• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

CSE Finds Early Signs Of Rising Air Pollution In MP, Chhattisgarh

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.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Guwahati's Winter Air Pollution Levels Fall Below National Average

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based think tank, has warned about the increasing air pollution in several cities of India’s northeast region in its new analysis on air quality. This especially includes Guwahati, which tops the list of the most polluted cities of the region.<br> The report ‘Winter Air pollution in the states of North East’, published earlier this month, stated that the problem of air pollution is growing steadily in the states of India’s northeast, busting the myth of pristine blue skies in this ecologically sensitive region.</p> <p>“The air quality in the region is worsening. But this has not drawn adequate public attention. In winter, the 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,” the CSE report stated.</p> <p>The CSE has analysed the urban air quality status of Assam and other NE states with the objective of understanding the magnitude and trend of winter pollution in major cities of the region that have started real-time air quality monitoring only recently. The report is based on an assessment of annual and seasonal trends in Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 concentration from the period of January 1, 2019, to December 7, 2021.<br> <br> <strong>Guwahati Has The Most Polluted Air In NE India</strong></p> <p>Guwahati’s annual average of PM2.5 level has constantly been much higher for the past three years compared to the national average. While the annual average level of India has been 40 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) for the past 3 years, the annual standard of PM2.5 level of Guwahati has been 56 ug/m3 in 2019, 62 ug/m3 in 2020 and 60 ug/m3 in 2021.</p> <p>“The city’s average is considerably below the annual standard,” CSE commented in its report.</p> <p><strong>High Pollution Episode Common During Winters Despite Low Annual Levels</strong></p> <p>Weekly PM2.5 levels increase during the winter months. Although the annual average of Guwahati is 60 ug/m3, it reached its worst in the week ending on January 17, 2021, when it was 189 ug/m3; the worst of winter 2020-21.<br> For the present winter season of 2021-22, the worst level was recorded in the week ending on November 7, when the weekly PM2.5 level reached 78 ug/m3.</p> <p><strong>Surge In NO2 level During Peak Traffic Hours And In Winter</strong></p> <p>The NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) concentration increases with the evening traffic rush in cities, peaking especially from 6 PM. The NO2 in Guwahati increases five-fold hourly between 1 PM and 6 PM. The city also has a morning NO2 peak from around 7-8 AM, but it is relatively lesser compared to the evening peak. The night-time NO2 is also high, indicating impact of night-time truck movement in the city.</p> <p>The CSE study found that there is a significant increase in the amount of NO2 in the NE region during November as compared to October and September 2021. In 2020, the NO2 level in Guwahati had increased with the incoming of winters with an 85 percent jump in monthly NO2 levels between September and November. However, the city’s NO2 data was found to be almost flat since May 2021. Comparing the data of the previous years and the other NE regions, CSE concluded that “there seems to be a problem with the monitors”.</p> <p><strong>Diwali, A Mega Pollution Event</strong></p> <p>Guwahati recorded the greatest pollution build-up on Diwali night, with a 3.6-fold increase in the night-time (8 pm-8 am) PM2.5 levels, compared to the average level recorded seven nights ahead of Diwali.</p> <p>“In absolute concentration terms, Guwahati dominates the list of most polluted Diwali nights with a 225 ug/m3 PM2.5 level, the AQI categorisation of ‘very poor’ level,” the report stated.</p> <p><strong>Guwahati needs to cut its pollution level by 33 percent</strong></p> <p>The CSE report concluded that Guwahati has had a stable annual average of PM2.5 level since the last three years, but it does not meet the annual standard for PM2.5. In order to meet the standard, the city needs to cut its pollution level by 33 per cent.<br> According to the analysis, the most polluted months for the city have been December and January. Analysis of days as per the categorisation of the national AQI shows that the city is experiencing an increasingly higher number of days with poor or worse air quality, most of which are from the winter months. The number of days with good air quality has remained the same in the last two years. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 2021, the number of days with air quality in the ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ categories stand at 54 in Guwahati till December 7, 2021.</p> <p><strong>Guwahati Urgently Needs Robust Air Quality Monitoring And Cut On Pollution</strong></p> <p>The Executive Director for research and advocacy at the CSE, Anumita Roychowdhury stated in the report, “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.”</p> <p>Guwahati only meets the minimum 75 percent data availability requirement. In contrast, the air quality monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR have over 95 per cent data availability.</p> <p>She further added that cities of the NE states need urgent attention and support under the National Clean Air Programme to implement locally appropriate clean air action and a robust air quality monitoring network for proper risk assessment.“This is urgently needed to cut pollution from growing motorisation and congestion, use of solid fuels and open burning, and dispersed industrial sources at the early stages to prevent worsening of the public health crisis in this ecologically vulnerable region,” &nbsp;Roychowdhury stated in the report.</p> <p><strong>Pollution Control Board Of Assam Do Not Have Enough Machines To Measure PM2.5 Level Of AQI</strong></p> <p>G Plus spoke to officials of the Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA) with regards to the report of the Centre for Science and Environment.<br> Officials of PCBA refuted the report and said that the air of Guwahati along with the rest of Assam receives more dust from the river banks and roads during the winter season. “We cannot consider the high PM2.5 level as pollution in Guwahati since it is only the dust due to the wind and river, and not pollution from vehicular or industrial emission,” a PCBA official said.</p> <p>When questioned about the insufficient data availability as claimed by the CSE, a senior official of PCBA informed that the State does not have enough machines to check the PM2.5 levels. As such, the State Pollution Control Board mainly records only the PM10 level of Air Quality Index (AQI).</p> <p>“We have just about 3 machines among the 6 stations in Guwahati to measure the PM2.5 level or the real-time monitoring.&nbsp; We have recently received about 14 machines and are getting some more. We will install them in all the 23 operating stations of the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) soon,” he said.</p> <p>Speaking about the non-functionality of NO2 monitors as mentioned by CSE, he said that the NO2 curve has been flat from May because there is no such vicious pollutant in the air of Guwahati or Assam. “We receive only the particulate matter, i.e, dust. The presence of other vicious gases is very less as there are not many industries in Assam. Our AQI can be said to be ‘moderate’ and hence, it is not pollution.”</p>

