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Delhi's air quality slips into 'severe' zone, likely to worsen further

NEW DELHI: After oscillating between "poor" and "very poor" for over two weeks, Delhi's air quality slipped into the "severe" category on Tuesday. The pollution monitoring agencies predict further drop in the next few days. According to Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality index (AQI), on a scale of 0 to 500, was 402 as against 332 a day earlier and 271 a day before that. Calm wind conditions and slight rise in humidity, among other meteorological reasons, led to accumulation of pollutants within Delhi, said Met officials. AQI slipped a day after Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced relaxations, allowing resumption of construction work and entry of the trucks in Delhi. Last time the national capital recorded a "severe" AQI was on December 2. "It's difficult to establish now if the accumulation of the pollutants have happened due to lifting the CAQM bans as the weather conditions have changed. We will have to observe the trend," said Anumita Roy Chawdhury, executive director at Centre for Science and Environment. According to SAFAR, the air quality is likely to worsen due to low wind speeds. The wind speed was almost nil by the evening and may remain low for the next few days, said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet.

NCR resolved 50% pollution-related complaints: CPCB

Among the NCR states, Delhi is faring best, having resolved nearly 63% (761) of the 1,214 complaints filed during this period. Nearly half of the pollution-related complaints made to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) or logged by its monitoring teams across the National Capital Region (NCR) between October 15 and December 19 are yet to be resolved, with data from the pollution watchdog showing that only 1,100 of the 2,207 complaints have been addressed so far. However, among the NCR states, Delhi is faring best, having resolved nearly 63% (761) of the 1,214 complaints filed during this period. In comparison, UP (134 of 370 complaints) and Haryana (184 of 509 complaints) have resolved 36% complaints, and Rajasthan (nine of 53 complaints) resolved only 17% complaints. A senior CPCB official, on the condition of anonymity, said most complaints were related to dust violations, construction and demolition waste and instances of open waste burning. “Data is collected each day from each agency and is being updated in real time. Agencies have been asked to ensure no complaints remain pending and are being asked to prioritise those complaints in particular which can be dealt with quickly,” the official said. CPCB data showed that in Delhi, most complaints (403) were recorded in areas under the jurisdiction of North Delhi Municipal Corporation but the civic body has addressed only 189 complaints (47%). South MCD received 359 complaints and resolved 232 (65%), whereas East MCD got 87 complaints, of which they have resolved 79 (91%). In comparison, other agencies with a high pendency rate include the Delhi government’s flood control department, which has only resolved four of its 17 complaints (24%), and the Delhi Police, which has addressed only 10 of its 24 complaints (42%). The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Delhi Cantonment Board and the Delhi transport department have meanwhile resolved all the complaints received so far. Among agencies in NCR which failed to solve a single complaint are the Central Public Works Department (56 complaints), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (40 complaints), Haryana Urban Development Authority (21 complaints) and the UP state pollution control board (56 complaints). Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said it is important to act swiftly on all such complaints during the winter to somewhat halt the spike in air pollution. “In winters, you cannot carry out infrastructure-based intervention and therefore strict enforcement is essential. The CPCB may also need to carry out a system audit and assign accountability to agencies failing to solve complaints,” she said.

2021 was 'historic' for Jal Shakti ministry, several long-standing issues resolved, says Shekhawat

One of the main achievements was the passage of a bill that seeks to set up an institutional mechanism for the safety of specified dam 2021 was "historic" for the Jal Shakti ministry as several landmark decisions were taken and many long-pending issues were resolved, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, noting that the focus next year would be to expedite the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide tap water connections to more rural households. Talking to <em>PTI</em> about how the year was for the Jal Shakti ministry, he said all responsibilities given to it were fulfilled.</p><p>"The year has truly been historic for the ministry. The long-standing issue of interlinkage of rivers was resolved. An agreement was also reached between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in this regard," he said.<div class="ad-320-1023 inart2_processed" id="in-article3-1" style="display: none;" data-google-query-id="CKPOnq6Y9_QCFcsecgodhqoNuA"><div id="google_ads_iframe_/1013527/dh_mobile_ap_display_1x1_s1_p2_0__container__" style="border: 0pt none; margin: auto; text-align: center;"></div></div></p><div id="outstream_ad" style="background-color: transparent; display: none;" data-google-query-id="COqA48CX9_QCFQmBSwUdv24GhQ" align="center"><div id="google_ads_iframe_/1013527/DH_Mobile_AP_Outstream_1x1_S1_0__container__" style="border: 0pt none;"></div></div><p>The governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh earlier this year signed an agreement&nbsp;to tackle a long-stalled multi-crore project to link the Ken and Betwa rivers and irrigate the water-deficient Bundelkhand region (spread across both states), as well as provide electricity.</p> <p>Shekhawat said 2021 was also significant for the Jal Shakti ministry as a law relating to dam safety was enacted.&nbsp;"The Machchhu dam collapsed in 1979 and in 1982, a report was given on the matter. Now after all these years, a dam safety bill was passed that is very significant," he said.</p><p>In the Winter Session, Parliament passed a bill that seeks to set up an institutional mechanism for the safety of specified dams in the country. The bill provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dams for the prevention of dam failure-related disasters. It provides for an institutional mechanism to ensure safe functioning of the dams.</p><p>In December, the government also extended the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), launched in 2015, under which 90 per cent grant has been given to three National Projects including Renukaji (Himachal Pradesh) and Lakhwar (Uttarakhand).</p><p>The minister said the construction of Renukaji and Lakhwar dams would be critical for the national capital's water supply needs and would also lead to a "rebirth" of the river.</p><p>"Like in Ganga, it has been notified that all the dam holding stakeholders have to discharge a particular quantum of water in non-monsoon months. Similarly, we will make it mandatory that some amount of water has to flow into Yamuna too and when water will flow, and if effluent treatment plants are working, then fresh water and treated water both will improve Yamuna's water quality," he said.</p><p>Speaking about the vision for 2022, Shekhawat said the biggest target for the Jal Shakti ministry is to complete the ongoing projects in a time-bound manner. "Drinking water supply has to reach every household, that is our foremost aim," he said.</p> <p>According to government data, 86,778,991 households have been provided with tap water connections till now, while 833,704 connections have been provided to schools and 876,664 to anganwadis.</p><p>While 100 per cent households have been provided with tap water connections in Goa, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Haryana, there are still five states, namely&nbsp;Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Rajasthan, where less than 25 per cent households have tap water connections.</p><p>This year, the ministry also started water quality surveillance using field test kits, under which five women from every village are trained in water quality surveillance using these kits to lead these activities in their village.</p><p>The year also marked the completion of several major projects on the Ganga main stem and tributaries such as the Yamuna.</p><p>Elaborating on the progress made under the National Mission for Clean Ganga in 2021, NMCG Director-General Rajiv Ranjan Mishra said 2021 witnessed a watershed moment for public participation with a tremendous response received in the government's various endeavours such as Ganga Quest, Ganga Utsav and Ganga Mashal Abhiyan.</p> "The success of Namami Gange is derived from its collaborative partnership. This year, we launched a capacity-building initiative with the Centre for Science and Environment for Making Ganga Basin Cities Water Sensitive. With TERI, we are launching the first of its kind Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse. Last but not the least, we launched the historic River Cities Alliance with NIUA which is a unique platform for river cities to embark upon the path of river centric planning and programs. We also launched the Urban River Management Plan for Kanpur," Mishra told <em>PTI</em>.</p><p>As far as challenges that lie ahead in 2022, Mishra said there is a need to ensure the sustainability of the initiatives undertaken in the mission, expand activities along tributaries, further strengthen the people river connect and work extensively for improving ecology and flow.</p><p>"It is a continuous process, and the task is not only to clean but also to keep it clean and rejuvenated. Another key challenge would be to record and manage the knowledge that has been created under the mission. All these would only be possible with collaborative partnerships, which has been the mainstay of Namami Gange mission," he added.</p>

