पूर्वोत्तर में सबसे अधिक आबादी वाले शहर हैं। नई दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ने चौंका देने वाला खुलासा किया है। इन्होंने कहा कि गुवाहाटी और अगरतला (Agartala) पूर्वोत्तर में सबसे अधिक आबादी वाले शहर हैं। CSE के अनुसार, गुवाहाटी (Guwahati) का 2020 का वार्षिक औसत भी 2019 के औसत से अधिक था जो शहर में हवा के लगातार खराब होने का संकेत देता है। दूसरी ओर, अगरतला 2020 के औसत 45 माइक्रो ग्राम प्रति घन मीटर (ug/m3) के साथ इस क्षेत्र का दूसरा सबसे प्रदूषित शहर (polluted city) है, जबकि कोहिमा 2020 के औसत 35 ug/m3 के साथ तीसरा सबसे प्रदूषित शहर है। कार्यकारी निदेशक, अनुसंधान और वकालत, अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि "भारत-गंगा के मैदान और समग्र उत्तर भारत में उच्च प्रदूषण सांद्रता के साथ वर्तमान जुनून वायु प्रदूषण और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य पर राष्ट्रीय प्रवचन में हमारे पूर्वोत्तर राज्यों में संकट के शुरुआती संकेतों की देखरेख करता है और उन्हें दरकिनार करता है।" CSE ने असम, मेघालय, त्रिपुरा, नागालैंड, मिजोरम और अरुणाचल प्रदेश राज्यों में शहरी वायु गुणवत्ता की स्थिति का विश्लेषण किया है। यह CSE की अर्बन डेटा एनालिटिक्स लैब की वायु गुणवत्ता ट्रैकर पहल का हिस्सा है, जिसे पिछली सर्दियों में शुरू किया गया था। इस नए विश्लेषण का उद्देश्य क्षेत्र के प्रमुख शहरों में सर्दियों के प्रदूषण (winter pollution) की भयावहता और प्रवृत्ति को समझना है, जिसने हाल ही में वास्तविक समय में वायु गुणवत्ता की निगरानी शुरू की है।

अगरतला और गुवाहाटी पूर्वोत्तर में सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों में हुए शामिल

नई दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ने चौंका देने वाला खुलासा किया है। इन्होंने कहा कि गुवाहाटी और अगरतला (Agartala) पूर्वोत्तर में सबसे अधिक आबादी वाले शहर हैं। CSE के अनुसार, गुवाहाटी (Guwahati) का 2020 का वार्षिक औसत भी 2019 के औसत से अधिक था जो शहर में हवा के लगातार खराब होने का संकेत देता है। दूसरी ओर, अगरतला 2020 के औसत 45 माइक्रो ग्राम प्रति घन मीटर (ug/m3) के साथ इस क्षेत्र का दूसरा सबसे प्रदूषित शहर (polluted city) है, जबकि कोहिमा 2020 के औसत 35 ug/m3 के साथ तीसरा सबसे प्रदूषित शहर है। Also Read - ओमिक्रॉन पर चौंकाने वाली रिसर्च : ओमिक्रॉन है ' होस्ट जंपिंग' का मामला कार्यकारी निदेशक, अनुसंधान और वकालत, अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि "भारत-गंगा के मैदान और समग्र उत्तर भारत में उच्च प्रदूषण सांद्रता के साथ वर्तमान जुनून वायु प्रदूषण और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य पर राष्ट्रीय प्रवचन में हमारे पूर्वोत्तर राज्यों में संकट के शुरुआती संकेतों की देखरेख करता है और उन्हें दरकिनार करता है।" CSE ने असम, मेघालय, त्रिपुरा, नागालैंड, मिजोरम और अरुणाचल प्रदेश राज्यों में शहरी वायु गुणवत्ता की स्थिति का विश्लेषण किया है। यह CSE की अर्बन डेटा एनालिटिक्स लैब की वायु गुणवत्ता ट्रैकर पहल का हिस्सा है, जिसे पिछली सर्दियों में शुरू किया गया था। इस नए विश्लेषण का उद्देश्य क्षेत्र के प्रमुख शहरों में सर्दियों के प्रदूषण (winter pollution) की भयावहता और प्रवृत्ति को समझना है, जिसने हाल ही में वास्तविक समय में वायु गुणवत्ता की निगरानी शुरू की है। https://jantaserishta.com/national/agartala-and-guwahati-among-the-most-polluted-cities-in-the-northeast-1107827