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Stone crushers, industries: What’s making Nuh gasp

NUH: Smoke from hundreds of stone-loaded trucks that enter the district every day to reach its 52 stone crushers and the toxic emissions from nearly 150 industries leave a curtain of smog hanging over Nuh, one of Haryana’s 14 districts in the National Capital Region (NCR) located about 103.2 km from the national capital. This curtain has been growing thicker over the last few years, especially during winter, like most NCR districts. According to the Central Pollution Control Board data, the district recorded an average air quality index (AQI) of 201 (on a scale up to 500) in November last year, almost as ‘poor’ as 200 recorded in 2020, while the overall December AQI last year was 115, which is in the ‘moderate’ category. Despite being a rural district with a lot of open spaces, more and more people are complaining of respiratory disorders and eye infections each year, Kashim, a resident of the Quershi market area, told TOI. "This is mainly because of the increasing movement of trucks in the area. These drivers do not cover the heavy vehicles loaded with stones, etc, and are among the main sources of dust pollution," he said. Congratulations! You have successfully cast your vote For Rizwan, a resident of Biwan, pollution caused by the scores of infrastructure projects underway near Bypass, Jhirka Chowk, Kashim Alawalpur, and Biwan, acts as a slow poison. "But it is the dust from the under-construction Delhi-Mumbai Expressway that is choking residents of nearby areas. Every tree in the area is now covered by a thick coat of dust. We hardly see a day with clear blue sky during October and November," he said. Musa, a resident of Naushera village, meanwhile, blamed big infra projects for not following dust mitigation norms and the local authorities for doing little to help. "Water is not being sprinkled on the under-construction Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and the construction material is mostly left uncovered — if we are not going to get any benefit out of it then why should we be made to suffer?" he asks. TOI found that the district does not have a proper waste management system and residents mostly dump waste on roads near their houses, which poses a major health hazard. "There is no dumping ground here. People are used to throwing waste on the roads that are infrequently cleaned by the authorities concerned," Rewasan-resident Atif said. ‘Need to increase green cover’ According to Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Amity Centre for Air Pollution Control, air pollution in Nuh was a little complex. "Firstly, the district is surrounded by many micro- and medium-scale industries mostly making auto parts, engineering components and chemicals. Secondly, major highways, like the NH 48, passes through the district. These, and local sources, like traffic congestion and waste burning, are major reasons for the air pollution in Nuh. Long-range transportation of pollutants — due to stubble burning in Punjab and dust storms in Thar desert — is also a major contributor," he said. Experts, meanwhile, have highlighted the immediate need to increase green cover in the district. "What we need is to plant more trees to increase the green cover which can act as a protective barrier to keep the oxygen balance in the region. Air quality can improve if we aim to increase the source of dust absorption green patches," Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told TOI. Mitigation plan Recently, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) shut down 26 stone crushers for non-compliance with air pollution control measures (APCMs). It has also readied an action plan to mitigate air pollution which includes sprinkling water on dust patches, mechanical sweeping of roads, and initiating work to repair roads and drains. The pollution board has been also tasked to ensure that all construction sites should cover building materials and install anti-smog guns, and deploy teams to check pollution certificates of vehicles plying on roads. "Regular inspections of industries and construction sites are being carried out by our teams. Inspections are being carried out from time to time and challans issued for garbage dumping and burning," Vijay Chaudhary, HSPCB regional officer, said, adding that the municipal committee has also identified a dumping site.