दिल्ली : नए साल में सड़कों पर नहीं उतर सकेंगे 10 साल पुराने 2.64 लाख डीजल वाहन Read more: https://www.amarujala.com/delhi/10-year-old-2-64-lakh-diesel-vehicles-will-not-be-able-to-hit-the-roads-in-the-new-year

स्क्रैप होने से वाहनों को बचाने का विकल्प। इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों में बदलने से कबाड़ बनने वाले वाहनों को मिलेगी नई जिंदगी। दिल्ली में डीजल वाहनों के डी रजिस्टर करने से 10 साल से अधिक पुराने 2.64 लाख से अधिक डीजल वाहन सड़कों पर नहीं उतर सकेंगे। सड़कों पर न उतरने से वाहनों के जाम से राहत के साथ साथ वायु प्रदूषण में भी काफी कमी आएगी। विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि इससे दिल्ली की हवा की गुणवत्ता में सुधार के साथ साथ वाहनों के जाम की समस्या भी कम होगी। मियाद पूरी कर चुके डीजल वाहनों पर एक जनवरी, 2022 से कार्रवाई के साथ ही दिल्ली सरकार के परिवहन विभाग ने वाहन मालिकों को राहत देने के लिए कई विकल्प भी दिए हैं। इसके तहत पुराने वाहनों का दूसरे राज्यों में पंजीकरण के लिए अनापत्ति प्रमाण पत्र(एनओसी) सहित इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों में पुराने वाहनों को परिवर्तित करने के विकल्प से भी वाहन मालिकों को बड़ी राहत मिलने की उम्मीद है। दिल्ली सरकार ने एनजीटी की ओर से जारी आदेश के बाद एक जनवरी से इसे सख्ती से लागू करने का निर्णय लिया है। इसके तहत वाहनों का पंजीकरण रद्द करने के बाद सड़कों पर वाहन नहीं उतारे जा सकेंगे। बावजूद इसके अगर नियमों की अनदेखी की जाती है तो इन वाहनों को जब्त कर स्क्रैप कर दिया जाएगा। बीएस-3 वाहनों से होता है 10 गुना अधिक प्रदूषण सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवॉयरमेंट(सीएसई)की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी के मुताबिक सरकार के इस कदम में दिल्ली में वाहनों से होने वाले प्रदूषण में काफी हद तक कमी आने की उम्मीद है। उन्होंने बताया कि बीएस-3 डीजल वाहनों से मौजूदा बीएस-6 वाहनों की तुलना में 10 गुना ्रेभी अधिक प्रदूषण होता है। इससे नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साईड सहित कई जहरीली गैस महीन धूलकणों का उत्सर्जन होता है। वाहनों के सड़कों से हटने से प्रदूषण स्तर में काफी सुधार होने की उम्मीद है। रेट्रो फिटमेंट के बाद दोबारा सड़कों पर उतर सकेंगे पुराने वाहन भी वाहनों के लिए इलेक्ट्रिक रेट्रो फिटमेंट का विकल्प दिया गया है। इसके तहत पुराने डीजल वाहनों में भी परिवर्तित करने के बाद वाहनों से होने वाला उत्सर्जन शून्य हो जाएगा। इसके लिए दिल्ली सरकार और एजेंसियों से बातचीत चल रही है ताकि ताकि 10 साल पुराने डीजल और 15 साल पुराने पेट्रोल वाहनों में इलेक्ट्रिक किट की रेट्रो फिटमेंट के बाद इन वाहनों को दोबारा सड़कों पर उतारा जा सके। इससे वाहन मालिकों की बचत होगी और वाहनों को स्क्रैप करने की बजाय दोबारा इस्तेमाल किया जा सकेगा। कैंसर होने का भी डीजल वाहनों से हैं खतरा डॉ. अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि डीजल वाहनों से निकलने वाले धूलकण और धुआं, बेहद हानिकारक हैं। विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन(डब्ल्यूएचओ)ने भी माना है कि डीजल वाहनों से होने वाला प्रदूषण सेहत के लिहाज से खतरनाक है। इससे कैंसर पीड़ित होने की आशंका कई गुना बढ़ जाती है। यह तंबाकू उत्पादों से भी अधिक नुकसानदेह है और इससे फेफड़े का कैंसर होने का खतरा रहता है। कार के रेट्रो फिटमेंट पर चार लाख तक की हो सकती है लागत दिल्ली सरकार की ओर से इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों को प्रोत्साहित किया जा रहा है। इसके लिए नई ईवी पॉलिसी के तहत वित्तीय प्रोत्साहन दिया जा रहा है ताकि वायु गुणवत्ता में सुधार हो सके। वाहनों के इलेक्ट्रिक रेट्रो फिटमेंट से पुराने डीजल और पेट्रोल वाहनों को दोबारा इस्तेमाल के बाद भी प्रदूषण में बढ़ोतरी नहीं होगी। पुराने वाहन मालिकों की चिंता है कि अगर उनके वाहन डी रजिस्टर होने के बाद स्क्रैप कर दिए जाएंगे तो इसके बदले महज 35 से 40े हजार रुपये मिलेंगे। अगर वाहनों की रेट्रो फिटमेंट करवाते हैं तो एक कार पर चार लाख तक से अधिक का खर्च होने का अनुमान है। इसमें बैटरी का खर्च सर्वाधिक होगा। सीएसई की मौसमी मोहंती के मुताबिक दोपहिया वाहन या ऑटो की रेट्रो फिटमेंट से कोई खास फायदा नहीं होगा, क्योंकि इसपर अपेक्षाकृत लागत अधिक है। टैक्सी मालिकों में रोष डीजल वाहनों के डी रजिस्ट्शन पर यूनियन के संजय सम्राट ने विरोध जताते हुए कहा कि कारोना काल में पहले ही वित्तीय तंगी से टैक्सी चालक जूझ रहे हैं। डीजल वाहनों को डी रजिस्टर करने से उनपर लाखों का अतिरिक्त बोझ बढ़ेगा जबकि कई टैक्सी संचालकों के लिए इस कारोबार में बने रहना भी मुश्किल हो रहा है। उन्होंने आरोप लगाया कि अब तक सीएनजी वाहनों को पर्यावरण के लिए अनुकूल माना जा रहा था। अचानक इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों की तरफ रुख करने के पीछे कोई और मंशा नजर आ रही है। अचानक लागू होने वाले इस फैसले से टैक्सी परिचालकों में रोष है और इसपर विरोध जताएंगे। अंतरराज्यीय बसों पर भी शिकंजा कसना जरूरी दूसरे राज्यों से दिल्ली में रोजाना करीब तीन हजार बसें दिल्ली में आवागमन करती हैं। इनमें से अधिकतर डीजल बसें हैं, जिनमें रोजाना यात्रियों का आवागमन होता है। दिल्ली में पहले ही सड़कों पर डीटीसी और क्लस्टर की सीएनजी बसें हैं। मगर, दूसरे राज्यों से रोजाना दिल्ली में दाखिल होने वाले वाहनों से होने वाले प्रदूषण पर फिलहाल शिकंजा नहीं कसा गया है। हालांकि कश्मीरी गेट, सराय कालें खां और आनंद विहार, आईएसबीटी पर अब दूसरे राज्यों से भी कुछ सीएनजी बसें पहुंच रही हैं। इन वाहनों के प्रदूषण की जांच और सख्ती नहीं की गई तो सरकार की तमाम कोशिशों के बावजूद दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता में सुधार की राह में मुश्किलें बनी रहेंगी। परिवहन विभाग के एक अधिकारी ने बताया कि दूसरे राज्यों से आने वाले वाहनों की निगरानी की जा रही है। प्रदूषण मानकों की अनदेखी करने वालों पर कार्रवाई भी शुरू कर दी गई है। इसके बाद कुछ सीएनजी बसें भी अब आईएसबीटी पर दिखने लगी हैं।

CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2022 to Convene Energy CEOs, Government Officials, and Business and Technology Leaders in Houston, March 7-11