India put climate change at the centre of its environmental policies in 2021

Placing climate change at the centre of its environmental policies, India took bold pledges in 2021 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting at the crucial international climate summit COP 26 that it is the only country delivering in “letter and spirit” the commitments under the Paris Agreement. From pledging to become net zero emitter of carbon by 2070 to achieving 500 gigawatts non-fossil energy capacity by 2030, India led from the front on environmental issues this year, grabbing eyeballs across the world. At the UN climate meet, India once again highlighted that developed nations have not only failed to meet the USD 100 billion goal annually of support to developing nations since 2009 but also continue to present it as the ceiling of their ambition all the way to 2025. Addressing the world leaders at United Nations COP 26 at Glasgow, Modi listed out five commitments of India to combat climate change with a bold announcement that it will achieve the target of net zero emissions by the year 2070, achieving 500 giga watt non-fossil energy capacity by 2030, fulfilling 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030. India also launched ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ (OSOWOG) at the conference with an aim to harness solar energy wherever the sun is shining, ensuring that generated electricity flows to areas that need it most. VDO.AI Towards the end of the summit, the country drew sharp criticism from several nations for allegedly watering down the global commitment to cut down use of coal in the climate pact adopted at COP26 by using the term “phase down” instead of “phase out” of coal in the Glasgow pact. However, India countered the criticism and denied making the amendment saying it had only read out the text at COP26 and had not authored the text. India also pressed the issue of emission reduction to combat climate change at the 16th G20 Summit held in Naples, where it urged the G20 countries to bring down per capita emissions to global average by 2030 in view of the “fast-depleting available carbon space”. Speaking to PTI, Bhupender Yadav, who took charge as the Union Environment Minister in July and led the Indian delegation at the climate summit in Glasgow, said that India successfully represented the developing nations and put forward a strong front. Listing and lauding the initiatives taken by his ministry, Yadav said it was more successful in curbing stubble burning this year compared to 2020. “Since the time I became the minister, our 14 tiger reserves have got CA|TS accreditation, 47 sites have been declared as Ramsar protected sites, 10 beaches have got Blue Flag certification… We have established a new commission for Delhi’s pollution for which we brought a new legislation, we have amended the biodiversity and wildlife laws, regional conferences under NCAP have begun in Mumbai and Guwahati. We will do it across India. “Process of public opinion and consultation on amending Forest Conservation Act has been completed. We have been more successful in curbing stubble burning this year compared to the previous year,” he said. The year also saw several initiatives being taken by the government to tackle the menace of toxic air in the capital and adjoining areas. India entered into Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue (CAFMD) with the US under India-US Climate Clean Energy Agenda 2030 aimed to provide both the countries an opportunity to renew collaborations on climate change while addressing the financing aspects. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) was established after a bill was passed by the Parliament which initially also provided for penalizing farmers for causing pollution by burning stubble. However, this provision was later withdrawn. Bio-decomposer solution was introduced in the city and neighbouring states to decompose the stubble left after the harvest. India also launched a campaign ‘Plastic Hackathon 2021’ to ensure that the country becomes free of single-use plastic by 2022. The beginning of the year saw environment activists expressing disappointment with the Supreme Court’s nod to the government’s ambitious Central Vista Project saying the project is harmful for the environment and is an encroachment of public places. Several reports also made headlines in 2021, bringing India’s pollution and climate situation under scanner. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report ‘Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis’ warned that the Indian Ocean is warming at a higher rate than other oceans and that India will witness increased heat waves, heavy rainfall and flooding, which will be the irreversible effects of climate change. The World Air Quality Report, prepared by a Swiss agency, found that 22 of the top 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India with Delhi ranked as 10th most polluted city and the top polluted capital city in the world. Eyebrows were raised when a report by Greenpeace India revealed that Delhi saw a spike of 125 per cent in air pollution due to nitrogen dioxide in April compared to the same month last year. Another report claimed that 39 lakh people in India were displaced in 2020 due to climate disasters and conflicts, making it the fourth worst-hit country in the world to have such a high number of internal displacements. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment raised concern that Ozone is becoming more widespread in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) across all seasons. Soon after the report, the government gave its nod for ratification of the Kigali Amendment for phase down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by India under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. PTI AG ZMN