• Sustainable Mobility

Streetscaping of 540 km of roads in Delhi: PWD appoints 9 consultants for project

• Sustainable Mobility

Net zero: Strategy to save Planet Earth

If it could convey in words, Planet Earth would have told the polluting world to “cop it” when it comes to the scores of industrial and other activities that are spoiling the atmosphere and making a once-pristine world unlivable. But speak it has in CY2020 and how — floods across Asia, typhoons, earthquakes, forest fires across continents starting from Australia to Amazon and California. This was, no doubt, the focus of world leaders at the UN climate change conference (COP26)in Glasgow, UK last month. Commonplace lexicon now includes environment, climate action, global warming and sustainability. It’s common knowledge that the world’s mean temperature is rising and we need to act fast in cutting it down and ensure a greener future for our children. The transportation sector plays a key role in this, accounting for close to 25 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. In the race to net zero, environment-friendly transportation solution is coming across as a necessity today. However, sustainability comes at a cost and for a developing nation like India the balance between a greener tomorrow and a cleaner means of mobility leading us there is neither the easiest of the problems nor the solution. Perhaps, that’s the reason that India’s stance at COP26 to scale up existing climate targets attracted widespread debate. Is net zero by 2070 ambitious? So what exactly did India commit to at the COP26? The most significant takeaway has been the commitment to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2070. That apart, the country’s five-point strategy for a greener tomorrow includes a commitment to: - Take its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030. - Meet 50 percent of its energy requirement from renewable energy by 2030. - Bring its economy’s carbon intensity down to 45 percent by 2030. - Reduce 1 billion tonne of carbon emissions from the total projected emissions by 2030. What’s particularly interesting is the series of steps and targets that India plans to meet by 2030 to make ‘net zero by 2070’ a reality. In many quarters globally, India’s targets have been termed as ‘ambitious but ambiguous’ in terms of the plan in achieving it. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director — Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science & Environment (CSE). says what was really unexpected is “the five-point commitment which includes net zero by 2070.” She explains net zero by 2070, seen in isolation, is like long-term vision but before that, “India has actually given other clear commitments for 2030.” Vibha Dhawan, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), too agrees with this assessment and calls the “five-point action plan a huge step.” According to her, “India has announced concrete targets and taken a pragmatic approach for short-term, till 2030, and carbon neutrality in the long-term, by 2070. All this should be looked through the prism of development, climate justice and meeting the aspirations of one-and-a-half billion people.” But that in no way suggests that it will be a cakewalk for India to achieve these well-outlined targets over the next nine years. Challenges for India The transportation sector in India is no doubt a key contributor to the rising pollution and emission levels in the country. From the decarbonisation perspective, it is one sector which has been considered rather obstinate globally. Typically, from the Indian perspective, explosive motorisation in urban India and the sprawling nature of ever-growing metro cities is seen as one of the primary road blocks. According to TERI analysis, passenger demand (in passenger kilometres) has jumped eight times and freight demand (in tonne kilometres) has risen six times since 1992. This has resulted in five times increase in CO2 emissions, accounting for about 300 million tonnes in 2018. In the business-as-usual scenario, the emissions are expected to increase significantly leading to huge negative impact on energy security, ambient air quality and climate change. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 20 percent of the CO2 emissions from road transport comes from passenger cars and an equivalent from two- and three-wheelers. A little over 10 percent of emissions is from buses. And the rest — nearly half of CO2 emissions from the road transport sector — is attributed to the freight segment. IEA’s Indian Energy Outlook 2021 ranks India as the world’s third-largest energy consuming country. The report states that energy use has doubled since 2000, with 80 percent of demand still being met by coal, oil and solid biomass. In fact, the TERI study also brings to light that the transport sector accounts for the largest share in terms of consumption of petroleum products in India — nearly 70 percent of diesel and 100 percent gasoline (petrol). The use of oil by Indian transport sector has risen by 91 percent in the last decade, and about 90 percent of the total energy demand comes from the road transport sector, followed by rail and air. “With this background, the government’s aim should be to reduce dependency on imported fuel. This could be achieved through different sustainable mobility pathways. These include increased focus on shift to efficient modes of transport — from road to rail, and from private vehicles to public transport, introduction of emission efficient fuel and vehicle technologies, and the adoption of alternate low / zero-carbon fuel options like battery-electric, hybrid, bio-fuel, ether-based fuel additives,” adds Dhawan. Roychowdhury further points out that India has for the first time given an absolute target of