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 40th annual gathering of CERAWeek by IHS Markit—the world’s preeminent energy conference—will convene the world’s energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policymakers, as well as leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities in-person, March 7-11 in Houston. CERAWeek 2022: Pace of Change: Energy, Climate and Innovation will examine the challenges and opportunities of reducing emissions while supplying the needs of a growing global economy in the era of energy transition. Chaired by Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and author of The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations, the conference is returning to Houston after being hosted as an all-virtual event in 2021. “We are pleased to be returning to Houston in 2022 for the 40th annual CERAWeek by IHS Markit,” said Yergin. “Houston is the energy capital of the world and we are honored to have it as the home of CERAWeek these past several decades. At a time of profound change in the energy world, there is no more-fitting place for the critical dialogues that will take place at this year’s conference. “The inherent challenges of the energy transition—and the rapid transformation to the basis of the world’s $86 trillion economy that it entails—are as profound as they are vast,” Yergin added. “Recent energy crises and market volatility illustrate the importance of balance between reducing emissions and ensuring stable and reliable energy flows that the growing global economy needs. It is a challenge made more complex at a time of strained supply chains and heightened geopolitical tensions. Meeting the demands of the energy future will require new strategies, intelligent investment and plenty of innovation. These are among the important issues that the world’s energy leaders will address in Houston at CERAWeek 2022.” Produced by IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO), a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions, the CERAWeek 2022 conference program will explore key themes related to More Energy, Less Emissions; Geopolitics and Energy Markets; Workforce of the Future; Competitive Landscape and the Energy Transition; Supply Chains; and Financing the Energy Future. The conference will also feature the CERAWeek Innovation Agora, serving as the center of technology and innovation programming at the event. Featuring a community of thought leaders, technologists, start-ups, investors, academics, energy companies and government officials, the Innovation Agora will showcase transformational technology platforms in the energy space ranging from digitalization, AI, analytics and connectivity, robotics, blockchain, additive manufacturing, mobility and decarbonization. Newly added for 2022 will be dedicated “Agora Hubs” focused on hydrogen and carbon management. CERAWeek 2022 speakers will include (partial list): Amin Nasser – president and CEO, Saudi Aramco Bernard Looney – CEO, bp Patti Poppe – CEO, PG&E Corporation Pedro Pizarro – president and CEO, Edison International Ben van Beurden – CEO, Royal Dutch Shell Patrick Pouyanné – chairman of the board and CEO, TotalEnergies Vicki Hollub – CEO, Occidental Jim Fitterling – chairman and CEO, Dow H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo – secretary general, OPEC Ignacio Galán – chairman and CEO, Iberdrola, S.A. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya – chairman, IndianOil Maria Pope – president and CEO, Portland General Electric Ryan Lance – chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber – minister of industry and advanced technology; special envoy for climate change and chairman of Masdar, United Arab Emirates; Group CEO, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Dr. Fatih Birol – executive director, International Energy Agency Josu Jon Imaz – CEO, Repsol Jill Evanko – CEO and president, Chart Industries Miranda Ballentine – CEO, Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) Ernie Thrasher – CEO and chief marketing officer, Xcoal Energy and Resources Øyvind Eriksen – president and CEO, Aker ASA Peter Terwiesch – president, process automation and member of group executive committee, ABB Jean-Pascal Tricoire – chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric RJ Scaringe – CEO, Rivian Barbara Burger – vice president, innovation, Chevron; president, Chevron Technology Ventures Carri Lockhard – executive vice president, technology, digital and innovation, Equinor Christian Bruch – president and CEO, Siemens Energy Sunita Narain – director general, Center for Science and Environment Amos Hochstein – senior advisor for energy security, U.S. Department of State Dan Brouillette – president, Sempra Infrastructure Emma Delaney – executive vice president, customers and products, bp Daniel Poneman – president and CEO, Centrus Energy Scott Sheffield – CEO, Pioneer Natural Resources Hon. Sonya Savage – minister of energy, Alberta, Canada Mark Little – president and CEO, Suncor Felipe Bayón – CEO, Ecopetrol S.A. Dawn Summers – member of the executive board and COO, region EMEA, Wintershall Dea AG Hon. Richard Glick – chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2022 to Convene Energy CEOs, Government Officials, and Business and Technology Leaders in Houston, March 7-11

HOUSTON, December 22, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 40th annual gathering of CERAWeek by IHS Markit—the world’s preeminent energy conference—will convene the world’s energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policymakers, as well as leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities in-person, March 7-11 in Houston. CERAWeek 2022: Pace of Change: Energy, Climate and Innovation will examine the challenges and opportunities of reducing emissions while supplying the needs of a growing global economy in the era of energy transition. Chaired by Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and author of The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations, the conference is returning to Houston after being hosted as an all-virtual event in 2021. "We are pleased to be returning to Houston in 2022 for the 40th annual CERAWeek by IHS Markit," said Yergin. "Houston is the energy capital of the world and we are honored to have it as the home of CERAWeek these past several decades. At a time of profound change in the energy world, there is no more-fitting place for the critical dialogues that will take place at this year’s conference. "The inherent challenges of the energy transition—and the rapid transformation to the basis of the world’s $86 trillion economy that it entails—are as profound as they are vast," Yergin added. "Recent energy crises and market volatility illustrate the importance of balance between reducing emissions and ensuring stable and reliable energy flows that the growing global economy needs. It is a challenge made more complex at a time of strained supply chains and heightened geopolitical tensions. Meeting the demands of the energy future will require new strategies, intelligent investment and plenty of innovation. These are among the important issues that the world’s energy leaders will address in Houston at CERAWeek 2022." Produced by IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO), a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions, the CERAWeek 2022 conference program will explore key themes related to More Energy, Less Emissions; Geopolitics and Energy Markets; Workforce of the Future; Competitive Landscape and the Energy Transition; Supply Chains; and Financing the Energy Future. The conference will also feature the CERAWeek Innovation Agora, serving as the center of technology and innovation programming at the event. Featuring a community of thought leaders, technologists, start-ups, investors, academics, energy companies and government officials, the Innovation Agora will showcase transformational technology platforms in the energy space ranging from digitalization, AI, analytics and connectivity, robotics, blockchain, additive manufacturing, mobility and decarbonization. Newly added for 2022 will be dedicated "Agora Hubs" focused on hydrogen and carbon management. CERAWeek 2022 speakers will include (partial list): Amin Nasser – president and CEO, Saudi Aramco Bernard Looney – CEO, bp Patti Poppe – CEO, PG&E Corporation Pedro Pizarro – president and CEO, Edison International Ben van Beurden – CEO, Royal Dutch Shell Patrick Pouyanné – chairman of the board and CEO, TotalEnergies Vicki Hollub – CEO, Occidental Jim Fitterling – chairman and CEO, Dow H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo – secretary general, OPEC Ignacio Galán – chairman and CEO, Iberdrola, S.A. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya – chairman, IndianOil Maria Pope – president and CEO, Portland General Electric Ryan Lance – chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber – minister of industry and advanced technology; special envoy for climate change and chairman of Masdar, United Arab Emirates; Group CEO, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Dr. Fatih Birol – executive director, International Energy Agency Josu Jon Imaz – CEO, Repsol Jill Evanko – CEO and president, Chart Industries Miranda Ballentine – CEO, Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) Ernie Thrasher – CEO and chief marketing officer, Xcoal Energy and Resources Øyvind Eriksen – president and CEO, Aker ASA Peter Terwiesch – president, process automation and member of group executive committee, ABB Jean-Pascal Tricoire – chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric RJ Scaringe – CEO, Rivian Barbara Burger – vice president, innovation, Chevron; president, Chevron Technology Ventures Carri Lockhard – executive vice president, technology, digital and innovation, Equinor Christian Bruch – president and CEO, Siemens Energy Sunita Narain – director general, Center for Science and Environment Amos Hochstein – senior advisor for energy security, U.S. Department of State Dan Brouillette – president, Sempra Infrastructure Emma Delaney – executive vice president, customers and products, bp Daniel Poneman – president and CEO, Centrus Energy Scott Sheffield – CEO, Pioneer Natural Resources Hon. Sonya Savage – minister of energy, Alberta, Canada Mark Little – president and CEO, Suncor Felipe Bayón – CEO, Ecopetrol S.A. Dawn Summers – member of the executive board and COO, region EMEA, Wintershall Dea AG Hon. Richard Glick – chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Visit www.ceraweek.com for a complete list of speakers and the most up-to-date program information (subject to change). Registration Information CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2022 will be held March 7-11 at the Hilton Americas—Houston. Further information and delegate registration is available at www.ceraweek.com. Media Accreditation Media registration is now open. Members of the media interested in covering CERAWeek 2022 are required to apply for accreditation. Applications are subject to approval and can be submitted at the following link: https://ceraweek.com/about/press.html About IHS Markit (www.ihsmarkit.com) IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO) is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 business and government customers, including 80 percent of the Fortune Global 500 and the world’s leading financial institutions. Headquartered in London, IHS Markit is committed to sustainable, profitable growth.

CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2022 to Convene Energy CEOs, Government Officials, and Business and Technology Leaders in Houston, March 7-11

40th annual installment of world’s preeminent energy conference will explore ‘Pace of Change: Energy, Climate and Innovation.’ Learn more at www.ceraweek.com The 40th annual gathering of CERAWeek by IHS Markit—the world’s preeminent energy conference—will convene the world’s energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policymakers, as well as leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities in-person, March 7-11 in Houston. CERAWeek 2022: Pace of Change: Energy, Climate and Innovation will examine the challenges and opportunities of reducing emissions while supplying the needs of a growing global economy in the era of energy transition. Chaired by Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and author of The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations, the conference is returning to Houston after being hosted as an all-virtual event in 2021. “We are pleased to be returning to Houston in 2022 for the 40th annual CERAWeek by IHS Markit,” said Yergin. “Houston is the energy capital of the world and we are honored to have it as the home of CERAWeek these past several decades. At a time of profound change in the energy world, there is no more-fitting place for the critical dialogues that will take place at this year’s conference. “The inherent challenges of the energy transition—and the rapid transformation to the basis of the world’s $86 trillion economy that it entails—are as profound as they are vast,” Yergin added. “Recent energy crises and market volatility illustrate the importance of balance between reducing emissions and ensuring stable and reliable energy flows that the growing global economy needs. It is a challenge made more complex at a time of strained supply chains and heightened geopolitical tensions. Meeting the demands of the energy future will require new strategies, intelligent investment and plenty of innovation. These are among the important issues that the world’s energy leaders will address in Houston at CERAWeek 2022.” Produced by IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO), a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions, the CERAWeek 2022 conference program will explore key themes related to More Energy, Less Emissions; Geopolitics and Energy Markets; Workforce of the Future; Competitive Landscape and the Energy Transition; Supply Chains; and Financing the Energy Future. The conference will also feature the CERAWeek Innovation Agora, serving as the center of technology and innovation programming at the event. Featuring a community of thought leaders, technologists, start-ups, investors, academics, energy companies and government officials, the Innovation Agora will showcase transformational technology platforms in the energy space ranging from digitalization, AI, analytics and connectivity, robotics, blockchain, additive manufacturing, mobility and decarbonization. Newly added for 2022 will be dedicated “Agora Hubs” focused on hydrogen and carbon management. CERAWeek 2022 speakers will include (partial list): Amin Nasser – president and CEO, Saudi Aramco Bernard Looney – CEO, bp Patti Poppe – CEO, PG&E Corporation Pedro Pizarro – president and CEO, Edison International Ben van Beurden – CEO, Royal Dutch Shell Patrick Pouyanné – chairman of the board and CEO, TotalEnergies Vicki Hollub – CEO, Occidental Jim Fitterling – chairman and CEO, Dow H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo – secretary general, OPEC Ignacio Galán – chairman and CEO, Iberdrola, S.A. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya – chairman, IndianOil Maria Pope – president and CEO, Portland General Electric Ryan Lance – chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber – minister of industry and advanced technology; special envoy for climate change and chairman of Masdar, United Arab Emirates; Group CEO, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Dr. Fatih Birol – executive director, International Energy Agency Josu Jon Imaz – CEO, Repsol Jill Evanko – CEO and president, Chart Industries Miranda Ballentine – CEO, Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) Ernie Thrasher – CEO and chief marketing officer, Xcoal Energy and Resources Øyvind Eriksen – president and CEO, Aker ASA Peter Terwiesch – president, process automation and member of group executive committee, ABB Jean-Pascal Tricoire – chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric RJ Scaringe – CEO, Rivian Barbara Burger – vice president, innovation, Chevron; president, Chevron Technology Ventures Carri Lockhard – executive vice president, technology, digital and innovation, Equinor Christian Bruch – president and CEO, Siemens Energy Sunita Narain – director general, Center for Science and Environment Amos Hochstein – senior advisor for energy security, U.S. Department of State Dan Brouillette – president, Sempra Infrastructure Emma Delaney – executive vice president, customers and products, bp Daniel Poneman – president and CEO, Centrus Energy Scott Sheffield – CEO, Pioneer Natural Resources Hon. Sonya Savage – minister of energy, Alberta, Canada Mark Little – president and CEO, Suncor Felipe Bayón – CEO, Ecopetrol S.A. Dawn Summers – member of the executive board and COO, region EMEA, Wintershall Dea AG Hon. Richard Glick – chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

Government Prohibits the Use of Streptomycin & Tetracycline on Crops

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare published a draft order on the 'Prohibition of Streptomycin + Tetracycline in Agriculture' on December 17, 2021, which prohibits the import, manufacture, or formulation of Streptomycin and Tetracycline for use in agriculture beginning February 1, 2022. Major Concerns: The draft order comes emerging issues over antimicrobial resistance observed in various crops, particularly to streptomycin, which is used in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Tetracycline antibiotics find application in the treatment of bacterial infections. The draft order will come into force on the date of its final publication in the official gazette. Streptomycin is a critically important antimicrobial while tetracycline belongs to the class of highly important antimicrobials, according to the World Health Organization. The order ensures a complete ban on the use of the two antibiotics in agriculture from January 1, 2024, onwards. It directed every state government to take all such steps necessary for executing the order in their state. The draft order is the fallout of the deliberations within the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC), where the registration committee (RC) in August 2021 had approved the recommendation for phasing out the use of streptomycin and tetracycline amid growing concerns over antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The phase-out was considered “according to the availability of alternatives”. Efforts Made by Centre for Science and Environment: In 2019, the Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment highlighted antibiotic misuse practices in India's crop sector. It demonstrated how Streptocycline (90:10 combinations of streptomycin and tetracycline) was being abused along the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi, Hisar (Haryana), and Fazilka (Punjab). It discovered that farmers in the area routinely and indiscriminately used high doses of streptomycin on crops, including those for which they had no approval. CSE recommended that these antibiotics not be used as pesticides and that they be used under expert supervision only after a bacterial disease in a crop has been diagnosed. It stated this while emphasizing the importance of using streptomycin in humans for "previously treated tuberculosis," as well as for treating multidrug-resistant TB and certain cases of TB meningitis. It went on to say that all other antibiotics should be phased out. Since then, CSE has been vocal about the issue on a variety of platforms. "We appreciate the government's efforts to limit the misuse of antibiotics, particularly those that are critical to human health, such as streptomycin." "This is a significant step forward in reducing the burden of AMR in the country," said Rajeshwari Sinha, CSE's programme manager, food safety team. In May 2020, the RC accepted the recommendation of a subcommittee that streptomycin and tetracycline be completely banned with an immediate effect on crops where alternatives are available. The RC formed the subcommittee to investigate the possibility of eliminating the use of antibiotics or antibacterial substances in agriculture if alternatives were available. The draft order, as informed by the notification, has been made public for the benefit of those who are likely to be affected. It will be considered after 45 days from the date that copies of the Gazette of India containing this order are made available to the public.