Smoke-spewing factories, brick kilns choke Jhajjar

Jhajjar: Home to 415 brick kilns, 650 industries, 16 hot mix plants and five stone crushes, Jhajjar is one of Haryana’s 14 districts in the National Capital Region which has recorded a steep slide in air quality, a direct corollary of air fouled by dirty diesel exhaust fumes, construction dust, rising industrial emissions, road dust and crop burning. The average air quality index (AQI) in the district has been recorded in the ‘very poor’ category since November. While the average December AQI (until 25th of the month) was recorded at 320, the overall November AQI was around 347, several notches up from an AQI of 293 recorded in the corresponding period last year. Elderly people, used to the clear, sunny winters, said the morning sky glowed like an ominous shade of orange. “We can barely see down the street these days during the morning walks. Stepping out for a walk or work early in the morning or late at night cause breathing issues. The pandemic has made the situation scarier,” Suresh Singh, a resident of Sector 16, said. With infrastructure projects underway in areas like Beri Road, Badli Road and Sector 9 bypass, residents said there was no respite from suspended dust particles. “The problem is that these suspended particles linger even after the air has cleared. Scant rainfall year after year ensures that it does not settle down. These tiny specks, we fear, can increase the risk of acute respiratory infections, especially in children and older adults,” Karamvir Dahiya, a resident of Beri Road, said. Experts claim the source of air pollution in Jhajjar is not entirely local. “Jhajjar is not a very urbanised district and does not have many active and modern sources of emissions but is surrounded by industries and brick kilns that are major pollution sources. It is also a major rice cultivation region in the state and sees some instances of stubble burning,” Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Amity Centre for Air Pollution Control, told TOI. Executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roychowdhury, meanwhile, pressed for a holistic mitigation plan. “Pollution sources do not change through the year. What changes in winter is that cold air settles close to the ground and trap pollutants. When Delhi and its surrounding cities choke, it’s not necessarily when stubble burning is at its peak, but when weather conditions are conducive. It is the same here,” she said. Action still not taken The district at present is dependent on its lone ambient air quality station at Bahadurgarh mini secretariat. This, experts said, was insufficient to screen the air quality of a district spread across 1,834 square kilometres. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), however, has no plan to increase the number of air monitoring stations. “We have installed an online station to monitor the ambient air quality of Bahadurgarh town and have two manual ambient air quality stations. We also have prepared an action plan to mitigate pollution in the district,” Dinesh Kumar, the regional officer of HSPCB, said. Civic agencies, including the municipal council, traffic police, HSIIDC and the pollution board, have begun a crackdown on illegally parked vehicles on the congested roads, he said. The civic agencies will start sprinkling water on dust patches, mechanical sweeping of roads, and initiating work to fill potholes. The pollution board has been tasked to ensure that all building materials are covered and anti-smog guns installed at all construction sites, Kumar said, adding work is on towards phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles that are over 15 and 10 years old, respectively.

Delhi recorded sixth 'severe' air quality day in a row on Sunday

NEW DELHI: The city recorded its sixth “severe” air quality day in a row on Sunday. It is the worst prolonged spell of “severe” days in December since 2015 when Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started measuring the air quality index (AQI). Due to stubble burning and Diwali, November usually reports several “severe” days, but the number of consecutive “severe” days is usually lower in December. Track the pollution level in your cityCPCB data showed three consecutive “severe” days each in December of 2020 and 2019, four in 2018 and two in 2016. So far, seven “severe” air quality days have been seen in December this year. A higher number of such days (8) were seen in 2018 and 2019. System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) said Delhi was likely to record “severe” days on Monday and Tuesday and significant improvement in air quality was expected from December 29 due to easterly winds at higher speed. The AQI on Sunday was 459. Experts said adverse weather conditions along with local and NCR pollution led to the long spell of “severe” days. Gufran Beig, founding project director, SAFAR, said, “It’s unusual for such a prolonged number of severe days to be recorded in December. Though adverse weather conditions played an important role, there is a possibility of unknown local sources of pollution.” Experts pointed out that the agencies concerned should focus on bringing down the emissions from local sources of pollution. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “Clearly, local pollution can also have such pronounced and severe impacts when atmospheric conditions are adverse. This demands deeper action in all key sectors, including industry, power plants, vehicles, waste, household fuels and soil stabilisation, across 24 districts of the NCR to cut the base pollution.” Explaining the meteorological factors, RK Jenamani, senior scientist at IMD, said, “Due to high moisture content, there was no dense fog formation. The dense fog could have acted as a scavenger to reduce pollution. Light to calm winds were recorded this time, which affected the dispersion of pollution. Only feeble western disturbances impacted the region, which could have led to rain and helped in cleaning Delhi’s air.” Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, said there should be a sound prediction system in place to protect people from such high exposure to pollutants and emissions from all sectors must be reduced.