reducing 1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions from the total projected emissions by 2030 — “Now, this actually means, if we take the total projected emissions, India will have to reduce it by 22 percent in the actual absolute emissions in 2030. This will have to be achieved from different sectors.” She emphasises that therefore, “we now have to work very hard, and ensure that we have these pathways defined very clearly, with targets, with resources to make it a reality.” Mitigation and adaptation India, no doubt, needs a constructive plan to make this transition and eventual decarbonisation a reality. Given the fact that this will entail decarbonisation across sectors and the overall economy, a strong governance framework to execute the massive scale of the program is important. Roychowdhury points out that, “India is also victim to the climate and extreme weather events. As a result, both mitigation and adaptation will have to be planned for.” Dhawan too feels that “we should develop a National Plan for Mitigation and Adaptation. We need to bridge the research gaps by investing in science- based tools and building data sets. Further, the role of private sector should be augmented in adaptation and resilience building.” Of course, there is a lot of conversation around the topic but the concern is how do we ensure all that is discussed actually happens? Will legislation bring about that transition or a proper evaluation system needs to be in place? Roychowdhury says, “We need accountability in the system. We need target setting. And we need strategy and measurable indicators to manage this transition.” Dhawan emphasises on the need for a joint effort by all the stakeholders concerned with regard to solutions for sustainable mobility involving clean carbon-free solutions. She says, “The roles and responsibilities of legislature, non-governmental organisations and business participants go hand in hand. The balance between these factors is critical in achieving the climate change goals from India’s perspective.” Reiterating the need for some urgent decision, Roychowdhury warns that “if India remains business as usual, by 2040 the share of personal transport usage will take over public transport, and that could be a disaster.” She is worried that inaction or delayed policy action may lead to a situation where the problem will grow but our relative ability to address the issue may weaken further. Affordability and electrification That said, let us not forget that the Indian market is an essentially cost-sensitive market. When the various stakeholders need to come together for a common goal, the affordability aspect plays a crucial factor too. Most industry observers and emission experts believe that one simple way is to encourage more public transport alternatives and limit the yearly addition of personal vehicles. It serves three purposes — cuts emission per trip, reduces costs and at the same time resolves congestion. The last Census shows, those using walking and cycling as main transport modes account for 63 percent of the transport sector. “However, when the transport sector investment is made, almost 50 percent is planned around cars,” points out Roychowdhury, highlighting the glaring contrasts and challenges in this regard. As a result, “public transport is also becoming more economically unviable.” Dhawan too puts in a word of caution and says that adequate and efficient public transport services are important “to reduce the risk of sheer volume of vehicles overpowering the benefits achieved by introducing BS VI and CAFE-II standards.” Affordable and sustainable mobility is no longer an option for India as per Roychowdhury and adds that “we need a fiscal strategy to keep public transport service affordable.” According to her, India also needs to address the issue of hidden subsidies. For example, buses (a more sustainable mobility option) pay more taxes than cars, which are more polluting any day. “Cross-subsidising the sustainable transport options is important,” she points out. Roychowdhury highlights the extent of the problem and the challenge in terms of the investment that’s required: “If India really has to fully transform its transportation infrastructure, it needs to invest nearly 8 percent of its GDP in transport infrastructure.” Increasingly, electrification comes across as a viable alternative to get to the eventual emission reduction goal. Roychowdhury believes, “India certainly requires ambitious electrification target. Data indicates if you combine FAME and incentives given by state governments is addressing the TCO to a large extent.” According to CSE studies, the combination of FAME and state subsidies can actually help lowering price of electric two-wheelers by almost 25 percent. Charting the future strategy Therefore, what can help expediate India’s race to net zero? Roychowdhury points out that a complete package of commitment and goals is necessary — “l Target should define the boundary of investment for infrastructure development for public transport. - Need to build compact cities -Need to restrain personal vehicle usage by giving the right price signals - High ambition for electrification is also crucial.” Dr Dhawan’s list of priority for deep decarbonisation includes— “l Focus on non-motorised transport, especially pedestrian infrastructure - Magnify the reach and focus of EV policies - Innovation in low-carbon technologies for heavy-duty long-distance segments - Improve public transport services - Enable a modal shift to railways and improve efficiency of logistics sector.” The emission challenge is ultimately a zero sumgame. A resilient framework coupled with far-reaching policies and electrification of road transport is being seen as the fastest channels to make net zero a reality.