2021 was "historic" for Jal Shakti ministry, several long pending issues resolved: Minister

The year 2021 was "historic" for the Jal Shakti ministry as several landmark decisions were taken and many long pending issues were resolved, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, noting that the focus next year would be to expedite the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide tap water connections to more rural households.Talking to PTI about how the year was for the Jal Shakti ministry, he said all responsibilities given to it were fulfilled."The year has truly been historic for the ministry. The long pending issue of interlinkage of rivers was resolved. Agreement was also reached between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in this regard," he said.The governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh earlier this year signed an agreement that aims to tackle a long stalled multi-crore, controversial project to link the Ken and Betwa rivers and irrigate the water deficient Bundelkhand region (spread over both states) as well as provide electricity.Shekhwat said 2021 was also very significant for the Jal Shakti ministry because a law was enacted relating to dam safety."The Machchhu dam collapsed in 1979 and in 1982 a report was given on the matter. Now after all these years, a dam safety bill was passed which is very significant," he said.In the ongoing winter session, Parliament passed a bill that seeks to set up an institutional mechanism for the safety of specified dams in the country. The bill provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dams for the prevention of dam failure-related disasters. It provides for an institutional mechanism to ensure a safe functioning of the dams.In December, the government also extended the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), launched in 2015 under which 90 per cent grant has been given to three National Projects including Renukaji (Himachal Pradesh) and Lakhwar (Uttarakhand).The minister said the construction of Renukaji and Lakhwar dams would be critical for the national capital"s water supply needs and would also lead to "rebirth" of the river."Like in Ganga, it has been notified that all the dam holding stakeholders have to discharge a particular quantum of water in non-monsoon months. Similarly, we will make it mandatory that some amount of water has to flow in Yamuna too and when water will flow and if effluent treatment plants are working then fresh water and treated water both will improve yamuna water quality," he said.Speaking about the vision for 2022, Shekhawat said the biggest target for the Jal Shakti ministry is to complete the ongoing projects in a time-bound manner."Drinking water supply has to reach every household, that is our foremost aim," he said.According to government data, 8,67,78,991 households have been provided with tap water connections till now while 8,33,704 connections have been provided to schools and 8,76,664 in anganwadis.While 100 per cent households have been provided with tap water connection in Goa, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Haryana, there are still five states of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Rajasthan where less than 25 per cent households have tap water connections.This year, the ministry also started water quality surveillance using field test kits under which five women from every village are trained in water quality surveillance using these kits to lead these activities in their village.The year 2021 also marked completion of several major projects on the Ganga main stem and tributaries such as the Yamuna.Elaborating on the progress made under the National Mission for Clean Ganga in 2021, NMCG Director General Rajiv Ranjan Mishra said the year 2021 witnessed a watershed moment for public participation with tremendous response received in government"s various endeavors such as Ganga Quest, Ganga Utsav and Ganga Mashal Abhiyan."The success of Namami Gange is derived from its collaborative partnership. This year we launched a capacity building initiative with the Centre for Science and Environment for Making Ganga Basin Cities Water Sensitive. With TERI, we are launching the first of its kind Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse. Last but not the least, we launched the historic River Cities Alliance with NIUA which is a unique platform for river cities to embark upon the path of river centric planning and programs. We also launched the Urban River Management Plan for Kanpur," Mishra told PTI.As far as challenges that lie ahead in 2022, Mishra said there is a need to ensure the sustainability of the initiatives undertaken in the mission, expand activities along tributaries, further strengthen the people river connect and work extensively for improving ecology and flow."It is a continuous process, and the task is not only to clean but also to keep it clean and rejuvenated. Another key challenge would be record and manage the knowledge that has been created under the mission. All these would only be possible with collaborative partnerships which has been the mainstay of Namami Gange mission," he added. PTI UZM ZMN

Delhi's Environment Minister Calls For Joint Action Plan to Curb Pollution

Air pollution in the Indian capital of New Delhi is a recurring problem. Every year during the winter, the city's air quality worsens, leaving inhabitants prey to all manner of respiratory disorders. Delhi is not only fighting the latest strain of COVID-19, the so-called Omicron variant, it is also faced with the problem of air pollution at this time of the year. The pollution menace has become so serious that the Supreme Court of India decided to intervene in the matter recently. Sputnik contacted Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai to talk about the prevailing situation and find out what the city government is planning to do to control it. Sputnik: Despite government efforts, Delhi continues to face air pollution problems. Have the cause of pollution and solution for it have been figured out? What is being done to get rid of this problem? Gopal Rai: According to a report by Delhi-based think-tank, the Centre for Science and Environment, the city's (total) contribution to air pollution is only 31 percent and the remaining 69 percent comes from outside Delhi. The main reason air pollution is worsening in the capital city, especially during the winter, is because the stubble is being burnt, and firecrackers have been let off during Diwali. We have come up with a two-pronged strategy to curb the menace of pollution – one long-term and the other short-term. As regards the long-term strategy, in the past three to four years we have managed to convert around 1,500 factories that were operating on polluted fuel to Piped Natural Gas (PNG). Then our government is committed to providing electricity 24/7 - but we are ensuring that the generator sets which run on diesel are not used in commercial centres. We have also introduced an e-vehicle policy to ensure that pollution from vehicles can be controlled. All the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses are already running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and from next month we will introduce electric buses also. In addition to this, we are working on increasing the capital's green belt. For this, we have adopted a tree transplantation policy by which we are not only planting new drives but also transplanting old trees to other places. The national average of the green belt is 20 percent of the area of the city or state but eventually Delhi will have a 22 percent green belt which is more than the national average. People play with fireworks during Diwali, the festival of lights, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 - Sputnik International, 1920, 03.11.2021 As regards the short-term, we have come up with a winter action plan under which Delhi is the first to start a green war room. This works with several agencies in the capital, monitors the pollution and implements the plan. The Delhi government has also launched the Green Delhi App so that the people of Delhi can help to fight pollution. People can report any activity that is causing pollution and our agencies will take action against it. Several other campaigns such as Red Light On, Gaadi Off (Red light on, Vehicle Off), the anti-dust campaign, anti-open burning campaign have been launched to control the pollution from vehicles, construction activities and burning of coal or other things during the winter season. As far as stubble burning is concerned, last year with the help of the Pusa Institute of Technology we launched a bio-decomposer for the stubble, which is left after the harvest. It not only helped to decompose the stubble but also helped to increase the produce in the next harvest. It was so successful that this time more farmers have asked for bio-decomposer capsules. We even suggested that the federal government get other states to use bio-decomposers so that the stubble burning can be stopped and the after-effects of it can be controlled. Apart from all these plans, we have also asked the federal government to form a joint-action plan so that we can work with other states also to control the pollution because this menace can’t be fought alone. Sputnik: Despite curbing building, the air quality has not improved. Do you think construction activities and use of diesel vehicles are still contributing to pollution? Gopal Rai: The studies show that the main sources of pollution in Delhi are vehicles and construction activities. So, as far as construction activities are concerned, we earlier introduced 14-point norms but as conditions got worse we had to stop building work across the city. Now, as the situation has eased a bit, the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi NCR, and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has lifted the ban from construction activities. It allows work on the condition that the construction firms follow dust-control norms. Sputnik: The Delhi government will deregister 10-year-old diesel vehicles from 1 January 2022. Do you think this is a good way to curb the pollution? Gopal Rai: As I said earlier, there are many causes of pollution and we can only control it by curbing one source at a time. As far as the decision to deregister 10-year-old diesel vehicles, everyone knows that the old vehicles spread more pollution and this decision was handed down by the Supreme Court of India itself. So, the decision has been taken considering all the studies and analysis. Sputnik: What kind of support is being given by the federal government? Gopal Rai: It has been really unfortunate that, despite several requests, the Federal Minister of the Environment [Bhupender Yadav] didn’t call for a joint meeting of state environment ministers to coordinate a joint action plan. I have written to him three times but there has been no response from him. I think that the role of the federal government is crucial because we have to work in harmony as this is a common problem especially in the states adjoining Delhi. I can only say that the federal government should actively work on it so that we can control pollution faster and in a much more effective way. Sputnik: Pollution of the Yamuna river is also a big concern. Delhi state chief Arvind Kejriwal vowed that the river would be cleaned but no significant progress has been made to date. Don’t you think that the Delhi government has failed in keeping its promises? Gopal Rai: I don’t think the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government has failed in fulfilling the promise. Yes, there has been a delay in cleaning the Yamuna river but everybody is aware that because of COVID-19 several works were put to a halt.