2BHK projects lack access to basic services’

Hyderabad: The on-ground assessment of the state’s 2BHK scheme shows that as most affordable housing projects are in the city periphery, they have poor access to basic services like transport, schools and healthcare, and if the issue is not addressed, it can increase the cost of living for residents and compromise sustained occupancy. In the pilot assessment of the affordable housing schemes carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), it was also pointed out that there is still considerable scope of reducing heat gain in buildings, improving ventilation and day-lit areas to improve thermal comfort and reduce energy intensity of structures. The report, ‘Guidelines for Affordable Housing in Telangana’, was released by special chief secretary Arvind Kumar at a meet organised jointly by CSE and Administrative Staff College.“The report has underscored the importance of integrating thermal comfort requirements when real estate recovery is likely to add millions of dwelling units to formal housing stock in next 3-4 years in India. Else, the new infrastructure can lock in enormous energy and resources guzzling when India has to meet a target of billion tonnes of carbon reduction by 2030,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at CSE.

Guwahati, Agartala most polluted cities in Northeast- CSE

Guwahati has the most polluted air in northeastern India GUWAHATI- Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) warns of growing air pollution in cities of northeast. The CSE in it’s recent report said put the Guwahati and Agartala at top the list of most polluted cities in the northeast region of India. A new analysis by CSE, the New Delhi-based think tank, says that the problem of air pollution is growing steadily in the northeast, putting paid to the impression of pristine blue skies and clean air that people usually have about this region. Guwahati has the most polluted air in northeastern India. Average PM2.5 levels in 2021 (uptill November 30) has already surpassed the 2019 annual average in Guwahati. The city’s 2020 annual average was also higher than its 2019 average which indicates continuous worsening of air in the city. Agartala with a 2020 average of 45 microgramme per cubic metre (ug/m3) is the second most polluted city in the region. Kohima with a 2020 average of 35 ug/m3 is the third most polluted city in the region. Aizwal and Naharlagun donot meet the minimum data availability requirement, but the limited data available indicates that these two would most probably be meeting the annual standard. This year, so far, the number of days with air quality in ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ categories stands at 54 days in Guwahati city. This is comparable to cities of north India which are more polluted compared to those in the northeastern states. “The current obsession with high pollution concentration in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and in overall northern India overshadows and sidelines the early signs of the crisis in our northeastern states in the national discourse on air pollution and public health. Weak and inadequate air quality monitoring and paucity of data do not allow proper assessment of the risk. But even the limited evidence shows several cities – especially the state capitals — are already vulnerable to poor air quality and winter smog,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE.

Guwahati, Agartala most polluted cities in Northeast

The pollution level in the Northeast states has increased gradually over the last several years. Among other cities, Guwahati and Agartala are the most polluted. A new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the New Delhi-based think tank, says that the problem of air pollution is growing steadily in the Northeast region, putting paid to the impression of pristine blue skies and clean air that people usually have about this region. “The current obsession with high pollution concentration in the Indo-Gangetic plains and in overall northern India overshadows and sidelines the early signs of the crisis in our northeastern states in the national discourse on air pollution and public health. Weak and inadequate air quality monitoring and paucity of data do not allow a proper assessment of the risk. But even the limited evidence shows several cities – especially the state capitals – are already vulnerable to poor air quality and winter smog,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. The study methodology CSE has analysed the urban air quality status in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. This is part of the air quality tracker initiative of the urban data analytics lab of CSE, which was initiated last winter. The objective of this new analysis is to understand the magnitude and trend in winter pollution in major cities of the region which have recently started real-time air quality monitoring. This is an assessment of annual and seasonal trends in PM2.5 concentration for the period January 1, 2019, to December 7, 2021. This analysis is based on the real-time data available from currently functioning air quality monitoring stations in the northeast. A huge volume of data points have been cleaned and data gaps have been addressed based on the USEPA (the United States Environmental Protection Agency) method. This analysis covers seven continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) spread across six cities in an equal number of states: two stations in Guwahati (Assam) and one station each in Shillong (Meghalaya), Agartala (Tripura), Kohima (Nagaland), Aizwal (Mizoram) and Naharlagun (Arunachal Pradesh). There is no real-time monitoring in Manipur and Sikkim, which is why the analysis is unable to cover these states. Even from the states covered, the data is limited. Guwahati and Shillong have data available for over two years. Real-time monitors in Agartala, Kohima and Aizwal became operational only near the end of 2020, which limits the possibility of doing long-term trend analysis for these cities. Naharlagun got its real-time monitor in March 2021. Due to the excessive amount of missing data from this station, any meaningful analysis is not possible. “Gaps in air quality data and lack of quality control of data make it difficult to construct reliable air quality trends for these cities,” says Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE. ALSO READ: Female giraffe dies at Assam State Zoo in Guwahati due to strangulation “The air quality in the region is worsening. But this has not drawn adequate public attention. In winter, air quality of cities like Guwahati can be almost as bad as what we see in the National Capital Region (NCR) and cities of Uttar Pradesh. Pollution is also high in smaller cities like Agartala and Kohima.” Guwahati has the most polluted air Average PM2.5 levels in 2021 (up till November 30) have already surpassed the 2019 annual average in Guwahati. The city’s 2020 annual average was also higher than its 2019 average which indicates a continuous worsening of air in the city. Shillong is the only other city in the region that has a station generating data for over two years, but due to poor data availability, its annual averages cannot be considered credible. Nevertheless, the city’s average is considerably below the annual standard. Among other cities meeting the minimum data availability requirements, Agartala with a 2020 average of 45 micro gramme per cubic metre (ug/m3) is the second most polluted city in the region. Kohima with a 2020 average of 35 ug/m3 is the third most polluted city in the region. Aizwal and Naharlagun do not meet the minimum data availability requirement, but the limited data available indicates that these two would most probably be meeting the annual standard.