• Sustainable Mobility

Cab aggregators, delivery services to switch to electric vehicles soon

Proposal approved by departments, awaiting Minister’s nod Cab aggregators, food and other doorstep delivery services in the city would soon have to switch their entire fleet to electric vehicles as a proposal in this regard has been approved by the departments concerned, an official source told The Hindu. Another proposal to make Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates mandatory to buy petrol and diesel at filling stations for all vehicles has been approved by the departments. Both proposals are now with Environment Minister Gopal Rai and are expected to be cleared soon, the source said. “The shift will be in a phased manner and they (aggregators, delivery services) will be given time till March 2023 to shift 50% of their fleet to electric vehicles. More time will be given for 100% transition,” the source said. Vehicular emission is one of the main causes of air pollution in the city and the measures are aimed at controlling it. “When we had done an audit of the number of people getting PUCs a few years ago and found that the level of compliance was low. This is a welcome move but the government has to ensure proper enforcement of the proposed rule,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Centre for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy NGO. It is also important to ensure that PUC tests are done properly and the centres are audited periodically for credible testing, she said. Transition part of policy Transition to electric vehicles is part of the Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy, 2020, which aims to increase the share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to 25% of all the new vehicles registered in the city by 2024. “It is expected that the incentives provided by the policy shall encourage delivery service providers to switch to electric two-wheelers... All delivery service providers shall be expected to convert 50% of their fleet operating to EVs by March 31, 2023 and 100% by March 31, 2025,” the policy reads.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