Guwahati and Agartala Top’s the list of most Polluted Cities in North East Region

Northeast India known for its flora and fauna is soon going to struggle for fresh air, a new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the New Delhi-based think tank, says that the problem of air pollution is growing steadily in the states of India’s northeast, putting paid to the impression of pristine blue skies and clean air that people usually have about the region. “The current obsession with high pollution concentration in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and in overall northern India overshadows and sidelines the early signs of the crisis in our northeastern states in the national discourse on air pollution and public health. Weak and inadequate air quality monitoring and paucity of data do not allow proper assessment of the risk. But even the limited evidence shows several cities especially the state capitals — are already vulnerable to poor air quality and winter smog,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Gaps in air quality data and lack of quality control of data make it difficult to construct reliable air quality trends for these cities, “The air quality in the region is worsening. But this has not drawn adequate public attention. In winter, air quality of cities like Guwahati can be almost as bad as what we see in the National Capital Region (NCR) and cities of Uttar Pradesh. Pollution is also high in smaller cities like Agartala and Kohima,” says Avikal Somvanshi, programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE. CSE has analysed the urban air quality status in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. This is part of the air quality tracker initiative of the Urban Data Analytics Lab of CSE, which was initiated last winter. The objective of this new analysis is to understand the magnitude and trend in winter pollution in major cities of the region which have recently started real-time air quality monitoring. This is an assessment of annual and seasonal trends in PM2.5 concentration for the period January 1, 2019 to December 7, 2021. This analysis is based on the real-time data available from currently functioning air quality monitoring stations in the northeast. A huge volume of data points have been cleaned and data gaps have been addressed based on the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) method. This analysis covers seven continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) spread across six cities in an equal number of states: two stations in Guwahati (Assam) and one station each in Shillong (Meghalaya), Agartala (Tripura), Kohima (Nagaland), Aizwal (Mizoram) and Naharlagun (Arunachal Pradesh). There is no real-time monitoring in Manipur and Sikkim, which is why the analysis is unable to cover these states. Even from the states covered, the data is limited. Guwahati and Shillong have data available for over two years. Real-time monitors in Agartala, Kohima and Aizwal became operational only near the end of 2020, which limits the possibility of doing long-term trend analysis for these cities. Naharlagun got its real-time monitor in March 2021. Due to excessive amount of missing data from this station, any meaningful analysis is not possible. Seasonal and annual pollution patterns in key cities of northeast India Data quality remains poor despite setting up automatic real-time air quality monitoring stations: The region has historically been low on monitoring due to hilly terrain and limited infrastructure. With the introduction of automated monitoring in the region under the CAAQMS (continuous ambient air quality monitoring system) programme of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), it was expected that air quality data generation would improve — but even this online system is plagued with data gaps. Data availability calculated as number of days with adequate data for commutation of a valid 24-hour average has been low in three of the six cities in the region. In the last six months (May to November 2021), data availability at Naharlagun station of Anurachal Pradesh has been just 26 per cent. Stations at Shillong in Meghalaya and Aizwal in Mizoram fare just marginally better with 33 per cent and 34 per cent data availability, respectively. Stations at Kohima in Nagaland, Agartala in Tripura and Guwahati in Assam meet the minimum 75 per cent data availability requirement. In contrast, the CAAQMS stations in Delhi-NCR have over 95 per cent data availability. Says Somvanshi: “It is not clear why these stations have such poor data availability but it probably has to do with poor electricity and internet connectivity in the region.” Guwahati has the most polluted air in northeastern India: Average PM2.5 levels in 2021 (up till November 30) has already surpassed the 2019 annual average in Guwahati. The city’s 2020 annual average was also higher than its 2019 average which indicates continuous worsening of air in the city. Shillong is the only other city in the region that has a station generating data for over two years, but due to poor data availability its annual averages cannot be considered credible. Nevertheless, the city’s average is considerably below the annual standard. Among other cities meeting the minimum data availability requirements, Agartala with a 2020 average of 45 microgramme per cubic metre (ug/m3) is the second most polluted city in the region. Kohima with a 2020 average of 35 ug/m3 is the third most polluted city in the region. Aizwal and Naharlagun do not meet the minimum data availability requirement, but the limited data available indicates that these two would most probably be meeting the annual standard. Guwahati has almost two months of very poor air quality days: This year, so far, the number of days with air quality in ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ categories stands at 54 days in Guwahati city. This is comparable to cities of north India which are more polluted compared to those in the northeastern states. In other cities, ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ days dominate but ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ days have also begun to emerge. Agartala registered 10 ‘very poor’ days, while Kohima had two. There is a considerable number of days in these cities for which the AQI (air quality index) could not be calculated due to poor data availability. All three cities meet the 24-hour standard for about half of the days in 2021 so far. The AQI chart for Shillong, Aizwal and Naharlagun could not be made as these cities do not have enough data. High pollution episode common during winters despite low annual levels: Except Guwahati, rest of the cities in the states in northeast have low annual PM2.5 levels; but during winters, episodes of high pollution are common. Weekly PM2.5 levels can go as high as 189 ug/m3 in Guwahati (as recorded in the week ending on January 17, 2021). This winter, so far the highest weekly level has been reported from Agartala where it hit 91 ug/m3 (as recorded in the week ending on November 28, 2021). Last winter, it had gone up to 112 ug/m3 (as recorded in the week ending on January 10, 2021). Similarly, high pollution has been recorded in Aizwal and Kohima. Guwahati, Kohima and Naharlagun show elevated NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) levels in winter: There is a significant increase in amount of NO2 in the air of Kohima and Naharlagun during November compared to October and September, 2021. Kohima registered a 124 per cent jump in monthly NO2 levels, while Naharlagun registered a 67 per cent increase. In other cities including Shillong, Agartala and Guwahati, there seems to be a problem with the monitors as the data points are showing an almost flat line. This implies their NO2 monitors might not be working properly. Guwahati’s data for this year is reporting an almost flat line since May 2021. But in 2020, NO2 level in Guwahati had increased as the winter progressed — there was an 85 per cent jump in monthly NO2 levels between September and November. Aizwal has not reported NO2 data since May 2021. Daily NO2 peaks with traffic peaks: Only three cities have reliable NO2 data and all of them show a peaking of the hourly NO2 concentration at 6 PM which coincides with the evening rush hour in cities. Hourly NO2 in Guwahati and Agartala increases five-fold between 1 PM and 6 PM. The NO2 cycle is not as sharp in Naharlagun, but despite that, a 40 per cent increase is noted between 1 and 6 PM. All three cities have a morning NO2 peak which happens around 7-8 AM, but it is relatively smaller compared to the evening peak. In Guwahati, night-time NO2 is high indicating impact of night-time truck movement in the city. Diwali is a mega pollution event for Guwahati and Agartala: Pollution levels on Diwali night (8 PM to 8 AM) shot up by 1 to 3.6 times the average level recorded seven nights preceding Diwali. Guwahati had the greatest pollution build-up on Diwali night, with a 3.6-fold increase in night-time PM2.5 levels, while Kohima had no impact of Diwali on its air quality. Naharlagun had no data for Diwali night while Shillong and Aizwal registered very low PM2.5 levels with negligible impact of Diwali. In absolute concentration terms, Guwahati dominates the list of most polluted Diwali nights with a 225 ug/m3 PM2.5 level. Agartala with a Diwali night PM2.5 level of 192 ug/m3 enters the AQI categorisation of ‘very poor’ level. Spotlight on Guwahati Guwahati has comparatively better data sets that allow more insights into the pollution behaviour in the city. It has had a stable annual average of PM2.5 since the last three years, but it does not meet the annual standard for PM2.5. It needs to cut its pollution level by 33 per cent to meet the standard. Further, November pollution this year has been lesser compared to the last two Novembers. But the most polluted months for the city are December and January. Analysis of days as per the categorisation of the national AQI shows that the city is experiencing increasingly higher number of days with poor or worse air quality, and most of these days are concentrated during winter months. Number of days with good air quality has remained the same in the last two years. Cities of northeastern states need urgent attention and support under the National Clean Air Programme to implement locally appropriate clean air action and 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.

