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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.

सिंगरौली- ग्वालियर में सबसे प्रदूषित हवा: दिल्ली की तरह मध्यप्रदेश में बढ़ीती जा रही सर्दियों के वायु प्रदूषण की भीषणता

डिजिटल डेस्क, नई दिल्ली। सर्दियों में कोहरे के साथ गंभीर वायु प्रदूषण की समस्या से दिल्ली-एनसीआर तथा उत्तरी क्षेत्र के शहर तो जूझ रहे है, लेकिन अब सर्दियों में वायु प्रदूषण की भीषणता मध्य भारत के कुछ राज्यों जैसे मध्यप्रदेश, छत्तीसगढ सहित अन्य क्षेत्रों के कई शहरों तक पहुंच गई है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के एक नवीनतम विश्लेषण में यह पाया गया है कि राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र की तरह इन दो राज्यों के शहरों की आबोहवा भी जहरीली हो गई है। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट बताती है कि मध्यप्रदेश के सिंगरौली और ग्वालियर में इस मौसम में सबसे खराब वायु गुणवत्ता दर्ज की गई। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट कहती है 2021 में सिंगरौली में 95 दिन वायु गुणवत्ता 'बेहद खराब' या 'खतरनाक' स्तर पर रही, जो लगभग इस अवधि में दिल्ली के समान थी। इसी तरह नवंबर 2021 में अन्य प्रमुख शहरों जैसे भोपाल (38 दिन), इंदौर (36 दिन), ग्वालियर (72 दिन),जबलपुर (49 दिन) और उज्जैन में (30 दिन) वायु गुणवत्ता का स्तर 'खराब' या 'बदतर' स्तर दर्ज किया गया। वहीं, सिंगरौली, कटनी, ग्वालियर, जबलपुर और भोपाल में हवा में सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषण दर्ज किया गया जिससे स्मॉग जैसे हालात बने। सीएसई की एक्जीक्यूटीव डायरेक्टर रिसर्च एंड एडवोकैसी अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी के मुताबिक इस क्षेत्र में वास्तविक समय वायु गुणवत्ता का उपलब्ध डेटा बेहद सीमित है, लेकिन इन दो बड़े राज्यों के केवल 17 शहरों से जो भी डेटा सामने आ रहा है, वह बढते संकट और सर्दियों के धुंध की चपेट में आने का संकेत देता है। इसलिए साफ-सुथरी हवा के लक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के लिए क्षेत्रीय स्तर पर जितने जल्दी संभव हो, ठोस कदम उठाने की जरुरत है। सीएसई रख रहा है प्रदूषण पर नजर क्षेत्र में हवा की गुणवत्ता का उपलब्ध डेटा बहुत सीमित होने के कारण सीएसई ने ही अपनी ओर से कदम उठाए हैं। सर्दियों में बढते प्रदूषण पर नजर रखने के लिए मध्यप्रदेश और छत्तीसगढ के 17 शहरों में वायु प्रदूषण का रियल टाइम डेटा इकठ्‌ठा करने के लिए लैब बनाई है। जिसके आधार पर सर्दियों में हवा में प्रदूषण के स्तर पर नजर रखी जा रही है। विश्लेषण में 18 निरंतर परिवेशी वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशनों को शामिल किया गया है, जो दो राज्यों के 17 शहरों फैले हुए है। इनमें ग्वालियर के दो स्टेशन और जबलपुर, सतना, सिंगरौली, भिलाई, रतलाम, भोपाल, दमोह, देवास, इंदौर, कटनी, मैहर, मंडीदीप, पीथमपुर, सागर और बिलासपुर में एक-एक स्टेशन शामिल है। सीएसई के अर्बन लैब के प्रोग्राम मैनेजर अविकल सोमवंशी कहते है कि क्षेत्र में वायु गुणवत्ता की स्थिति तेजी से बिगडती जा रही है, लेकिन इस पर पर्याप्त ध्यान नहीं दिया जा रहा है। आने वाले दिनों में सर्दियों में सिंगरौली, ग्वालियर, जबलपुर, कटनी जैसे शहरों की वायु गुणवत्ता उनके वार्षिक औसत स्तर से लगभग तीन गुना खराब हो सकती है। सीएसई की ओर से 1 जनवरी,2019 से 12 दिसंबर, 2021 के बीच इन दो राज्यों में पीएम 2.5 का वार्षिक और मौसम में बदलाव के आधार पर आकलन किया गया है। यह विश्लेषण मध्य भारत में वर्तमान में कार्यरत वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशनों से उपलब्ध वास्तविक समय के आंकड़ों पर आधारित है। यूएसईपीए (यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स एनवायर्नमेंटल प्रोटेक्शन एजेंसी) पद्धति के आधार पर बड़ी मात्रा में इकठ्ठा किए गए आंकडों के आधार पर परिणाम तैयार किए गए है। इन शहरों में नाइट्रोजन डाइऑक्साइड (NO2) का स्तर भी अधिक बढा है। इंदौर में यह सबसे अधिक प्रदूषण दर्ज किया गया।