What India needs to focus on in 2022 to spur climate change action

Air pollution, climate adaptation and health infrastructure to deal with the impact of climate change are some of the key areas to focus on in 2022, say experts Curbing air pollution, strengthening adaptation measures such as state and city action plans, and prioritising health by building resilient health infrastructure to mitigate the impact of climate change should be the areas of prime concern in 2022, according to experts. Governments must ensure that the ban on single-use plastics is implemented in 2022 and cities must operationalise plans to limit air pollution, one of the leading causes for premature deaths and disabilities, experts added. Here is a list of priority areas India must focus on in environmental policies and action: New standards, action plans for air pollution Air pollution ranks the second highest (after malnutrition) among the risk factors of diseases in India, accounting for 10% of the disease burden. Air pollution is also estimated to reduce the average life expectancy of a child born in India by at least 1.5 years; in 2019, it killed 116,000 Indian infants, we reported in October 2020. Pollution from vehicles and emissions from factories and coal-fired power stations contribute to air pollution across India, all-year round. In 2009, the CPCB notified the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) which mention eight prime pollutants: particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, benzene and ammonia. India is likely to establish fresh standards which would factor in more particulate matter finer than PM 2.5. The revisions to NAAQS will serve to define the discussion around air pollution for the next decade in India, as per a December 2021 report by the Centre for Policy Research, a Delhi-based think tank. Making the standards more ambitious will be based on our understanding of risk associated with exposure and how that has evolved over time, states the report. So far, there are 95 cities across 23 states and Union territories which are categorised as non-attainment cities, which do not comply with the NAAQS standards. City-specific action plans are to be formulated for the non-attainment cities through which the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is operationalised. The NCAP, launched by the environment ministry in January 2019, set a national-level target of 20% to 30% reduction of PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration levels by 2024, with 2017 as base for concentration levels. "The NCAP did not really take off because of the pandemic and shutdown," Sunil Dahiya, analyst at the non-profit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told IndiaSpend. "As we retreat from the pandemic, it is important to strengthen the NCAP and prioritise emissions reduction from coal-power plants." Emissions from coal power plants are one of the major causes of air pollution; expanding coal power will lead to 60% more premature deaths in metro cities in India, according to a report by C40 cities, a global network of people from 97 cities. Fifty-five per cent of India's coal-generated electricity is within 500 km of five megacities--Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata--which will put urban residents' health at risk, especially the young, elderly and pregnant women, stated the report. "There will be continuing pressure to phase down coal, although India hasn't set any clear plans to control coal's impact on deteriorating air quality," said Shripad Dharmadhikary, analyst at the research organisation Manthan Adhyayan Kendra. "The health aspect of air pollution is something which needs to be integrated in environment policies," said Shweta Narayan, an environmental justice activist and campaigner for climate and health with Health Care Without Harm in India. "The environment impact assessment for thermal power plants fails to look at public health and there is a growing momentum building around the need to undertake health impact assessment for polluting plants." Prioritising resilient health infrastructure Climate change and the resultant rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns are creating ideal conditions for transmission of infectious diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, malaria; it may also lead to more deaths, crop failures, mental health problems, pregnancy-related complications and heat- and humidity-related morbidity, we had reported earlier in October 2021. "In terms of building the resilience of the health system, we are not there," said Narayan, adding, "There is periodic intervention during floods or cyclones, but building an infrastructure that can stand regular events of extreme weather is desperately needed." In 2015, India came up with the National Health Mission which includes the National Action Plan for Climate Change and Human Health with the aim to strengthen health preparedness and response at the central, state and district levels by building early warning systems and health surveillance to prevent and mitigate extreme heat. States are putting together their action plans for climate change and human health that are due in December 2021. It will be important to see the budgetary allocations to the state to implement these plans and how they are prioritised in 2022," said Narayan. Making the plastic ban effective The country produces over 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In August 2021, the environment ministry introduced Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules to ban single-use plastic that will be implemented in 2022. The rules mandate that the manufacture, sale and use of some single-use goods made with plastic, polystyrene, and expanded polystyrene such as earbuds, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery, wrapping and packing films are prohibited from July 1 2022, while others such as carry bags must be at least 75 microns thick from September 30, 2021, and 120 microns from December 31, 2022, compared to 50 microns at present. In 2019-20, India generated about 3,4 million tonnes of annual plastic waste. While this will be a first countrywide phase out, states in India have already adopted plastic-ban resolutions. For instance, in 1998, the Sikkim government passed the country's first plastic-bag ban. In the last decade, 22 states and Union territories have imposed complete or partial bans on plastic carry bags. Earlier in 2011, the Union ministry had notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling Rules) 2011 that proposed a ban on the use of plastic materials in sachets to store, pack or sell gutkha, tobacco and pan masala. However, the CPCB's annual report 2012-13 noted that the rules are not being "intensely implemented" by states and union territories and plastic bags are being used indiscriminately. In a National Green Tribunal case (O.A. 85/2020), the petitioner moved the tribunal against Tamil Nadu's Pollution Control Board stating that the manufacture of plastic woven and non-woven carry bags was continuing and perpetuating a wrong impression in the minds of the public that these plastic carry bags were the only alternatives to thin film plastic carry bags. The bench in a November 2021 sitting reportedly said that merely issuing notice bans is not sufficient if the government fails to monitor and take effective steps to penalise offenders who flout the plastic-ban norms. Implementing state and city climate plans The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its periodic reports, has shown how climate change is impacting the world. For instance, monsoons in India have become uncertain; especially in the important kharif-sowing months of July and August, and this has impacted the paddy harvest in several states of India, IndiaSpend had reported in October 2021. Cyclones like Tauktae and Gulab, which bookended the summer monsoon in 2021, have increased and are set to increase further, IndiaSpend had reported in May 2021. There is a consensus to limit warming to 1.5°C by 2099 to avoid the worst predictions, but at the same time the need to adapt to climate change has become more significant and urgent. Climate change adaptation includes building critical infrastructure to deal with extreme climate events such as cyclonic storms, droughts and floods. India has a dedicated National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC), launched in 2015. It is a federal grant that was introduced to fulfil the objectives of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and support state governments in operationalising the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) and implementing adaptation projects. The national and state action plans are a framework of action for responding to the effects of climate change and came into force in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Thirty-two states in India have since initiated the process of drafting SAPCC. While there has been a sizable effort at mapping regional climate vulnerability and policy-making on such a grand scale, there has been little implementation of these plans, experts say. Mumbai is the only city in India to have a climate action plan. Delhi is planning to submit its state action plan next month that will focus on actionable items to be implemented in the next 10 years, according to a news report. A conceptual monitoring and evaluation framework has been proposed by the states in their respective SAPCCs, but, in practice, monitoring and evaluation of activities mentioned under SAPCCs have been almost non-existent, according to a 2018 report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the efficacy of state climate action plans. "The scope of state action plans is largely restricted to state jurisdiction and there needs to be clear vision on further decentralisation at district and city levels," said Vineet Kumar, deputy programme manager at CSE. It is very important to prioritise comprehensive assessment of the state action plans and how effective they are against extreme weather events, he added.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi: No December cheer as air worse than previous year