Dust: Faridabad's winter woe doesn’t settle down

FARIDABAD: Roads riddled with potholes sending up plumes of dust with each passing vehicle, layers of soot coating trees lining the arterial roads, a thick patina of dirt on windows of parked cars — air pollution caused by unsettled dust is getting worse in Faridabad with each passing year. The lone district of Haryana to be included on the National Clean Air Programme’s list of non-attainment cities in 2019, Faridabad’s air quality during the last two winters has been in the ‘very poor’ category, the Central Pollution Control Board data shows. Its average air quality index (AQI) till December 16 this year, has been recorded at 304 (on a scale up to 500) in the ‘very poor’ category, while the overall November AQI was around 370, up from 316 recorded in the corresponding period last year. “With most roads unpaved and broken, there’s a dust coating on plants and trees meant to ‘beautify’ our key chowks,” Sector 23 resident Gaurav Kumar said. The area, like Sectors 25, 26, 16, 15, BK Chowk, Neelam Chowk and the newly developed sectors along Faridabad bypass road, has been covered by a powdery veil of dust since the onset of winter this year. “As the internal roads near Hardware Chowk have not been repaired for long, loose soil is sent flying each time a vehicle passes. I have stopped using motorbikes and switched to a four-wheeler for commuting, but not many can afford to do the same,” Suresh Sharma, a resident of Sector 26, told TOI. With work on infrastructure projects underway, the problem only aggravates for residents of areas like Sectors 6, 48, and Greater Faridabad. Walking for even five minutes in these areas, Ranvir Saini, a resident of Sector 50, said “is difficult and may trigger a bout of cough”. Cases of breathlessness, allergies, eye infection and bronchitis have seen an uptick in recent years, experts said, with a spike in pollution — vehicular emissions, construction and demolition waste, garbage burning, road dust and industrial pollution being some of the major contributors. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), however, has identified road dust as the main cause of air pollution in the city and recently levied a Rs 90-lakh penalty on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) for dust pollution. According to Faridabad HSPCB regional officer Smita Kanodia, PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels are on the rise due to re-suspension of road dust, emission from vehicles, use of diesel generator sets, construction activities, burning of domestic fossil fuels, open burning of solid wastes, transportation of construction materials, such as sand and soil, without any cover, and emission from brick kilns located around Faridabad. “Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) also has been observed at an alarming level. This is mainly due to vehicular emissions,” Kanodia said. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the city’s air quality had been sliding till 2019. “But it has worsened in the last two years, the CPCB data shows.” Mitigation plan HSPCB has not only identified 37 pollution hotspots in the district but also drawn up an action plan for improving the air quality, including installing six smog towers at Ballabgarh Sohna Chowk, Neelam Chowk, Old Faridabad, Hardware Chowk, Sector 29 Chowk bypass road and Sector 37 by next December. Diversion from traffic choke points, no parking and encroachment in nondesignated areas, phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles that are more than 15 and 10 years old respectively, sprinkling water on roads, mechanical sweeping and ensuring pothole-free roads are also on its checklist, officials said. The MCF is also planning to remove surplus earth from the road berms and central verges, lay grass paver tiles, and identify areas to increase green cover. It has also identified seven open spaces for installing micro STPs. A proposal for purchasing anti-smog guns to spray water up to a distance of 70-80 metres with a horizontal 360-degree rotating angle as a pilot project has also been initiated, an MCF official said.

ठंड, कोहरा और प्रदूषण मिलकर कोरोना वायरस को कर रहे मजबूत, बढ़ सकता है खतरा

नई दिल्‍ली. देश में सर्दियों का मौसम चल रहा है. कोरोना के नए वेरिएंट ओमिक्रॉन (Omicron) के मामले भी बढ़ रहे हैं. वहीं कोरोना के अन्‍य वेरिएंट के भी रोजाना करीब सात हजार से ज्‍यादा मामले सामने आ रहे हैं. तेज ठंड होने के चलते कोहरा भी पड़ना शुरू हो गया है. दिल्‍ली-एनसीआर सहित कई शहरों में प्रदूषण (Pollution) का स्‍तर भी बहुत खराब श्रेणी में बना हुआ है. लिहाजा स्‍वास्‍थ्‍य विशेषज्ञों का मानना है कि पर्यावरण की ये प्रतिकूल स्थितियां कोरोना वायरस (Corona Virus) को प्रभावी बना सकती हैं और इससे लोगों की परेशानी बढ़ सकती है. दिल्‍ली म्‍यूनिसिपल कॉर्पोरेशन (MCD)के पूर्व एडिशनल एमएचओ डॉ. सतपाल न्‍यूज18 हिंदी से बातचीत में बताते हैं कि हवा से फैलने वाला कोरोना वायरस, वायु प्रदूषण और कोहरा (Fog) जब एक साथ मिलते हैं तो ये खतरनाक गठजोड़ बनाते हैं. जैसे वायु प्रदूषण हानिकारक है, ऐसे ही घने कोहरे की स्थिति भी लोगों के लिए ठीक नहीं होती. जैसा कि देखा गया है कि जब भी कोहरा होता है तो हवा स्थिर हो जाती है और गर्मियों की तरह तेज गति से नहीं बहती. जिसके कारण पर्यावरण (Environment) में जो प्रदूषण और डस्‍ट पार्टिकल्‍स (Dust Particles) यानी धूल के कण होते हैं, वे कोहरे में ही जम जाते हैं. हवा के न चलने की स्थिति में ये कण वायुमंडल में काफी नीचे होते हैं, यहां तक कि एक व्‍यक्ति जब सांस लेता है तो इन कणों को अपने अंदर ले लेता है. ऐसी स्थिति में अगर हवा में कोई वायरस जैसे कोरोना वायरस है, तो व्‍यक्ति उसे भी इनहेल करता है, जो कि नुकसानदायक हो जाता है. डॉ. सतपाल कहते हैं कि कोहरे के कारण हवा में मौजूद प्रदूषण (Pollution) और वायरस दोनों काफी देर तक एक ही जगह पर ठहरे रहते हैं, जिसका असर यह होता है कि जितने भी लोग उस जगह से निकलते हैं वेवायरस और प्रदूषण दोनों के बीच से गुजरते हैं और उसको इनहेल करते हैं. यही वजह है कि ठंडे देशों या ठंड के मौसम में प्रदूषण भी काफी ज्‍यादा प्रभावित करता है और कोरोना वायरस के भी ज्‍यादा प्रभावित करने की संभावना रहती है. वहीं सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में वायु प्रदूषण विशेषज्ञ विवेक चट्टोपाध्‍याय कहते हैं कि किसी भी वायरस या प्रदूषण के प्रभाव को कम करने के लिए पर्यावरण का वेंटीलेशन भी जरूरी है. जबकि कोहरे के समय हवा ठहरी रहती है और प्रदूषण या वायरस कोहरे में आसानी से जगह बना लेता है. ऐसे में संभव है कि कोहरे में यह दोनों ज्‍यादा प्रभावित करें. जैसा कि कोरोना वायरस के आउटब्रेक के बाद भी कहा गया कि वायरस को कमजोर करने के लिए इनडोर वेंटिलेशन अच्‍छा रखें. दफ्तर या घर कहीं भी रहें तो क्रॉस वेंटिलेशन रखें ताकि हवा आर-पार रह सके और वायरस एक जगह न ठहरे, यह हवा के साथ उड़ जाए. ऐसे में इनडोर की तरह आउटडोर में भी वेंटिलेशन जरूरी है. अगर यह नहीं होता है तो निश्चित ही परेशानी का कारण है. यूरोपियन देशों में भी हो रहा इसका प्रभाव विवेक कहते हैं कि यूरोपियन देशों में ठंड ही रहती है और कोहरे का मौसम रहता है. हालांकि वहां प्रदूषण कम है लेकिन फिर भी कोरोना वायरस कोहरे और ठंड व हवा न चलने के कारण काफी ज्‍यादा प्रभावित कर रहा है, तो इसे एक वजह माना जा सकता है. विवेक कहते हैं कि भारत में अभी तक इस पर अनुमान ही आए हैं लेकिन कोई अध्‍ययन नहीं आया. इसलिए जरूरी है कि मास्‍क आदि पहना जाए. कोहरे से गुजरते वक्‍त भी कोशिश करें कि हवा को सीधे इनहेल न करें. प्रदूषण में वायरस हो जाता है मजबूत विवेक कहते हैं कि हाल ही में हुए एक अध्‍ययन में सामने आया था कि वायु प्रदूषण की वजह से इम्‍यूनिटी काफी प्रभावित होती है. चूंकि वायरस कमजोर इम्‍यूनिटी वाले शख्‍स को ही पकड़ता है, ऐसे में वायु प्रदूषण के कारण 10 से 15 फीसदी तक वायरस का प्रभाव बढ़ जाता है. कमजोर प्रतिरोधक क्षमता वाला व्‍यक्ति वायरस की गिरफ्त में आसानी से आ जाता है. वहीं एक चीज और भी है कि गर्मी के मौसम में प्रदूषण नहीं होता, बल्कि ठंड के मौसम में होता है, लिहाजा ठंड का भी वायरस के प्रभाव से सीधा संबंध है, ऐसा कहा जा सकता है.