CSE analysis points to early signs of rising air pollution and worsening of winter pollution in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

It is not only the northern part of India that is in the grip of severe winter pollution. 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). “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 indicates 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,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “Gaps in air quality data and lack of quality control of data make it difficult to construct reliable air quality trends and do proper risk assessment,” says 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 like Singrauli, Gwalior, Jabbalpur and Katna could get nearly three times worse than their annual average levels.” CSE has analysed air quality status in cities of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Chhattisgarh. This is a continuation of the air quality tracker initiative of the Urban Data Analytics Lab of CSE that was started last winter. The objective of this new analysis has been to understand the trends and magnitude of winter pollution in major cities of different regions that have real time air quality monitoring systems. This 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. A huge volume of data points have been cleaned and data gaps have been addressed based on the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) method for this analysis. 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 in 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 analysis shows that air pollution during winter is a problem in all 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. The limited air quality data in the region indicates that it has not changed much from the 2020 levels. But due to limited historical data, it is difficult to comment on the regional air quality trends. Key highlights of the analysis Data quality remains poor despite automation: The central region has 18 real time monitors — 13 are operated by state pollution control boards, while five are operated by private entities: these are the Bhilai monitoring station (operated by the Bhilai Steel Plant), Satna (by Birla Cement), Maihar (by KJS Cement), Ratlam (by IPCA Lab), and Phool Bagh-Gwalior (by Mondelez India Foods). Most stations meet the minimum data availability of 75 per cent for the winter season this year (January 1-December 12, 2021). The stations that do not meet the minimum requirement are Maihar (38 per cent) and Phool Bagh-Gawlior (23 per cent). Stations in Chhattisgarh only started operating in September (Bilaspur) and November (Bhilai), but they have reported data for more than 75 per cent of days since becoming operational. A quick examination of the data indicates that stations operated by industry actors tend to report very low concentration numbers or have massive data gaps compared to stations operated by state pollution control boards. The station at Satna operated by Birla Cement especially stands out for uncannily low values — in fact, the annual average for 2020 for this particular station works out to be about 50 per cent lower than what is reported by two manual stations of the city in the annual NAMP report. It is not clear why such deviation occurs in Satna’s real time monitor data. Singrauli and Gwalior have the most polluted air in central India: Singrauli, a small town in eastern MP 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 ug/m3. It is followed by Gwalior and Katni that have 2021 averages of 56 ug/m3 and 54 ug/m3 respectively (see graph on PM2.5 trends in the full analysis report). 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, Bhilia and Maihar do not have adequate data for computation of annual values. Singrauli has had over three months of very poor air quality days in 2021: In Singrauli, the year’s number of days with air quality in the ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ categories stands at 95, which is identical to that of Delhi – as of November 2021 (see graph on PM2.5 AQI categorisation in the full analysis report). Singrauli has had just one severe day, though: there is a constant high pollution level in the city, but it rarely gets tipped over to ‘severe’, which generally happens due to