NEW DELHI: This December was more polluted than last year with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 336 compared with 332 in December 2020, Central Pollution Control Board data shows. The average AQI in December 2019 was 337. However, as the AQI trend in December over the past few years suggests minor variations, experts say efforts should be intensified to have more cleaner days in winter. Track the pollution level in your city Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “Clearly, the AQI trend in December over the last three years has stabilised with some variation. But there should have been a substantial reduction in pollution with more cleaner days in winter. This is possible only if action round the year succeeds in cutting down the overall emissions from all key sources.” Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, who analysed the data, said, “The average AQI in December has been in the range of 314-364 over the past six years. The air quality mostly recorded poor to severe days in December from 2015 to 2021. Over the past three years, there has been no improvement in air quality in December.” “December usually witnesses low sunshine, shorter days and low mixing height, so the air quality is generally poor. However, due to a low ventilation rate because of low wind speed, the air quality further aggravates in December,” added Saha. This December recorded seven “severe” air quality days against four in 2020. There were six consecutive “severe” air quality days, which was the worst prolonged spell in December since 2015. Experts said adverse weather conditions along with local and NCR pollution led to this long spell. However, there were more “severe” days in December 2018 and 2019 with eight days each. A Met official said, “Light to calm winds were recorded this month, which impacted the dispersion of pollutants. Besides, one cold day and four cold wave days were reported. Low temperatures slow down the dispersal of pollutants.” The highest AQI was recorded at 459 and the lowest was 237 in December 2021. Unlike December 2017 to 2020, there were no “moderate” air quality days.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Experts Speak: What India Should Work On In 2022 To Spur Climate Action