Worst December air spell holds Delhi in vice grip

Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 459 on Sunday, the worst since November 12, when the index had a reading of 471. Air quality in Delhi remained severe on Sunday for the sixth consecutive day, the longest spell of such bad air since 2015, when the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started maintaining detailed records. Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 459 on Sunday, the worst since November 12, when the index had a reading of 471. Prolonged exposure to such air affects healthy people, and seriously impacts those with existing health conditions, according to the pollution watchdog. Delhi’s average AQI this December so far is 344, higher than December 2020 (331) and 2019 (337). It was only worse in 2018 (360) and 2016 (364), the data show. As a thick haze hung over the city, local sources of pollution, mostly open burning of biomass amid dipping temperature, and meteorological factors such as calm winds have led to higher concentration of pollutants close to the surface, experts said. It is time to weigh in emergency measures again if there is no improvement by Monday,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment, an advocacy group. “This is certainly the longest episodic smog event in December for Delhi.” Emergency restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), such as a ban on construction and demolition, and stopping the entry of trucks into Delhi, were lifted on 20 December by the Commission for Air Quality Management on an improvement in air quality. However, air quality slipped to the severe zone ever since. A meeting on Grap was held on 23 December, but emergency measures were not reimposed. There might be some relief as parts of Delhi received light rain on Sunday evening. There could be light rain on Monday and Tuesday as well, the India Meteorological Department has predicted. Delhi’s average PM 2.5 levels were in the emergency or severe plus range – 334 micrograms per cubic metre – for 18 hours, CPCB’s control room data showed at 5pm on Sunday. The safe limit is 60 micrograms per cubic metre. The concentration of PM2.5 has to stay above a threshold of 300 micrograms per cubic metre for 48 hours for restrictions such as ban on construction and entry of trucks to kick in, according to Grap guidelines. Unlike the bad air in November, burning of farm residue was not in play, and the pollution was from local sources, Roy Chowdhury said. “This shows background emissions are still high and, if meteorological conditions become adverse, we see severe air quality, particularly when wind speeds drop. This calls for stricter enforcement,” she said. The western disturbance on 22 December led to a negative pressure zone around the region, with pollutants unable to disperse, said Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory. “Air is not flowing from Delhi towards the Indo-Gangetic Plain after this western disturbance created a negative pressure,” Saha said. “Wind speeds have dropped and local pollution is accumulating in Delhi.” It was unusual to see such a long polluted spell in December, and local factors required greater scrutiny, said Gufran Beig, project director of the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, a government forecasting body. “The moisture content at the moment is also not too high, and we are not recording dense fog, so such a spike in pollution is surprising,” Beig said. “Relief from rain is not expected immediately and, as per our forecast, air quality could remain in severe for the next 48 hours.” The AQI could return to the very poor category by Monday if Delhi receives enough rain, a forecast by the Early Warning System for Delhi showed.