ठंड, कोहरा और प्रदूषण मिलकर कोरोना वायरस को कर रहे मजबूत, बढ़ सकता है खतरा

नई दिल्‍ली. देश में सर्दियों का मौसम चल रहा है. कोरोना के नए वेरिएंट ओमिक्रॉन के मामले भी बढ़ रहे हैं. वहीं कोरोना के अन्‍य वेरिएंट के भी रोजाना करीब सात हजार से ज्‍यादा मामले सामने आ रहे हैं. तेज ठंड होने के चलते कोहरा भी पड़ना शुरू हो गया है. दिल्‍ली-एनसीआर सहित कई शहरों में प्रदूषण का स्‍तर भी बहुत खराब श्रेणी में बना हुआ है. लिहाजा स्‍वास्‍थ्‍य विशेषज्ञों का मानना है कि पर्यावरण की ये प्रतिकूल स्थितियां कोरोना वायरस को प्रभावी बना सकती हैं और इससे लोगों की परेशानी बढ़ सकती है. दिल्‍ली म्‍यूनिसिपल कॉर्पोरेशन (MCD)के पूर्व एडिशनल एमएचओ डॉ. सतपाल न्‍यूज18 हिंदी से बातचीत में बताते हैं कि हवा से फैलने वाला कोरोना वायरस, वायु प्रदूषण और कोहरा जब एक साथ मिलते हैं तो ये खतरनाक गठजोड़ बनाते हैं. जैसे वायु प्रदूषण हानिकारक है, ऐसे ही घने कोहरे की स्थिति भी लोगों के लिए ठीक नहीं होती. जैसा कि देखा गया है कि जब भी कोहरा होता है तो हवा स्थिर हो जाती है और गर्मियों की तरह तेज गति से नहीं बहती. जिसके कारण पर्यावरण में जो प्रदूषण और डस्‍ट पार्टिकल्‍स यानी धूल के कण होते हैं, वे कोहरे में ही जम जाते हैं. हवा के न चलने की स्थिति में ये कण वायुमंडल में काफी नीचे होते हैं, यहां तक कि एक व्‍यक्ति जब सांस लेता है तो इन कणों को अपने अंदर ले लेता है. ऐसी स्थिति में अगर हवा में कोई वायरस जैसे कोरोना वायरस है, तो व्‍यक्ति उसे भी इनहेल करता है, जो कि नुकसानदायक हो जाता है. डॉ. सतपाल कहते हैं कि कोहरे के कारण हवा में मौजूद प्रदूषण और वायरस दोनों काफी देर तक एक ही जगह पर ठहरे रहते हैं, जिसका असर यह होता है कि जितने भी लोग उस जगह से निकलते हैं वेवायरस और प्रदूषण दोनों के बीच से गुजरते हैं और उसको इनहेल करते हैं. यही वजह है कि ठंडे देशों या ठंड के मौसम में प्रदूषण भी काफी ज्‍यादा प्रभावित करता है और कोरोना वायरस के भी ज्‍यादा प्रभावित करने की संभावना रहती है. वहीं सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में वायु प्रदूषण विशेषज्ञ विवेक चट्टोपाध्‍याय कहते हैं कि किसी भी वायरस या प्रदूषण के प्रभाव को कम करने के लिए पर्यावरण का वेंटीलेशन भी जरूरी है. जबकि कोहरे के समय हवा ठहरी रहती है और प्रदूषण या वायरस कोहरे में आसानी से जगह बना लेता है. ऐसे में संभव है कि कोहरे में यह दोनों ज्‍यादा प्रभावित करें. जैसा कि कोरोना वायरस के आउटब्रेक के बाद भी कहा गया कि वायरस को कमजोर करने के लिए इनडोर वेंटिलेशन अच्‍छा रखें. दफ्तर या घर कहीं भी रहें तो क्रॉस वेंटिलेशन रखें ताकि हवा आर-पार रह सके और वायरस एक जगह न ठहरे, यह हवा के साथ उड़ जाए. ऐसे में इनडोर की तरह आउटडोर में भी वेंटिलेशन जरूरी है. अगर यह नहीं होता है तो निश्चित ही परेशानी का कारण है. यूरोपियन देशों में भी हो रहा इसका प्रभाव विवेक कहते हैं कि यूरोपियन देशों में ठंड ही रहती है और कोहरे का मौसम रहता है. हालांकि वहां प्रदूषण कम है लेकिन फिर भी कोरोना वायरस कोहरे और ठंड व हवा न चलने के कारण काफी ज्‍यादा प्रभावित कर रहा है, तो इसे एक वजह माना जा सकता है. विवेक कहते हैं कि भारत में अभी तक इस पर अनुमान ही आए हैं लेकिन कोई अध्‍ययन नहीं आया. इसलिए जरूरी है कि मास्‍क आदि पहना जाए. कोहरे से गुजरते वक्‍त भी कोशिश करें कि हवा को सीधे इनहेल न करें. प्रदूषण में वायरस हो जाता है मजबूत विवेक कहते हैं कि हाल ही में हुए एक अध्‍ययन में सामने आया था कि वायु प्रदूषण की वजह से इम्‍यूनिटी काफी प्रभावित होती है. चूंकि वायरस कमजोर इम्‍यूनिटी वाले शख्‍स को ही पकड़ता है, ऐसे में वायु प्रदूषण के कारण 10 से 15 फीसदी तक वायरस का प्रभाव बढ़ जाता है. कमजोर प्रतिरोधक क्षमता वाला व्‍यक्ति वायरस की गिरफ्त में आसानी से आ जाता है. वहीं एक चीज और भी है कि गर्मी के मौसम में प्रदूषण नहीं होता, बल्कि ठंड के मौसम में होता है, लिहाजा ठंड का भी वायरस के प्रभाव से सीधा संबंध है, ऐसा कहा जा सकता है.

Early signs of worsening air emerge in Northeast India

Except Guwahati, the other cities in the Northeast have low annual PM2.5 levels Air quality in India’s northeast States is worsening and while still much better than pollution hotspots in other parts of the country, appear to be under threat by the same sources — vehicles, industry and urbanisation — that have soiled the air elsewhere, according to an analysis of air quality by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. So far air pollution is largely seen as a crisis of the Indo Gangetic plains, particularly in winter when Delhi and several cities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana find themselves in lists of the world’s most polluted cities.