Air pollution, climate adaptation and health infrastructure to deal with the impact of climate change are some of the key areas to focus on in 2022, say experts. Mumbai: Curbing air pollution, strengthening adaptation measures such as state and city action plans, and prioritising health by building resilient health infrastructure to mitigate the impact of climate change should be the areas of prime concern in 2022, according to experts. Governments must ensure that the ban on single-use plastics is implemented in 2022 and cities must operationalise plans to limit air pollution, one of the leading causes for premature deaths and disabilities, experts added. Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss updates on important policy issues, data-led discussions and analysis Here is a list of priority areas India must focus on in environmental policies and action: New standards, action plans for air pollution Air pollution ranks the second highest (after malnutrition) among the risk factors of diseases in India, accounting for 10% of the disease burden. Air pollution is also estimated to reduce the average life expectancy of a child born in India by at least 1.5 years; in 2019, it killed 116,000 Indian infants, we reported in October 2020. Pollution from vehicles and emissions from factories and coal-fired power stations contribute to air pollution across India, all-year round. In 2009, the CPCB notified the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) which mention eight prime pollutants: particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, benzene and ammonia. India is likely to establish fresh standards which would factor in more particulate matter finer than PM 2.5. The revisions to NAAQS will serve to define the discussion around air pollution for the next decade in India, as per a December 2021 report by the Centre for Policy Research, a Delhi-based think tank. Making the standards more ambitious will be based on our understanding of risk associated with exposure and how that has evolved over time, states the report. So far, there are 95 cities across 23 states and Union territories which are categorised as non-attainment cities, which do not comply with the NAAQS standards. City-specific action plans are to be formulated for the non-attainment cities through which the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is operationalised. The NCAP, launched by the environment ministry in January 2019, set a national-level target of 20% to 30% reduction of PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration levels by 2024, with 2017 as base for concentration levels. "The NCAP did not really take off because of the pandemic and shutdown," Sunil Dahiya, analyst at the non-profit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told IndiaSpend. "As we retreat from the pandemic, it is important to strengthen the NCAP and prioritise emissions reduction from coal-power plants." Emissions from coal power plants are one of the major causes of air pollution; expanding coal power will lead to 60% more premature deaths in metro cities in India, according to a report by C40 cities, a global network of people from 97 cities. Fifty-five per cent of India's coal-generated electricity is within 500 km of five megacities--Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata--which will put urban residents' health at risk, especially the young, elderly and pregnant women, stated the report. "There will be continuing pressure to phase down coal, although India hasn't set any clear plans to control coal's impact on deteriorating air quality," said Shripad Dharmadhikary, analyst at the research organisation Manthan Adhyayan Kendra. "The health aspect of air pollution is something which needs to be integrated in environment policies," said Shweta Narayan, an environmental justice activist and campaigner for climate and health with Health Care Without Harm in India. "The environment impact assessment for thermal power plants fails to look at public health and there is a growing momentum building around the need to undertake health impact assessment for polluting plants." Prioritising resilient health infrastructure Climate change and the resultant rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns are creating ideal conditions for transmission of infectious diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, malaria; it may also lead to more deaths, crop failures, mental health problems, pregnancy-related complications and heat- and humidity-related morbidity, we had reported earlier in October 2021. "In terms of building the resilience of the health system, we are not there," said Narayan, adding, "There is periodic intervention during floods or cyclones, but building an infrastructure that can stand regular events of extreme weather is desperately needed." In 2015, India came up with the National Health Mission which includes the National Action Plan for Climate Change and Human Health with the aim to strengthen health preparedness and response at the central, state and district levels by building early warning systems and health surveillance to prevent and mitigate extreme heat. States are putting together their action plans for climate change and human health that are due in December 2021. It will be important to see the budgetary allocations to the state to implement these plans and how they are prioritised in 2022," said Narayan. Making the plastic ban effective The country produces over 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In August 2021, the environment ministry introduced Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules to ban single-use plastic that will be implemented in 2022. The rules mandate that the manufacture, sale and use of some single-use goods made with plastic, polystyrene, and expanded polystyrene such as earbuds, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery, wrapping and packing films are prohibited from July 1 2022, while others such as carry bags must be at least 75 microns thick from September 30, 2021, and 120 microns from December 31, 2022, compared to 50 microns at present. In 2019-20, India generated about 3,4 million tonnes of annual plastic waste. While this will be a first countrywide phase out, states in India have already adopted plastic-ban resolutions. For instance, in 1998, the Sikkim government passed the country's first plastic-bag ban. In the last decade, 22 states and Union territories have imposed complete or partial bans on plastic carry bags. Earlier in 2011, the Union ministry had notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling Rules) 2011 that proposed a ban on the use of plastic materials in sachets to store, pack or sell gutkha, tobacco and pan masala. However, the CPCB's annual report 2012-13 noted that the rules are not being "intensely implemented" by states and union territories and plastic bags are being used indiscriminately. In a National Green Tribunal case (O.A. 85/2020), the petitioner moved the tribunal against Tamil Nadu's Pollution Control Board stating that the manufacture of plastic woven and non-woven carry bags was continuing and perpetuating a wrong impression in the minds of the public that these plastic carry bags were the only alternatives to thin film plastic carry bags. The bench in a November 2021 sitting reportedly said that merely issuing notice bans is not sufficient if the government fails to monitor and take effective steps to penalise offenders who flout the plastic-ban norms. Implementing state and city climate plans The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its periodic reports, has shown how climate change is impacting the world. For instance, monsoons in India have become uncertain; especially in the important kharif-sowing months of July and August, and this has impacted the paddy harvest in several states of India, IndiaSpend had reported in October 2021. Cyclones like Tauktae and Gulab, which bookended the summer monsoon in 2021, have increased and are set to increase further, IndiaSpend had reported in May 2021. There is a consensus to limit warming to 1.5°C by 2099 to avoid the worst predictions, but at the same time the need to adapt to climate change has become more significant and urgent. Climate change adaptation includes building critical infrastructure to deal with extreme climate events such as cyclonic storms, droughts and floods. India has a dedicated National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC), launched in 2015. It is a federal grant that was introduced to fulfil the objectives of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and support state governments in operationalising the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) and implementing adaptation projects. The national and state action plans are a framework of action for responding to the effects of climate change and came into force in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Thirty-two states in India have since initiated the process of drafting SAPCC. While there has been a sizable effort at mapping regional climate vulnerability and policy-making on such a grand scale, there has been little implementation of these plans, experts say. Mumbai is the only city in India to have a climate action plan. Delhi is planning to submit its state action plan next month that will focus on actionable items to be implemented in the next 10 years, according to a news report. A conceptual monitoring and evaluation framework has been proposed by the states in their respective SAPCCs, but, in practice, monitoring and evaluation of activities mentioned under SAPCCs have been almost non-existent, according to a 2018 report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the efficacy of state climate action plans. "The scope of state action plans is largely restricted to state jurisdiction and there needs to be clear vision on further decentralisation at district and city levels," said Vineet Kumar, deputy programme manager at CSE. It is very important to prioritise comprehensive assessment of the state action plans and how effective they are against extreme weather events, he added.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

• Sustainable Mobility

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.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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.

• Sustainable Mobility

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.

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

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.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

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.