impact of additional factors like meteorology or external pollution sources. Major cities like Bhopal (38 days), Indore (36 days), Gwalior (72 days), Jabalpur (49 days) and Ujjain (30 days) have recorded over a month of poor or worse air quality in 2021 so far. These bad air quality days are concentrated during winter months. Cities in the east abutting the Indo-Gangetic Plains are dirtier compared to rest of the cities in the region. High pollution episode common during winters despite low annual levels: Except Singrauli, rest of the central Indian cities have relatively low annual PM2.5 levels (requiring less than 30 per cent reduction to meet the annual standard). But during winters, episodes of high pollution are common, when weekly PM2.5 levels go as high up as 202 ug/m3 as recorded in Gwalior in November 2021 (see graph on weekly PM2.5 levels vs annual levels in the full analysis report). This winter, so far, the highest weekly level has crossed 100 ug/m3 in Singrauli (191 ug/m3), Katni (141 ug/m3), Bhopal (129 ug/m3), Jabalpur (124 ug/m3), Indore (104 ug/m3), and Damoh (101 ug/m3). The levels are marginally lower this winter compared to those in last winter. Indore has dangerously high NO2 levels in winter: There is a significant increase in the amount of NO2 in air of all cities of central India during November (compared to that in September-October). Gwalior registered a 4.6 times jump in monthly NO2 level, while Mandideep registered a 4 times increase. In absolute concentration terms, Indore registered the highest monthly average of 83 µg/m3 for November. This is higher than the 24-hour standard for NO2. Indore is followed by Jabalpur (60 µg/m3) and Gwalior (49 µg/m3). Such high levels have not been recorded even in north Indian cities, which are generally more polluted. Traffic is a major contributor to pollution: All cities show peaking of hourly NO2 concentrations between 6 PM and 8 PM which coincides with the evening rush hour. Hourly NO2 levels in Gwalior increases five-fold between noon and 6 PM. The cycle is equally sharp in other cities, with 2.5-4.3 times increases in the evening (from afternoon). All cities also have a morning NO2 peak around 7-8 AM, but this is relatively smaller than the evening peak. In Indore, high NO2 levels persist till midnight indicating pollution generated by night-time truck movement in the city. Diwali was a mega polluting event: The pollution level on Diwali night (8 PM to 8 AM) in cities in this region shot up by 1.4-3.9 times the average level recorded on seven nights preceding Diwali. Bhopal had the greatest pollution build-up on Diwali night, with a 3.9-fold increase in night-time PM2.5, followed by Ujjain that saw a 3.7 fold increase. Sagar, Bilaspur and Damoh registered very low PM2.5 levels with no impact of Diwali. In absolute concentration terms, Bhopal dominated the list of most polluted Diwali nights with a 371 µg/m3 PM2.5 level. Pollution was very high among all other major cities as well on Diwali night with Indore (342 ug/m3), Ujjain (309 ug/m3), Gwalior (281 ug/m3) and Jabalpur (209 ug/m3) crossing the 200 ug/m3 mark. The next steps Says Roychowdhury: “The central Indian region — that includes critically polluted industrial areas — requires urgent attention under the National Clean Air Programme. While strengthening the air quality monitoring network for proper risk assessment, action should be tightened in critically polluted areas and implementation of multi-sector clean air action plan scaled up to meet time-bound clean air targets. This is needed to prevent worsening of the public health crisis in this region.”

Winter Pollution Worsening In Madhya Pradesh And Chhattisgarh, Says CSE Study

It is not only the northern part of India that is in the grip of severe winter pollution. Several cities in other regions — including 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). "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 indicates 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,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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>

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.

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.

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.